Autism is real and like many others with the diagnosis, my son, Alex Hale, is succeeding in life on the Spectrum. His two songs “Into the Light” and “Walk a Mile” share his thoughts and emotions on the journey of an Autistic Individual, and assert that there is light atContinue Reading
I want to address the difference between “in spite of” and “because of”. One of the greatest equalizers that spans across all barriers of humanity is that we individually cannot choose when we are born and when we die. I was born a sensitive and socially honest soul into aContinue Reading
We are re-posting a portion of a Disability Scoop interview with ‘Covert Affairs’ Star Christopher Gorham whose son has Aspergers Syndrome. This Hollywood actor has been in such TV programs as Ugly Betty, Popular, Odyssey 5, Jake 2.0, Medical Investigation, Out of Practice, Harper’s Island and Covert Affairs. Gorham is currently workingContinue Reading
Communication with Teachers is Key Guests: Becky Tarwater, Sharon Neill This week’sTop of the Spectrum News discusses developing and keeping an open communication with your child’s school employees as being key towards their success. Jennifer AllenA graduate of Abilene Christian University, Jennifer had a long career in TV Broadcasting. Upon learningContinue Reading
Stimming is one of the “stereotypical” autistic behaviors. Many people think of people with autism as folks who constantly flap their hand or rock back and forth. Those behaviors are called “stimming”, which is a motion that interacts with the senses to help calm an autistic person down (self calming) if they feel overwhelmed byContinue Reading
After looking at student data, it was determined for a particular student that 4 chill passes would be sufficient for the morning and 4 more for the afternoon. If she did not use her morning chill passes, then she could add them to the afternoon allotment, especially since afternoons wereContinue Reading
Nikki J. is a comic artist that uses comedy to depict her personal experiences living with Autism. You can read more of Nikki’s posts on Aspergers101 here and find the rest of Nikki’s comics on her webpage here. Besides, this, there was another time I made friends with someone 10Continue Reading
In a previous blog, we discussed the benefit of a “Chill Zone” for students that experience anxiety or frustration in school and/or home settings, and how to set that area up for success. Some students might benefit from a companion strategy called a Chill Pass. The Chill Pass can help theContinue Reading
We have been exploring the development and implementation of a feelings chart to help students apply coping skills when problems arise. A related strategy that accomplishes the same goal is called “Antiseptic Bouncing”. The difference is that the adult recognizes that the individual with Asperger’s is beginning to have aContinue Reading
Guest(s): Dr. Janessa Manning, Dr. Chris Plauche The Asperger brain is different in both its function and anatomy as shown in MRI brain scans. This medical study explains why people diagnosed with High-Functioning Autism or Aspergers Syndrome cannot read social cues, thus ‘acting’ differently. It is not bad behavior, itContinue Reading
Some of the greatest struggles I had before I went to treatment at 11 are sensory integration problems. My sensitivities to food, certain fabrics in clothes, and the feel of water on my skin created a huge struggle to be a fully functional human being. Growing up, I would throwContinue Reading
A reader of this blog asked that we provide advice about resources that exist to aid students with ASD as they transition from high school to college. When considering the transition, it is important to recognize several critical elements: It’s never too early for any student to begin planning for theContinue Reading
