The Value of Facebook For Autism Awareness

"Try to imagine a world where we don't talk about disabilities, but only abilities (pause for a moment). Now imagine our world now (again pause for a moment). Didn't that first world make you feel a lot better?"---Jerry Komar, Editor Autism News and Views

The Value of Facebook for Autism Awareness

Let me begin by explaining the purpose of this piece is not to promote Facebook. The purpose of this piece is promote autism awareness. Now that I have that out of the way, I do want to point out the value of Facebook in promoting autism awareness. In short, Facebook is a wonderful resource for current information on autism, for current news on autism as well as the current research. The value of Facebook for autism awareness is immeasurable. The amount of information is limitless. And that's a beautiful thing.

In keeping with the theme of this article, I'm going to share with you just a sampling of the gold mine of unique and varied information, news and resources on autism  I've found on Facebook in the last several weeks. I'm confident you will be as impressed as I was.

Top 10 Autism Research Achievements of 2011; First Responders Receive Training To Help Those With Autism; Autism Frostbite 5K; Choosing The Right Jobs For Individuals With Autism

"In my opinion, focusing on an individual's disability minimizes that person's humanity. I've always had more success in focusing on abilities and the world of possibilities. After all, isn't that what living is all about?"---Jerry Komar, Editor Autism News and Views

Before I begin, I want to take this opportunity to wish all a safe, happy and healthy New Year.


2011 Autism Research Achievements

Autism Speaks reported on the top 10 autism research achievements for 2011. These include major genetic discoveries to the importance of earlier autism screening. Take a few minutes and visit Autism Speaks to read this piece {Top 10 Autism Research Achievements of 2011 in their "Science" section}.

First Responders Helping Those With Autism

People with autism have longed posed a challenge for law enforcement and first responders nationwide. The good news is that police, firefighters and first responders around the country have been receiving more training in responding to individuals with autism.  Many states now require autism-recognition instruction for their police officers. In addition, this training has been extended to firefighters and first responders.

The North Alabama Reserve Corps was awarded a $7000 grant to train more than 200 first responders to work better with those individuals with autism.  Recently, Michigan State Troopers have also been trained. (Niles Daily Star)

If your local municipality does not provide this training to its law enforcement and first responder personnel, make a point to advocate they do so. Grants are available from organizations like AmeriCares. Also, contact your local social service and behavioral health care providers to see if they would be willing to set up a training program.


Autism Frostbite 5K

How about an event that's really cool---literally? A 5K race in Allison Park, PA, will benefit ABOARD (The Advisory Board and Related Disorders). The Autism Frostbite 5K will be held on Saturday, January 12, 2012. The race starts are 10 am at North Park Boathouse in Allison Park. For additional information call: 412-980-0085

Imitation Is The Sincerest Form of Flattery; B.J., The Therapy Dog; $26.5 Million Grant for Autism Research; Best Higher Education Programs for Students with Autism; Holiday Gift Guide: Books About Autism

"It was ability that mattered, not disability, which is a word I'm not crazy about using."---Marlee Matlin

"Imitation Is The Sincerest Form of Flattery"

There's a lot of truth to that famous quote. A recent study out of Michigan State University appears to show that teaching children with autism to imitate others may improve their social skills. Researchers have long known that imitation is a critically important development skill. It enables children to interact and learn from one another in meaningful ways. This particular study analyzed children with autism ages 27 months to 47 months. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.



B.J.: The Therapy Dog

Children with autism at the Madison Elementary School in Davenport, IA, have a really cool friend. His name is Buddy Junior or B.J. for short. He just so happens to be a 6-year old golden retriever. B.J. is also a therapy dog. The children's interaction with B.J. is an important life-skills learning experience.  Teacher James Cook said, "These guys are practicing their social and communication skills...The interaction is good for them."

B.J. has been visiting the school since he was 1 year old. "There have been times when the children have been tired and having meltdowns, and it kind of helps when B.J. walks in. It distracts them and the behaviors will stop," said Cook.
Quad-City Times

For more information on therapy dogs for autism, visit Autism Service Dogs of America at http://autismservicedogsofamerica.com/ and 4 Paws for Ability at http://www.4pawsforability.org/

Are We Underestimating The Potential Of Children With Autism?; Another Source of Information on Autism; The 10 Commandments of Parenting; Suggested Christmas Gifts for Your Child; News You Can Use

"The limits placed on people with autism are those placed on them by others." Jerry Komar, Editor Autism News and Views

Are We Underestimating the Potential of Children with Autism?

That's a question that's being asked more often. A recent piece in Scientific American {"The Hidden Potential of Autistic Kids"} suggests we are.

Rose Eveleth, the author of the piece, points out researchers are beginning to rethink what the potential of children with autism really is. Their conclusion is worthy of additional study. We might actually be underestimating the overall abilities of children with autism (note: many of us in the field, including parents, have believed this for some time). For example, many researchers now believe the data we've been using for decades is faulty. In addition, it appears intelligence testing of children with autism may be one of the reasons. In fact, different tests of intelligence report very different pictures of their potential. The article recounts the experience of Laurent Mottron, a psychiatrist at the University of Montreal. In addition to Mottron's research, he summarizes his own experience growing up with two brothers with autism.

You can access the rest of this study at www.scientificamerican.com/


Another Great Source of Information on Autism

You don't have to look further than The Spectrum Times for another great source of information on autism. All you need to do is visit http://spectrumtimes.blogspot.com/. Do yourself a favor, visit the site today.

The 10 Commandments of Parenting: Moses Missed These

Autism Support Network presented "The 10 Commandments of Parenting A Child With Autism." They include:

• You Shall Seek Out Therapists. Specifically, seek out Occupational/Speech/Physical therapists and ABA consultants.
• You Shall Find A Support Group.
• You Shall Engage in Floor Activities.
• You Shall Play With Various Weird Textures.
• You Shall Establish At Least Two Appropriate Toys To Play With.
• You Shall Limit Your Communication To Two or Three Phrases.
• You Shall Include Structure At Home.
• You Shall Hold Hands While Walking in Public Places.
• You Shall Establish A Play Date (with other children). It's important to ensure your child engages with other peers.
• You Shall Believe That All Things Are Possible and Never Lose Hope.

Start today. We recognize some of these are easier said than done (as are the real 10 Commandments). Start with a few now and work your way through each one. The outcomes just might surprise you.

Suggested Christmas Gifts For Your Child 

Tips On Overcoming Bullying; Self-Advocacy Booklet Now Available; Learn The Warning Signs of Dyslexia; Christmas Gifts For Children With Autism

"The only limits are, as always, those of vision."---James Broughton

Tips On Overcoming Bullying

The National Autistic Society reports that over 40% of children are bullied in school. Some studies report significantly higher rates, some as high as 90%. With such high rates, what are parents and teachers to do? The National Autistic Society recommends the following strategies:

• Help Your Child Tell Someone. Telling someone can be a challenge for a child with autism especially if they have difficulty expressing their feelings and emotions. Nevertheless, it's vitally important your child know he/she can talk to someone (write it down if they are non-verbal). If the bullying is not reported, it will continue.
• Buddy Up.  Find out if your child's school has a buddy system where he/she can buddy up with a friend or friends. Ask the friends to "hang around" with your child throughout the day. We commonly refer to it as, "I got your back." It can work well in school settings as well.
• Make A Plan For Break Time. Make sure your school offers structured activities for your child during break times such as recess. These times are always supervised by teachers.
• Practice Talking To Your Child About Bullies. Teach your child how to respond to bullies. This could include, but not be limited to, teaching about body language and eye contact.
• Keep In Touch With Your Child's School and Teachers. Find out if your school has a special help line that you can call to get helpful information.
• Access Other Resources: For example, you can call the Autism Helpline at 1-800-328-8476 (Autism Resource Center).
• Also, understand there are generally three types of bullying. They include verbal, physical and psychological bullying. It's important you observe your child to gauge his/her emotional responses to any problems occurring at school. In other words, read those emotional signals.
• Become An Advocate  by raising awareness about bullying especially if your school does not have any plans in place to deal with this problem.  Many schools do a good job, but there is still a lot that needs to be done within school settings to deal with this problem correctly and in an timely fashion.

Self Advocacy Booklet Now Available

A Self Advocacy Booklet for adults on the autism spectrum is now available. This booklet was developed by a group of adults with autism. It's designed to help communicate wishes and needs. You can access this booklet at http://www.autism.org.uk/.

Do You Know The Warning Signs of Dyslexia?

Education.com reported on spotting these warning signs of Dyslexia. They include:

So Your 17 Year Old Son With Aspergers Wants to Drive a Car; Applied Behavior Analysis to be Covered by Insurance in NY State; Airway Abnormalities May Point To Autism; Those 7 Important Things Every Parent Should Know; Parents You Have Legal Rights

"I may have been born different and misunderstood from birth, but I know there is a place for me, somewhere in the universe."---Alyson Bradley

Learning To Drive A Car

Your 17 year old son with Aspergers wants to learn how to drive a car. Where do you start?

Learning to drive, as every driver knows, takes a unique set of skills. The demands of learning to drive with someone with Aspergers take on added dimension. The sensory demands alone make learning to drive a challenge for any young person. As someone who has faced this issue on the professional level, allow me to offer some suggestions:

• Bring the issue up to your child's interdisciplinary team. Your child will need to be assessed by the team. The IDT's assessment should include, but not be limited to, fine and gross motor skills, a hearing assessment, and a visual assessment. In other words, the team should determine if your child has the ability to drive a vehicle.
• If the IDT determines your child is ready to take driving lessons, it's time to find a qualified driving instructor or driving school. Check to see if your school offers driver's training (I would discourage any family member to try to teach driving. Leave this to the professionals).
• Apply for a driver's permit, depending on the state in which you reside.
• It's important the driving instructor or school know about Aspergers even if you have to teach them (unless, of course, you are fortunate to find an instructor or school that specializes in teaching people with Aspergers). For example, the instructor will also need to be told that more driving practice will be needed. The instructor will need to be told to break down the teaching modules into smaller modules. In other words, more step-by-step teaching is essential. You should accompany your child in the vehicle throughout the driver's training.
• After your child completes driver's training, I would strongly suggest you return to the IDT team with the results of the training. Allow the team to assess the training. Just as important,  the driving instructor should attend this meeting to answer any questions team members might have.
• Good luck with the driver's test. Remember, it's a written test as well as a road test.

NY State Mandates Insurance Coverage For Autism

On Nov. 1, 2011, NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed a bill authorizing insurance companies to cover Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) in the treatment for children with autism. New York State becomes the 29th state to mandate such insurance coverage.

The law takes effect November 1, 2012. ABA treatment will be covered up to $45,000.00 a year regardless of age.

Airway Abnormalities And Autism

Dr. Barbara Stewart, a pediatric pulmonologist at Nemours Children's Clinic in Pensacola, Florida, reported the finding of abnormalities in the airways of children with autism. Instead of the usual random, asymmetrical branches in the airway, she found "doubled up" symmetrical branches in children with autism. In addition, the branches were smaller. She found this condition in all 43 children with autism in her research. None of the 300 children without autism had this condition. At this early date in the study, researchers do not know what to make of this condition. But they do now know that autism must be treated as a "whole-body" phenomena. ---USA Today

Autism And The Brain; Tablets As Teaching Tools; Autism and Diabetes: Perhaps a Link? Autism Diagnoses Growing By 10-17% Annually; Making Halloween Fun For Children With Autism

"The only disability in life is a bad attitude."---Scott Hamilton

Autism and The Brain: New Research Findings

A recent research study by UCLA found that connections in the brain responsible for language and social skills grow much more slowly in boys with autism than in children who do not have autism.

Their findings appeared in the journal, Human Brain Mapping. Slower growth in the brain of a child with autism appears to occur in the most critical period of brain development. This may have an impact on social interactions, refining emotional skills and establishing the important personal identity. A total of 13 boys with autism were studied. The control group involved seven boys who did not have autism. Researchers found the white-matter brain connections between brain regions important for language and social skills were growing much slower in the boys with autism.

The study has implications for the use of alternative neuroscience techniques to identify the source of white-matter impairment. Any findings could lead to better interventions in the future. In addition, interventions in education may require a different approach.

Tablets As Teaching Tools For Children With Autism

This evening, 60 Minutes, ran a piece on the potential of tablet computers in better developing communication for children with autism. A University of Toronto study in association with the Beverley School in Toronto, will try to determine how effective IPads can be with students with autism. The mother of Josua Hood, one of the students in the study, said, "The day he started using the {IPad}, it blew me away. I wouldn't have known he preferred Coke to Pepsi. He's part of the community...and communication is the essence of being human."

Could Autism and Diabetes Be Linked?

Rice University is suggesting a possible link between diabetes and autism. In Frontiers of Cellular Endocrinology showed that both "Diabetes 2 and autism have a common underlying mechanism of impaired glucose tolerance."

Michael Stern, a biochemist at Rice, said, "When I read that the incidence of autism is increasing , it seemed reasonable that each increase could have the same ultimate cause---the increase in hyperinsulinemia in the general population."---Mediplacements: Medical News