Are you ready for a treat? How about Eustcia Cutler (The amazing mother of Dr. Temple Grandin) interviewing Dr. Tony Attwood (premiere Psychologist specializing in Asperger Syndrome) discussing all things High-Functioning Autism and Aspergers! Though you will have just a couple of short steps to access the free interview…it’s well worth it as you receive over 2 hours of knowledge back and forth from these two experienced leaders in the field of Autism today.

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Overview: Eustacia Cutler offers a series of webinars free to anyone wanting to gain knowledge on raising a child on the Autism Spectrum. She titles her interviews…Conversations with Eustacia Cutler and believe me, if there is anyone who know about successfully raising a child against all odds….it is Ms. Cutler. We share a link to the interview below as well as to her website here:  Temple Grandin Eustacia Cutler Autism Fund.

Eustacia’s Guest: Tony Attwood is well known for sharing his knowledge of Aspergers Syndrome. He has an Honors degree in Psychology from the University of Hull, Masters degree in Clinical Psychology from the University of Surrey and a PhD from the University of London. He is currently adjunct Associate Professor at Griffith University in Queensland.

Listen to the conversation here:

Conversation with Tony Attwood and Eustacia Cutler

Our son Sam is now 22 years old. Together we have discovered Autism first from a stage of confusion, then diagnosis and ultimately the journey toward understanding and adjustment.  This journey hasn’t been taken by just Sam or me. The education and life-changing decisions included our family of four and those whose chose to remain linked to us either by love or simple curiosity. Autism became us. As we learned to navigate the education system, employment and higher education, we’ve taken you along.

Through our website Aspergers101, together we have reached for stories of enlightenment and searched to navigate our next stage in life. Now at age 22, driving and nearing college graduation, Sam has reached a personal plateau that bares sharing. With an absolute delivery he declared, “Autism does not define me”.  He further went on to explain that up til now, he would introduce himself to educators, peers or the seldom few who initiate conversation as “Hi I am Sam…and I have autism.” He felt he owed them an ‘explanation’ for his social awkwardness, his lack of eye contact or his seemingly bland behavior.

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The statement below is from someone I admire and have had the privilege to meet and interview for Aspergers101. Jennifer McIlwee Myers, Aspie at Large,  is a writer and a speaker in the Autism world.  Her insight into the world of Autism not only entertains but offers enlightenment (especially for us neuro-typicals) so when she posted her thoughts in reference to the news of the recent horrific college shootings by someone diagnosed with Aspergers, we asked her permission to re-post for our readers. 

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“The only way I know to cope is to be human together.” -Jennifer McIlwee Myers

There are many discussions online about the person who shot and killed 9 people at Umpqua Community College in Oregon. The one I want to address is the shooter’s Asperger’s diagnosis. Unfortunately, having Asperger’s (or autism) doesn’t protect you from mental illness, and it doesn’t make you an angel.

Aspies and auties can have the same kinds of mental problems as other folks. Frankly, I worry that people on the spectrum are less likely to get appropriate mental and medical help because any problems or “weird” behaviors we have are blamed on autism.

But don’t let anybody tell you we are in any way more dangerous than humans in general. The only people we are more likely to hurt are our own individual selves, and then only for the reasons that humans in general do. Like everyone else, those of us who experience little acceptance and lots of bullying may self harm or use alcohol and other drugs when the coping methods we have just aren’t enough. We can be troubled, because we are human.

And yes, if you have someone living in your house with recurrent severe depression, it is better not to have easily accessible, already loaded firearms around. That’s because when people who decide to commit suicide are delayed from doing so, they usually wind up staying alive.

I can understand anger. I can understand rage. I can even understand really feeling like you want to hurt someone. I don’t understand actually doing so. I don’t understand why people actually commit mass murder. I don’t understand killing sprees.

Those of us on the spectrum are just as saddened and bewildered by this as the people who aren’t. The only way I know to cope is to be human together.

-Jennifer McIlwee Myers/Aspie at Large

 

 

Allow them their Space

 “It seems that for success in science or art, a dash of autism is essential”

-Hans Asperger

Allow them their Space

We welcome our Aspergers101 readers to a series dedicated to you, the care-giver. Pause and re-fresh as Dr. Ghia Edwards takes us into the second of a series of four blogs aimed specifically toward you.

Caregivers, we are a special breed, we push through the pain to attend to the needs of those we care for but did you know that grief is a strong part of the lives of the caregiver. The medical definition of grief:

Grief: The normal process of reacting to a loss. The loss may be physical ( Such as death), social (Such as divorce), or occupational ( Such as a job). Emotional reactors of grief can include anger, guilt, anxiety, sadness and despair. Physical reactions of grief can include sleeping problems, changes in appetite, physical problems, or illness. https://www.medicinenet.com

When we are in the caregiver role, we can lose ourselves in the role we play and in that loss comes the grief. We no longer get to necessarily go to lunch and dinners with friends like we use to, or grab a cup of coffee with a family member. We don’t get our usual alone time or get to finish that clay pot we started to create in that art class, sometimes we just are at a loss for the things we have given up, albeit willingly. 

There is such joy in caring for the people that we love but there is a tug of war that can happen and take over on the negative side, IF we are not actively pursuing our own healthy mindfulness state. Below are 10 helpful suggestions of how to heal your soul and below that, I am giving you a tool of self assessment on stress and depression of a person in our roles. After you score it please reach out and share the results with a safe person, clergy, friend, therapist. if you don’t have that person in place yet, pick up the phone and call my office, we understand and we care. There are many of us who understand the Spirit,Soul,Mind and Body process that the caregiver goes through but I say we need to bring more joy to the journey and that is only done in us realizing that we have to face what we are going through, be real with the circumstances and proactive in our own healing process.

How to Help HEAL YOUR  SOUL When You are Grieving:

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Taking care of yourself is a must when you are a care-giver or more specifically a guardian of a child with special needs. 

Dr. Ghia Edwards, Psy.D.

“We have to give out of the overflow versus an empty tank. When we give out of our overflow, we are built up enough to give healthy help and joy. When we let our tank go down, it is like a car that begins to knock because the sediment on the bottom of the tank, is ruining the smooth running of the car. In these situations the car doesn’t run well, much like us when we do not have positive healthy, nourishing self care. We can only give out that which we have, we must center on the Spirit, Soul, Mind and Body”. – Dr. Ghia Edwards, Psy.D. 

We welcome our Aspergers101 readers to a series dedicated to you, the care-giver. Pause and re-fresh as Dr. Ghia Edwards takes us into the first of a series of four blogs aimed specifically to you. Note: You might especially enjoy the added audio portion inserted into the text below!

“We cannot help anyone if we are not helping ourselves first”, we have all heard this before but what does this actually mean and how do we put it into practice. The Inner Workings of a Healthy Helper. Spirit, Soul, Mind and Body health keep the caregiver from running into the weeds. It’s like they say when you are flying, “In the event of an emergency apply your own mask first, then help others around you”. It’s quite a simple practice, so WHY oh why do we not implement it in our lives, we’ll I have theory.
When we are caregiving we are getting a payoff of some sort. If it’s just knowing that we are doing the correct thing for those we are caring for but with that comes being needed. Being needed is seductive, it is alluring, it feels great to know you are valuable but it can be just a step away from being a martyr. Beware of the martyr complex!  It’s subtle but in my line of work I have seen this over and over again and perhaps even participated in the behavior myself. Yes I am a recovering over doer aka martyr.
Here are some solutions to help us NOT become a martyr.

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In a little over 2 minutes, this episode of the childrens animated program, Arthur, explains Aspergers Syndrome in a way that even judgmental adults can understand! Great way to have your visiting relatives and holiday guests understand your Asperger child’s actions and reactions during a lengthy stay.

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Dr. Temple Grandin on DISCIPLINE

“I cannot emphasize the importB9315403164Z.1_20141208230949_000_GLQ9BRDPJ.1-0ance of consistency.  When I was in elementary school, the penalty for having a tantrum was to have no TV for one night.  That was the rule and it was always enforced.  It is essential for the rules to be consistent at BOTH home and school. Parents and teachers must work together otherwise the child may manipulate the parent against the teacher and vice versa.  Kids need to learn that “No” means No and be rewarded when they do things right.  You also need to determine if a behavior problem is caused by pain or sensory over sensitivity.  Hidden painful medical problems must be ruled out.  Some common ones are – acid reflex (heartburn), constipation, yeast infections, toothaches, and earaches.  A child may fear going into a room where a smoke alarm had previously gone off, because it hurt his/hear ears.  After these biological causes of behavior problems are ruled out, then the behavioral motivation can be figured out.

The three main behavioral causes of tantrums and other problems behaviors are:

  • Get attention
  • Frustration because communication is difficult
  • Escape from a task

Each one of these motivators needs to be handled in a different way.  Often the best way to handle behaviors motivated for attention getting is to ignore it.  If a non-verbal child is frustrated because he/she cannot communicate, he/she should be given a means to communicate, such as a picture board or picture exchange.  There are many new apps available for I Pads and other tablets for communication.  If the child is trying to escape from a task, you need to make sure the task is not stupid.  An example of a stupid task would be making a brilliant 8-year-old do baby math drills.  He/she should be given the more advanced math book.

All children in the autism spectrum should be expected to do daily living tasks that they are capable of doing.  Some examples are making their bed, being on time for the school bus or helping with household chores.  When I was a child, I was expected to have good table manners and to say “please” and “thank you.”  When I made a mistake with table manners, mother did not say No. She told me the correct behavior.  For example if I ate mashed potatoes with my fingers, she said, “No, use your fork.”  She gave me the instruction, instead of just saying NO.”

-Dr. Temple Grandin

The above and other Q & A from Dr. Temple Grandin was provided by is posted at:  http://www.templegrandin.com/faq.html 

Today is the day! Join Aspergers101 as we skate for Autism/Asperger Awareness!

Aspergers101 is having a fundraiser at the Rollercade today, this Thursday, August 17th, from 6:30pm to 8:30pm! Come join us for a fun (sensory friendly for our SPD friends) night to celebrate the last days of summer before school is back in session! We are raising awareness for Autism/Aspergers and creating a space for ASD youth and family to come together and enjoy themselves. 100% of the entrance fee for the Rollercade is going to Aspergers101 so that we can continue servicing the ASD community with free online resources and local community events. Please share and come with your family/friends!

Date: August 17, 2017
Event: Skate for Autism/Asperger Awareness!
Venue: The Rollercade
(210) 826-6361
Location: 223 Recoleta Rd, San Antonio, TX
San Antonio, Texas 78216
United States
Cost:  $10 includes two hour skate and roller skate rental

 

We at Aspergers101 like to have a little fun with our outreach so we wanted to share our social media promo by premiering here with you! We would love to hear your ideas for outreach as we are a small organization with a big message!

I am so excited to tell you about a new website for families of children with disabilities and special health care needs: Navigate Life Texas  (AvancemosJuntosTexas). We at Aspergers101.org are always seeking informative new streams of support for families trying to offer their autistic/aspergers child the very best in services and Navigate Life Texas fills the bill! If you do not live in Texas, then by all means inquire about getting a Navigate Life (or one like it) in your state/country.                     – Jennifer Allen/Aspergers101

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This bilingual website was designed to be a place of support and a source of help.  It was created by a task force that’s part of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission.

It was three years in the making and the website development team spent a lot of time talking to parents across Texas.  They wanted to make sure the content would meet family’s needs.

One unique feature is that every page of the site was written, reviewed, or edited by parents of children with disabilities and special health-care needs. 

The website has content to address the needs of parents of children of ALL ages. It contains articles on:

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Happy New Year! As Aspergers101 begins the year 2016…we go in with a bang for our Autism/Asperger Community. Celebrating the Uniqueness of Autism is a campaign designed to do just that…celebrate the quirks and perks of Aspergers Syndrome. One way Aspergers101 will reach out is through a collaborative effort with the Sinclair Broadcasting Group’s TV Station in San Antonio Texas, WOAI-TV.

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General Manager John Seabers and  Creative Services Director Terry McFarlane graciously agreed to partner with Aspergers101 in bringing the message of Celebrating the Uniqueness of Autism to the viewers through a series of PSAs (Public Service Announcements) to air on WOAI, News 4 San Antonio, and digital Channel 4.2 Antenna TV as well as a worldwide reach on Aspergers101.org.

Agreeing to host the PSA series is senior veteran anchor Randy Beamer with the initial ads featuring the talents of Dr. Temple Grandin, Samuel Allen and Houston Eco-Artist Grant Manier. Each posses unique talents that could have been overlooked if not for someone standing up for them and guiding them toward their area of expertise.

We want to share these initial PSAs with you here:

Spotlight on: Inventor, Autism Activist and Author Dr. Temple Grandin

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