How To Find a Speech Therapist

A Through the Looking Glass guest post written by Jacky G. as provided to me by Bradley Russel of Speech Buddies - Learn more at www.speechbuddy.com

Every child is unique, and not all children with autism will display the same symptoms. However, autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often affects a child’s speech and language development. Some children may never speak, while others may communicate differently. Echolalia is common, which refers to the parroting of words and phrases in inappropriate contexts. For example, your child might repeat a catchphrase from a commercial when he has no apparent reason to do so.

Autistic children frequently have trouble applying language skills, as well. That is, they have difficulty interpreting facial expressions, body language, and nuances of conversation (i.e. sarcasm and idioms). You might notice that your child speaks at an atypical rate, has trouble taking turns in a conversation, or fails to make eye contact. A speech-language pathologist (SLP), or speech therapist, can help your child with all of these issues.

How Can a Speech Therapist Help?

If your child is nonverbal, he can still learn to communicate effectively in other ways. A speech therapist can teach your child to use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices. An AAC device is any tool that facilitates nonverbal communication. It can be tangible, like flashcards or an electronic reader device, or intangible, like sign language. The SLP can help you figure out the best method of communication for your child. Using AAC devices can greatly reduce your child’s frustration.

Speech therapists can also encourage the acquisition of speech and language. An SLP can teach your child conversation skills, such as how to interpret facial expressions and how to change topics when speaking. Social stories in particular can help autistic children. These are simple stories that discuss a specific social situation and how a child might react in that situation. Social stories may help teach your child how to interact with his peers.

How to Find a Speech Therapist

Private speech therapists work in hospitals, clinics, and private practices. Compile a list of local SLPs. You will also need to find out what your insurance will and will not cover. Private SLPs can be quite expensive. Consider looking into college clinics, as well.

Ideally, look for a speech therapist with extensive experience working with autistic children. Network with other parents of autistic children and ask for recommendations. Shop around. Talk to several speech therapists before choosing one. Ask about their education, credentials, and experience. Introduce your child to each SLP and observe how they interact. Your child should feel comfortable working with his SLP.

Understanding Autism Through Poetry (Poems by Scott Lentine)

A while back, a young man by the name of Scott Lentine emailed me two of his poems. As soon as I read them, I was incredibly moved. He asked that I share them on my page. This is Scott's perspective on his autism.

*** 

Just a Normal Day
   
Never knowing what to say
Never knowing what to do
Always looking for clues
Just a normal day

Feeling unsure
Totally perplexed with everyday life
Always on edge never certain
I wish I could lift this curtain

Needing to constantly satisfy my need for information
Always online searching for new revelations
Going from site to site
Obtaining new insights every night

Trying to connect with people my age
Attempting to reveal my unique vision
But ending up alone and unengaged
Feeling like my needs a total revision
Just a normal day

****

Can’t You See

Can’t you see
I just want to have a friend
Can’t you see
I need the same connections in the end

Can’t you see
I want a good job
Can’t you see
I need to have stability and dependence and part of the general mob

Can’t you see
I want to be independent on my own
Can’t you see
I want to be able to have my own home

Can’t you see
I want the same things as everyone else
Can’t you see
I want to be appreciated for myself


Scott Lentine, a 25 year old man with high-functioning autism (PDD-NOS/Asperger's) from Billerica, MA, a Boston suburb. He graduated from Merrimack College magna cum laude with a Bachelor's Degree in Religious Studies with a Biology minor. Scott is currently an office intern at the Arc of Massachusetts in Waltham, where he tries to persuade lawmakers to pass key disability resources legislation to improve the lives of people with developmental disabilities. Scott is interested in data clerical entry duties, hospital settings, autism non-profit organizations, and research type work. 

Why Probiotics May Be Beneficial For Children With Autism

A Through the Looking Glass Guest Post by Calvin Johnson

When it comes to the subject of autism and autistic children, one area that often gets overlooked is the connection between the gut and the brain. Many experts believe that when it comes to the subject of autism, the child's physical health should be examined and dealt with as much as their behavioral controls. According to a study done by the University of Western Ontario, diet has a huge impact for children with Autism and can even “alter their brain function.”

A study done by the American Journal of Gastroenterology showed that out of 60 children with autism, a staggering 93% (54 out of 58) of the children had ileocolonic lymphoid nodular hyperplasia (LNH). In addition, 88% of the children had a form of chronic colitis.

Diet May Play A Big Part

Like the above studies show, the stomach and the brain may be linked in a very important way, which means having a proper diet can make a huge impact with individuals with autism. Many believe that cutting out dairy products that contain casein and grain products that contain gluten can improve autism symptoms.

Bad Bacteria Vs. Good Bacteria

When there is not enough “good” bacteria in the gut flora, the “bad” bacteria can overwhelm it and can wreak havoc on the body. Many experts believe that for a body to function correctly and for digestion to work correctly, roughly 85% of the bacteria should be made up from good bacteria.

Where Does This Bad Bacteria Come From?

A popular belief of where this bad bacteria comes from will surprise many. A newborn baby's first exposure to “beneficial” bacteria is via their mother's birth canal. However, if the mother has taken antibiotics for an extended period of time or herself does not have a strong gut flora balance, the “bad” bacteria can be passed on to the child. One of the main purposes of taking antibiotics is to destroy the bad bacteria in your body that is causing your infection. However, it is impossible for the antibiotics to differentiate between the good and bad bacteria and in turn will wipe out both. The lack of beneficial bacteria can cause the gut flora imbalance.

How Probiotics May Help

Probiotics can be described as live microorganisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host. Probiotics are supplements that can be taken in either pill or powder form that replenish the good bacteria in the body. Some of the most popular strains of probiotics are bacteria are Acidophilus and Bifidus. When picking out a probiotic, it is important to make sure they are gluten and casein free as these ingredients can produce allergic reactions for children with autism.

For whatever reason, there still has not been a large number of studies done on the subject of probiotics and autism. However, there have been numerous testimonials done where parents have found that the use of probiotics have helped out tremendously with their children.

Probiotics For Minimizing Risk

According to the Autism Research Institute and the article What Can Be Done to Prevent Autism Now? “taking probiotics, and using specific diets and herbs for intestinal pathogens such as yeast and parasites can all be helpful in optimizing health; all of these greatly enhance the likelihood that her child will not be prone to GI problems.”

Probiotics and Autism Conclusion

There is not a huge amount of data when it comes to a link between taking probiotics and reducing the symptoms by autism. However, there is an overwhelming amount of testimonials of mothers and fathers who swear by them. If you are interested in learning more about the subject of probiotics or read testimonials from parents who have found probiotics helping their children Custom Probiotics is one of the largest resources of probiotics information.

~~~~~

Calvin Johnson is webmaster of  What Are Probiotics and is a probiotic enthusiast. Please feel free to contact him with any probiotic related questions or to share any experiences about the subject of probiotics.

Sources:

(1) http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/story/2007/09/27/autism-study.html

(2) http://www.autismndi.com/news/display.asp?content=Resources&shownews=20040802121304

(3) http://www.autism.com/index.php/prevention

Happy Mama Conference & Retreat [guest post by Kay Marner]

Take Care of Yourself in a Big Way at the Happy Mama Conference & Retreat: A weekend getaway for moms of kids with ADHD, ASD, FASD, and other brain-based disabilities

by Kay Marner

This mama ain’t been very happy lately. In fact, my never-ending worries about my 11 year old daughter, Natalie, who has ADHD, sensory processing disorder, anxiety, and is on the fetal alcohol spectrum, have put me in a real funk. Most days, my bed starts calling my name by mid-afternoon. I’ve had zero motivation to work or do most anything else. I’ve felt like avoiding any and all social interactions. This funk has been severe enough, and lasted long enough, that I decided I had to make a conscious effort to do something about it—to take better care of myself. So, I made a few small changes in my daily routine. I started going for a short walk several days each week. I pulled my vitamin and mineral supplements out of the cupboard and recommitted to taking them daily. I gave myself permission to spend more time reading for pleasure. I’ve been scheduling a few lunches out with friends.

I firmly believe that when you’re living with the stress of raising a child with special needs, you have to make a conscious effort to take care of yourself. After all, as the saying goes, if Mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy. Even small investments in your own well-being, like those I listed above, can make a difference in how well you cope with day-to-day challenges.

Yes, small is good. But big is even better! So, I’ve also pledged to do something significant. I’ve registered to attend the Happy Mama Conference & Retreat, a two day getaway especially for moms of kids with special needs.

The Happy Mama Conference & Retreat will take place July 28–29, 2012, at the Rock Barn Golf & Spa, in Conover, North Carolina. Here’s what the retreat is all about, as described on the Happy Mama website, www.if-mama-aint-happy.com :

What: A CONFERENCE that focuses on your needs as the mom to a child with a very real, but invisible, brain-based disability, like ADHD, ADD, OCD, ODD, FASD, PBD, SPD, PDD, or one of the many other overlapping conditions that make parenting your child an extra challenging situation, and a RETREAT, where we’ll provide you with wonderful food, spa opportunities, fun activities, and camaraderie with other moms who know exactly where you’re coming from.

Why: Because parenting children with invisible disabilities is an extremely stressful, isolating, and emotional job and one which can impact your health and well-being in a negative way.

The retreat, hosted by DRT Press (publisher of the book I co-edited, Easy to Love but Hard to Raise) and the website {a mom’s view of ADHD} (founded and edited by Penny Williams) and supported by a growing list of sponsors, including CHADD and the Catawba Valley Medical Center, will offer the perfect blend of education, support, and pampering.

Saturday’s speakers will cover: “Parenthood, Stress, Health, and Resiliency,” “Advocating for Your Child in School,” and “How to Be Happy: Calming Techniques for You and Your Child.” Sunday will be devoted to fun and pampering, which may include spa treatments, relaxing by the pool, gem mining, hiking, yoga, horseback riding, or kayaking.

Doesn’t that sound fabulous? I can hardly wait! 

 

By interacting with other parents of kids with special needs via the Web, I’ve learned that support from others in my situation is the best support there is. My ADDitudeMag.com blog, “My Picture-Perfect Family,” is one avenue for those interactions. To celebrate the 4^th anniversary of that blog, and in honor of the support and community we parents of kids with special needs offer to each other, I’m running a contest. I will sponsor one lucky mom’s registration, travel and lodging expenses (not to exceed $1000, some meals included, some meals, activities and miscellaneous costs at winner’s expense) to attend the Happy Mama Conference & Retreat. For more information, and to enter the contest, click here. The contest ends at 5:00 pm EST on May 30. 

If you are interested in attending whether you win this contest or not, please don’t hesitate to register now. Registration is just $129 until July 1. If you are “in the business” of ADHD, FASD, ASD, or other brain-based disorders and wish to become a retreat sponsor, email happymamaretreat@gmail.com for their sponsorship package.

In the meantime, take a few steps, big or small, to take better care of yourself. You work so hard to bring happiness to your special child. You deserve to be happy too.

*****

Kay Marner, a freelance writer and editor, is the co-editor of Easy to Love but Hard to Raise: Real Parents, Challenging Kids, True Stories (DRT Press, 2012). Marner contributes regularly to ADDitude magazine, and her ADHD parenting blog, “My Picture-Perfect Family,” appears on ADDitudeMag.com. You can reach her at kay@kaymarner.com.

Honor Our Leaders of Tomorrow Who Are Supporting Autism

Created in 1995, The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards represents the United States’ largest youth recognition program based solely on volunteer service. Each year, the program’s judges select 102 State Honorees (two from each state and the District of Columbia) to receive $1,000, an engraved silver medallion, and an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C. where the students will tour the capital’s landmarks, attend a gala awards ceremony, and visit congressional representatives on Capitol Hill.

  

The awards program’s State Honorees for 2012 include many remarkable students whose volunteer service was devoted to Autism. Those students include:

Rebecca Ackerman, 16, of Westborough, Mass., a junior at Westborough High School, leads a fundraising team that has generated more than $80,000 for autism research over the past six years, and works in a variety of other capacities to raise awareness of autism. “My twin brother has never spoken to me, or given me a hug,” said Rebecca. “Even when he stands right beside me, he’s in a different world. David has autism.” When she was 11, Rebecca realized that, even though one in every 110 children has this disorder, most people were not familiar with autism and not much money was being spent on research. “I was determined to change that reality,” she said.  Rebecca organized a team of friends and family members to participate in an annual fund-raising walk for Autism Speaks, a national organization, and to work on autism funding and awareness projects throughout the year. As captain of the “Doing It For Dave” team, she writes letters asking for donations, conducts bake sales and yard sales, operates lemonade stands and coordinates car washes. Rebecca, who also serves on the Boston Autism Speaks Committee, helps coordinate the organization’s annual city-wide walk, gives inspirational speeches, leads webinars and mentors new walk teams. In addition, she started a charitable organization, “Cake Cause,” that provides baked goods in exchange for donations. “I wish that my brother had his own voice,” said Rebecca. “Since he cannot talk, I will do my best to honor him using mine.”

Taytum Jones, 13, of Minot, N.D., an eighth-grader at Erik Ramstad Middle School, has been volunteering with students with disabilities since she was in third grade, both in school and beyond. After Taytum discovered that there was a special classroom for students with autism in her elementary school, “I kept thinking how cool it would be if I could go down into their room and interact with them, but I always said to myself, ‘No, I’m only in third grade!’” she said. Finally, she asked her teacher, and was given permission to miss an hour of class every other day to work in the autistic room. “I thought that was the greatest thing,” she said.  Soon Taytum was spending time with the students before and after school, and during recesses and lunch periods. She helped them with sensory activities, worked on physical coordination skills including stair-climbing and exercise ball balancing and assisted with homework. Taytum also volunteered with an organization called “Dream Catchers” that teaches children with disabilities to play baseball. She continues to work with disabled students at her middle school by playing games and assisting with learning activities. “I think I have made a great impact on children,” said Taytum, who wants to be a special education teacher when she grows up. “I can tell just by the smiles on their faces that they enjoy seeing me. Putting a smile on someone else’s face can bring me up even on the worst day.”

  

While in D.C., 10 of the State Honorees will be named National Honorees on May 7^th. These honorees will receive additional $5,000 awards, gold medallions, crystal trophies and $5,000 grants from The Prudential Foundation for nonprofit charitable organizations of their choice. This wonderful trip is designed not only to thank the students for all their hard work, but also to recognize their efforts and encourage others to follow in their footsteps.

On Monday, May 7th  you can watch the awards ceremony where the national honorees will be chosen HERE.

For more information on the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards visit their:   

• Website
• Facebook
• Twitter
• YouTube

Through the Looking Glass - Flannery Sullivan of The Connor Chronicles

I am so excited to have Flannery guest posting today!  She has got to be one of my favorite peeps out in the blogosphere.  I admire her sharp wit and wicked sense of humor.  Please be sure to check out her original post - the photos are a hilarious!  (I would have added myself, but I'm totally being a lazy a-- this week.)
 

Things I Learned When the Air Conditioning Went Out

originally posted on 6/20/11

This past weekend it was 102 degrees each day, which meant it was the perfect time for the air conditioning to go out.  And so it did.  On Saturday, it started making strange grinding noises and then went out during the late afternoon.


We called around, and couldn't get anyone out until Sunday morning.  Fine.  We toughed it out that night and had every ceiling fan and box fan in the house going at full speed.


On Sunday morning the AC guy gave the motor a "jump" and said he'd have to get a replacement motor on Monday.  By 11am it was off again, and could not be jumped back into life.  By 5pm, we decided we'd be getting a hotel room for the night since it was 96 degrees in the house.


I learned some very important things during the great air conditioning outage of 2011, and they are:

1.  It can and will get hotter inside the house than it is outside the house, despite having insulation and five fans.


2.  In terms of survival, it's better to live somewhere cold than somewhere hot when modern conveniences cease to function properly.  If it's cold, there are several options for survival, including starting a fire, layering clothing, generating body heat through exercise, huddling together for warmth, etc.  If it's hot, you're pretty much just fucked.

3.  Boob sweat is the most disgusting of all the sweat produced by the body.

4.  ADHD overrides Asperger's when it comes to staying in a hotel, especially if the last time you were in a hotel was when you were two-years-old and you don't remember it.  There was mad dashing around the house to pack, followed by jumping up and down and pleas of "can we just GO now?"


5.  There are lots of things to do in a room that is 14x10.  First, you can amuse yourself by jumping from one bed to the other, while pretending the floor is hot lava.  You can also turn on and off every light in the room 15 times, just because the light buttons are different than home.  There are also numerous doors, cabinets, and drawers to be opened and closed repetitively, as well as a window with curtains you can pull open and closed until your mother's face turns so red from annoyance that it appears it may pop right off her shoulders.


6.  It takes enormous restraint to not beat a child senseless who has just lifted his ass off the couch cushion in the lobby, and let a huge, disgusting fart rip...3 feet from the refined looking Asian lady also sitting in the lobby.




7.  Setting the thermostat for 62 degrees in your room will make you giddily happy, and will result in peaceful slumber.


8.  Hotels do not get the full array of cable channels, and at 8pm the only choices for a child are the local news station or How I Met Your Mother, neither of which seems to be interesting or appropriate for a six-year-old.


9.  A grown woman who has narrowly avoided heat stroke can lay on a hotel bed in her underwear, happily playing Pumpkins vs. Monsters, for a solid hour.
 10.  Packing an overnight bag when you are about to pass out from heat exhaustion means you will be wearing brown pants, a fuchsia tank, and a white shrug to work the next day.


11.  I won't pay more than $1.69 for a loaf of bread, but I'll pay almost anything to have a comfortable temperature.


The next time we move, in addition to considering the cost of living, unemployment rate, school ratings, housing prices, and crime rates, we will also be considering the average daytime temperature and whether we could survive outdoors in a tent for more than 20 minutes.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I have a husband, a child on the spectrum, a full-time job, two dogs, three two fish, and a housemate.  And we relocated from California to Texas.  This blog might be the only thing keeping me on the ledge.

I am mom to Connor, our five-year-old son who has severe ADHD and mild Asperger’s.  He is our pride and joy, as well as our biggest challenge.  He was born in Southern California, as were my husband and I.  We relocated to Texas in 2007, and marvel at the differences every day.

I blog about whatever random amusement comes to mind.  Good luck making sense of it.

Through the Looking Glass: Bean's Story

Submitted & written by Brandy P.  Originally posted on May 14, 2011 at My Jumping Bean and reposted here with permission.
~~~~~~~~~~

January 19, 2010…this date probably doesn’t have a significant meaning to you unless it happens to be your birthday, anniversary, or some other milestone with cause for celebration.  For my family, that was the day our world got turned upside down.  That was the day our baby girl got diagnosed with the dreaded “A” word…autism.

We noticed at around 18 months old she wasn’t hitting some of the same developmental milestones other babies her age were hitting – not responding to her name, hardly any eye contact, only 1 or 2 “words” like mama, dada & not directed towards us.  I was in complete denial at first – no way, not my baby. 

 At her 2-year check-up we told her pediatrician about our concerns & she immediately told me to call Early Intervention, that it was probably just a speech delay.  I made the call the very next day & the process started.  Countless evaluations later, the services began & she was receiving occupational & developmental therapy twice a week.  (I should add that EI only goes up until they’re 3 yrs old).  A few months into EI, one of her therapists suggested that we take her to a neurodevelopmental pediatrician, which I dreaded taking her to, b/c I knew that was the doctor who could give the autism diagnosis.  I was pregnant with Logan at the time & close to my due date, so I made the appt. for Jan. 19th.  I can’t tell you enough how much I was DREADING this appointment.

January 19th came & I prepared myself as best I could to hear the “A” word, or so I thought.  We got into the office & the neurodevelopmental pediatrician had 5 or 6 toys layed out on the floor, & the entire time she observed how Bean played with the toys, or tried to play with her; she also asked me a ton of questions.  I was so nervous every time I saw her jot a note down on her clipboard that I felt nauseated.  Once she was done with her observation, she looked at me & told me, “from my observations, I would diagnose her with an autism spectrum disorder.”  All my so-called “preparedness” went out the window & I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes and a sharp pain in the back of my throat.  The doctor started laying pamplets down in front of me for autism support groups, and various other information with the infamous puzzle piece on them.  I was in shock.  Is this really happening to me?  To my baby??  We left the office & I could barely speak (which most people know doesn’t happen often).  As soon as I got to my car I broke down.I almost felt like I was mourning the loss of a child, when I had my beautiful, healthy, perfect baby girl right in the back seat totally happy & content.  It is the hardest feeling to try to explain to people.

As soon as I got home, I went right online & started researching anything and everything I could get my hands on regarding autism.  The first thing I looked up was to make sure that autistic people have normal lifespans, which everything I found assured me that it doesn’t have any affect on length of life.  Of course, that wasn’t enough for me and the next morning, I called the doctor just to double-check.  She laughed & again assured me that it has absolutely no affect on lifespan.  Ok, I’m good now.  WRONG.  I was a complete mess.  I would start talking about it to my husband, or my parents & break down in tears – I could barely get through a sentence without getting upset. And now we have her baby brother – is this something we’ll have to worry about with him?? My mind was racing all the time.

As time passed, and I researched more, I realized that I only wanted to hear the positive things. I didn’t want to hear anything negative.  I found so many websites of parents saying “my child has autism so he won’t do this, or can’t do that.  How do they know?  Do they have some secret time machine that they’ve somehow kept under wraps from the media??  Give these kids a chance!  I was furious after seeing that site.  After that, I realized that I only wanted to see the positive side of autism, the hopeful side.  Any time I start to feel down, I think of these poor families with children in St. Jude’s Hospital – how awful must that be?!  Thank goodness I have a healthy, happy child who doesn’t have a life-threatening illness. 

Once Bean aged-out of Early Intervention, we immediately put her in the Preschool Disabled program in our local school district.  Her birthday is May 1st, so she was able to start in the extended school year (ESY) & get all the therapies that she needed right away. 

Currently, she is in full-day preschool and making progress every day!  Her teachers & aides told me that it’s scary how smart she is, b/c she can figure things out that other kids can’t!!  She does 1/2 day in preschool disabled & the other 1/2 in the autistic preschool class.  She also gets speech therapy, physical therapy & occupational therapy a few times per week.  In addition, we take her to an outside speech therapist who coordinates with her school speech therapist.  I can’t tell you how much I recommend putting autistic kids in preschool as soon as possible.  See if your school district offers the ESY. Once you get them into the preschool program, they will develop an IEP (individualized education program) for them based on their needs & the goals that you have for them.  You are the best advocate for your child.

It took me about a year to really be comfortable telling people about Bean, not b/c I was ashamed, but b/c I was afraid that she would be treated differently. I didn’t want the label of autism to be the first thing people thought of when they heard her name.  She is so much more than that, autism is just a part of her, it doesn’t define who she is. Once I really learned about it & let everything marinade in my head, I realized how much I wanted people to understand what this is.  So many people have misconceptions about what autism is & that needs to change.  I became “Captain Autism” in a sense, promoting awareness anytime I could.  I recently joined a support group through an organization called FACES Autism Support Network, and am so excited to be a part of it. 

The bottom line is, Bean is still Bean, she just happens to have autism. Just like someone who wears glasses happens to have bad vision.  It doesn’t define who she is, and it makes her unique in so many ways.  We are more proud of her b/c we know how hard she has worked & how far she has come.  Don’t get me wrong, we certainly have our bad days, or days where it seems like there’s no light at the end of the tunnel, but the good days totally outweigh the bad.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Originally posted on May 14, 2011 at My Jumping Bean and reposted here with permission.

Through the Looking Glass: Rick Schostek - What Happens Next?

Our son Greg loves Sesame Street.  The show’s characters are practically a part of our family.  Greg has memorized countless skits and songs.  He knows more Spanish words than his parents do, thanks to Luis, Maria, Rosita and the other characters on the show.

Sesame Street’s lessons and lyrics are quite helpful for us.  A couple of times a month, in response to a spilled drink or wrong turn, Greg or I will cite Big Bird’s tuneful advice: “Everyone Makes Mistakes.”  Greg sometimes counts in the manner of Count von Count, adding “ah ah ah” when he’s finished. 

I’m sure there are many families who benefit from the teachings of the Children’s Television Workshop.  I’m equally sure that our family is somewhat unique in our connection to Sesame Street.

Greg is 23 years old.  He has autism.  In today’s terms, he’s “on the spectrum.”  He’s one of millions of people who live with ASD, the incidence rate of which has increased dramatically throughout Greg’s lifetime.  No one knows why.  Better awareness and diagnostic tools account for some of the increase.  That doesn’t explain everything though.  Something else is going on. 

Recently ASD has received a lot of media attention, attributed to the increased incidence rate and the mysteries of the disorder.  That’s all good.  It’s meant more awareness, earlier diagnoses and increased research funding.  The media attention is, however, 99 percent focused on children with autism.

Greg isn’t the first young man or woman with ASD to transition into adulthood.  With the increased incidence rate, he and others are at the leading edge of a wave of adults with ASD.  In the last decade, our school systems faced a huge challenge with this growing population. 

The years have gone by and Greg has progressed, often with 2 steps forward and one back.  Now he’s 24, holds a part time job, attends an adult day services program and is doing just fine.  His transition to adulthood and the working world was the motivation for me to write the book What Happens Next? Raising a Son with Autism: A Father’s Story.

As this wave of kids become adults, they’ll need a lot of attention from residential, vocational and other services.  Is our adult services infrastructure ready for this wave?  What happens next for Greg and these thousands of others?  People with ASD have a lot to offer.  They are some of the most interesting people walking this earth.  They have many talents that can be put to good use in our society.  Let’s get a realistic estimate of the resources required to support all children and adults with ASD.  We need a comprehensive approach to support people with ASD. 

What happens next?  I don’t know yet.  But I know that those of us without autism must open our minds to a whole different world to help make this transition possible.  I’ve always been uncomfortable with the notion that we’re fighting autism.  We may be fighting to find the cause and cure, but not the condition itself.  Autism isn’t a disease.  It’s organic.  It’s part of who Greg is.  We haven’t fought autism all these years.  We’ve adapted to it.  In turn, we’ve helped Greg adapt to the confusing world he lives in.  Now, maybe the world will also begin to adapt as our children grow up and transition into adulthood.

~~~~~~~

You can learn more about Greg and our family’s journey through stories and experiences like these in the book What Happens Next?  Raising a Son with Autism: A Father’s Story and on www.whathappensnextbook.com

Through the Looking Glass: Tips from The Mommy Pyschologist

I’m not your average child psychologist. In fact, I’m surprised they’ve let me stay in the club this long. One of the primary differences between me and other professionals is that I don’t see myself as being more knowledgeable than the parents with whom I work. I don’t view myself as being an expert on autism or other pervasive developmental disabilities even though I have all of the fancy initials behind my name and advanced training in neurodevelopmental disabilities. When it comes to knowing how to raise a child with autism, parents are the real experts.

Parents of children with autism have to deal with experts all the time. The list of areas of specialization when it comes to children with special needs is endless. If you have a child with autism, you are going to spend a significant amount of time dealing with professionals. And let’s face it, sometimes professionals are really difficult to deal with. Is there any way to make these professional relationships easier?

I think there is. There’s only so much you can learn from a textbook. I had a crash course in this when I went from a student to a practicing clinician. Theory on paper and theory in practice were two entirely different entities.  However, when you learn how to put the two together in a delicate balancing act, amazing results can happen. The key is finding a way to marry theory with practice. This is the difficult task of any relationship between parent and professional.

As an insider into the professional side of things, I thought I would provide a few tips to assist in making these relationships a bit easier and a bit more effective.

Find the Middle

Let me explain what I mean by this. It’s been my experience that parents tend to be divided into two groups: Yay-sayers and Nay-sayers.

Yay-sayers are parents who tend to agree with everything that the professional says or recommends. Yay-sayers support the professional always even if they might disagree or have other ideas because they don’t trust themselves as being experts in their child’s care.

Nay-sayers are on the other side of the spectrum. These are parents who tend to disagree with everything that that professional says or recommends. Yay-sayers do not support the professional’s ideas because they don’t trust the professionals as being experts in their child’s care.

Neither of these extremes is surprising given how difficult it can be to work together and previous bad experiences. In the instance of the Yay-sayers, they’ve been tricked into thinking that they don’t know what’s best for their child and someone else does. In the instance of the Nay-sayers, they’ve been failed by professionals who were supposed to have their child’s best interests in mind.

I encourage parents to find the middle ground. To acknowledge whatever side of the spectrum they fall on and to take small steps towards the middle. To find a way to balance their own ideas and expertise in working with their children with the professionals ideas and expertise in working with their child.

For the Yay-sayers, the trick is to find their voice and to begin to trust their instincts when it comes to their child. Don’t be afraid to disagree. For the Nay-sayers, the trick is to try to identify areas where the professional may be helpful and to focus on those areas. Don’t be afraid to give their suggestions a try.

Form a Therapeutic Alliance

One of the very first things I tell parents is: “You know your child better than I do.”

I don’t just say this because it sounds good. I say it because I mean it. Unfortunately, not all professionals feel this way and I’m sure many of you have experienced this. However, it doesn’t mean you can’t still form a therapeutic alliance. It just means you have to work much harder at it. The good news is that I have seen such powerful work take place when the parents and professionals are able to work together as a team.

You used to be able to have a choice in selecting who you worked with. Unfortunately, restrictions imposed by insurance companies and other financial limitations make it really difficult to shop around for a compatible professional to work with. It used to be much easier to be able to go therapist shopping. If you’re stuck without any other options, try to work with what you have. Find the strengths in what the professional has to offer no matter how small they might be.

 Always Check Credentials

This may seem like a no-brainer to some, but you would be surprised at how many professionals misrepresent themselves. It’s important to be aware that just because a professional is trained in child psychology does not necessarily mean that they’ve been trained to work with children with autism.

I’m sure you do, but just in case you don’t, be sure to ask for license or registration numbers for anyone working with your children. You want to make sure that there is a medical board of some sort that is governing their behavior.

I hope these help. And if a professional has never told you, I’m telling you now- you are the expert when it comes to taking care of your child.

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The Mommy Psychologist is a child psychologist who thought she had all the answers to parenting until she became one herself. She’s a psychologist, freelance writer, and mother of a spirited three year old boy, Gus. If she’s not running around after Gus, you can find her running through the streets of Los Angeles prepping for her next marathon.