Share & Help Me GrowWhen our insurance refused to pay for Lira’s occupational and speech therapy, I fought the system for three years. In the end, I had to give up and pay the bill, realizing that we would not be able to pay for professional services again. Letting Lira suffer through her developmental delays […]

We've all been there. We look back on a situation, and we think to ourselves, 'If only I had known then what I know now.' It's called the power of hindsight, and it's a very real phenomenon. Sometimes we make decisions based on the information we have at the time, and later we realize that we could have made a better decision if we had known more. This is something I've been thinking about a lot lately in relation to my kids. When they were younger, I made many decisions based on their autism/ADHD diagnosis. There was a great deal

Safety is important for all kids. Children with autism need to be specifically taught these skills if they are to achieve independence.

In addition to reading my blog (mucho thanks btw) , there are a plethora of ones out there that come to autism. Some have to do with just autism, some are just documenting family , and some are autism, homeschool and all the other things like me. Just in case you are dying to know what I read, I compiled 5 autism blogs that you should follow as well. You can thank me later. Of course, thank me later with chocolate. Lots and lots of chocolate. You can never go wrong with chocolate. 5 Autism Blogs You Have To Follow

Do your team members possess the key trait for sales success? People are always asking me what they think the number one personality trait of a successful salesperson should be. Now, there is obviously a mixture of key strengths an ideal salesperson should possess, but one that stands out for me is personal responsibility. A

Question I think my child has Aspergers. I know this disorder has a strong genetic factor, and my husband has been diagnosed with it. Now my son is starting to have some of the same Aspergers-like traits. Is there a test or set of criteria that will help me know if I need to have my son tested for Aspergers? Answer Aspergers (high functioning autism) is a neurobiological collection of behavioral differences (called a syndrome). It is classified in the DSM alongside Autistic Disorder. There is no known cause (although genetic and environmental factors are involved). It continues throughout the lifespan, but it is not a “mental illness” per say. Here are the diagnostic criteria for Aspergers... A. Qualitative impairment in social interaction, as manifested by at least two of the following: marked impairment in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors such as eye-to-eye gaze, facial expression, body postures, and gestures to regulate social interaction failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to developmental level a lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interests or achievements with other people (e.g. by a lack of showing, bringing, or pointing out objects of interest to other people) lack of social or emotional reciprocity B. Restricted repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests and activities, as manifested by at least one of the following: encompassing preoccupation with one or more stereotyped and restricted patterns of interest that is abnormal either in intensity or focus apparently inflexible adherence to specific, nonfunctional routines or rituals stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms (e.g. hand or finger flapping or twisting, or complex whole-body movements) persistent preoccupation with parts or objects C. The disturbance causes clinically significant impairment in social, occupation, or other important areas of functioning D. There is no clinically significant general delay in language (e.g. single words used by age 2 years, communicative phrases used by age 2 years) E. There is no clinically significant delay in cognitive development or in the development of age-appropriate self-help skills, adaptive behavior (other than in social interaction), and curiosity about the environment in childhood F. Criteria are not met for another specific Pervasive Developmental Disorder or Schizophrenia These definitions were developed to determine the degree to which a youngster is “disabled” and therefore eligible to receive services; however, they may not be of much help to parents who suspect that they have an Aspergers child. Aspergers represents a mild to significant difference in how “Aspies” process sensory input, communicate, and generally perceive social experiences from those with “neurologically typical” nervous systems. Like “neurotypicals,” Aspies have their own strengths and limitations. Unfortunately, the fact that they are “different” often makes them appear more limited and their strengths harder to perceive. Most Aspies have one very strong learning style and may pick up very little information from other senses or teaching styles. Some may be very strong visual thinkers, very strong auditory thinkers, very strong mathematical thinkers, or very strong in their language skills. One study found that some 70% of Aspies also met the criteria for nonverbal learning disorder. The vast majority of them have what “neurotypicals” consider weak social skills, primarily because they don’t pick up the unspoken social cues the way that “normal” people do. This difference can contribute to failures in relationships and employment, and may also lead to a high co-morbidity of depressive disorder. Most people with Aspergers have some degree of sensory-processing dysfunction (i.e., various senses like sight, hearing, smell, touch, taste, proprioception, and vestibular may be over-or-under sensitive to stimuli in comparison to those without Aspergers). Synaesthesia (i.e., mixing of sensory information like smelling sounds) may also be present. What some view as “limitations” can also be viewed as strengths. Below is a fairly comprehensive list of Aspergers traits. If most of these seem to fit your son, then it might be helpful to get a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation from a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist who specializes in Aspergers: 1. a determination to seek the truth 2. ability to pursue personal theory or perspective despite conflicting evidence 3. ability to regard others at “face value” 4. acute sensitivity to specific sensory experiences and stimuli (e.g., hearing touch, vision and/or smell) 5. advanced use of pictorial metaphor 6. advanced vocabulary and interest in words 7. avid perseverance in gathering and cataloging information on a topic of interest 8. clarity of values/decision making unaltered by political or financial factors 9. conversation free of hidden meaning or agenda 10. encyclopedic or “CD-ROM” knowledge of one or more topics 11. exceptional memory and/or recall of details often forgotten or disregarded by others (e.g., names, dates schedules, routines) 12. fascination with word-based humor (e.g., puns) 13. free of sexist, “age-ist”, or cultural-ist biases 14. frequent victim of social weaknesses of others 15. increased probability over general population of attending university after high school 16. interested primarily in significant contributions to conversation 17. knowledge of routines and a focused desire to maintain order and accuracy 18. listening without continual judgment or assumption 19. often takes care of others outside the range of typical development 20. original/unique perspective in problem solving 21. peer relationships characterized by genuine loyalty and dependability 22. persistence of thought 23. prefers to avoid “small talk” or socially trivial statements and superficial conversation 24. seeking an audience or friends capable of enthusiasm for unique interests and topics, consideration of details, spending time discussing a topic that may not be of primary interest 25. seeking sincere, positive, genuine friends with an unassuming sense of humor 26. “social unsung hero” with trusting optimism 27. speaking one’s mind irrespective of social context or adherence to personal beliefs 28. steadfast in the belief of the possibility of genuine friendship 29. strength in individual sports or games, particularly those involving endurance or visual accuracy (e.g., rowing, swimming, bowling, chess) 30. strong preference for detail versus the “big picture” The Aspergers Comprehensive Handbook

The right name can draw readers in and leave a lasting impression. In this article, we explore the art and science of generating compelling blog name ideas

The truth about four common misconceptions that people have about autism.

Why should you buy an aquarium for your child with autism? There are at least 7 benefits! Taking care of fish is a wonderful way to teach...

When we received Isla's autism diagnosis we didn't really know where to begin. There are so many different methods of treatment, so many different opinions, the matter of who will pay for these things, because

Today was our first official day of school! Thankfully my kindergartners are doing a staggered start (one started today and another starts tomorrow). The day went fairly smoothly. My room is missing a few essentials that would have made it a little better (mind you I was told all of these would be completed by the first day of school). These missing essentials included dividers, SmartBoard, Vizzle installed on computers (thankfully I was able to login through the web), touchscreen, and a few other small things. The good news is we all survived and the students had a good day! So what is a Pica Box? A colleague told me about this idea. A Pica Box is used as a replacement behavior for students who eat inedible objects. When the students goes to eat something they shouldn't, you direct them to the box. The box contains items they are allowed to eat. As the student progresses, the intent is that the student will independently go to the box when they feel the need. Here are a few ideas: decorate the box to motivate the child; we are starting with a clear box and a clear sticker so the student trusts us and is motivated by the food. Next idea, use a box with a hole that they put their hand in; eliminate they "hmmmm, what should I pick" game. As the child utilizes the box, switch to healthier options. We are starting with foods that are highly motivating to our student and foods that have similar consistency to the inedible objects the student tries to place in their mouth. I hope everyone's year starts well! I will post classroom pictures soon! The research article about the Pica Box is titled: "The use of a pica box in reducing pica behavior in a student with autism" by Nancy and Brenda Smith-Myles.

Homeschooling a child with autism can be a challenge. Here are tips from experts and other homeschool moms who know the struggle.

Incontinence is a a real issue for those with autism and other special needs. Check out these tips for incontinence as well as free product samples.

A take on why generalization should be avoided when dealing with water preferences and/or other preferences of autistic individuals.

Learn about the three levels of autism with this easy to understand guide. Understanding repetitive behaviors and social communication levels. #autism #asd #autismparenting #levelsofautism

10 Ways School Counselings Can Help Kids With Worry: Use these strategies to help your students manage their worries at school.

I have many friends – some who have special needs kids and some who do not – and often times I think they are at a loss for what to...

Check out these awesome Free Cut and Paste Days of the Week Worksheets! These preschool worksheets focus on all 7 days of the week.

Description These articulation picture card sets are designed to be more comprehensive than the typical sets you might find elsewhere. The ...

My friend @AnnMemmott who blogs at http://www.annsautismblog.co.uk first introduced me to the Spoon Theory in relation to autism. It was originally created by Christine Miserandino when asked about her chronic illness, (you can read the original post here http://www.butyoudontlooksick.com/articles/written-by-christine/the-spoon-theory/ ) but is a great way of helping us understand why school and college is such hard […]

Kids on the autism spectrum often have a limited number of interests. They can also lack the ability to respond to social feedback, which is essential for learning. This can make it challenging to engage kids in classroom tasks and leads to students feeling frustrated because their needs are not met. Also, traditional classrooms and

Supporting girls with autism through puberty can be a very tough experience for the whole family. Here are the tips and tricks we learned along the way.

Related Bonnie LandauBonnie Landau is a licensed professional clinical counselor and educational consultant in Ventura County, California. Her goal is to help parents of neurodivergent individuals find strategies and solutions to help their children succeed in school and in life. Bonnie is also the author of Special Ed Mom Survival Guide: How to Prevail in …

Einstellungstest Persönlichkeitsentscheidungen: Nun müssen Sie sich selbst beschreiben bzw. Ihre Einstellung zu einer Liste von Aussagen mitteilen.

The logo for Autism Speaks contains puzzle pieces, which I think is perfect. Our whole life is a puzzle with our autistic four-year-old, constantly strategizing to keep him from terrorizing the world, destroying our house, and hurting himself. Every few months we have to level up, because what worked before doesn’t work anymore.  For instance, …

An informative blog and resource site all about Applied Behavior Analysis, from the perspective of a BCBA

I've recently helped my adult autistic son exercise his right to vote. I recorded a short podcast episode about this journey, and it's embedded below. I wanted to follow up with some practical tips that helped me to ensure my son was able to vote in this election cycle. Everyone's situation is different, but if your son or daughter is of age and they wish to partake in democracy, this might be helpful. It's important to remember that people with disabilities, including autism, have the right to vote. However, voting can be a complicated process, and some people with autism

Welcome to the NoodleNook Podcast with Ayo Jones. We are breaking down strategies, tools, and resources to help self-contained educators teach students with significant disabilities including Autism. Learn tips and tricks to manage behavior, improve commun...

My experience as an autistic mother of a child with severe autism. Autism mom blog.

How do we talk to our children about their special needs? How do we talk to our children about their special needs? At what age should we share what amount of information? I wish I could sit here as an expert and spout the answers to those important questions. I can’t. I’m a mom, muddlingContinue Reading

Are you feeling overwhelmed with how to find the best resources for Autism? This is a massive list of FREE resources to help you feel less overwhelmed...