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Personalized Gifts
2007-12-14 06:01:00
Giving gifts is a holiday tradition that many individuals with autism miss. Particularly if a person with autism is rather disconnected from people or is unable to communicate opinions and ideas, we sometimes forget to include them in the process. It is often easier for us to just pick up a few gifts and wrap ...
More About: Gifts , Communication , Quality of Life

Five More Steps to Sanity
2007-12-13 06:01:00
We are continuing our discussion about steps parents and other caregivers can take to keep their lives on track while dealing with the complex maze of issues involved in raising a child with autism. These strategies have also proven helpful to parents whose children with autism do not require such intense ?forever parenting.? Listen Now: or
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Five Steps to Sanity
2007-12-08 19:50:00
It is certainly easy to fall into the trap of hopelessness and despair when involved in 24/7 care of an individual with a significant disability. Some family members of individuals with autism find themselves in a ?forever parenting? role of continual caregiving. Those folks, as well as others who are in a less intense role, ...
More About: Communication , Quality of Life , Steps

Approaching Strangers
2007-12-08 19:41:00
?One of my students touches the hair of nearly everyone he sees, even complete strangers,? said a teacher of junior high students with autism. ?Whether in the hallway at school or in the grocery store with his family, he touches the hair of adults, teens, and kids. As you can imagine, this sudden approach from ...
More About: Strangers , Ranger

To Be Expected
2007-12-08 19:32:00
When we compare our youngsters with autism with their more typical peers, we may discover that some of the issues we struggle with every day may be common with all kids in that age range. Although autism may, indeed, magnify some issues, the fact remains that nearly all parents struggle with the attitudes of teenagers, ...

Communication Continuum
2007-12-07 00:25:00
?I realize that communication is complex,? commented a teacher of early elementary students with autism. ?Just look at all the skills involved in answering a question or asking for a green crayon. I need some sort of basic framework to help me sort through the complexities of communication so I can maximize their expressive language ...
More About: Communication , Conti , Continuum

Look At Me
2007-12-06 06:27:00
?It seems to me that my students with autism and Asperger?s are not paying attention,? commented a junior high school English teacher. ?How can they learn anything if they are always gazing off into space?? Listen Now: or

Break the Monotony
2007-12-05 14:08:00
?I feel like all I?ve done for ten years is get my son fed, bathed, dressed, and toileted,? commented a mother of a youngster with autism who needs assistance with nearly all daily living tasks. Another parent commented that it seemed like caring for her daughter was an endless cycle. For a variety of reasons, ...
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Residential Placement
2007-12-03 23:02:00
?After several years of struggling with the issue, we have decided that it is in the best interest of our son and of our family for him to be placed in residential care,? said a dad of a young adult with autism and significant behavior issues. ?We are receiving a great deal of criticism from ...
More About: Residential , Communication , Quality of Life

Thick Skin
2007-12-03 04:22:00
?It seems that everyone thinks my son would be a better kid if I would just be a better parent,? said a mother of a 5-year-old with autism who overheard comments by strangers when they witnessed her son?s melt down in the grocery store. The mother went on to say, ?These people don?t realize that ...
More About: Skin , Quality of Life

Uneven Language Skills
2007-11-30 03:56:00
?The students diagnosed with autism in my classes have vastly different skills,? commented a teacher. ?For example, some of the students are non-verbal whereas others seem to talk constantly. Some are able to express themselves quite clearly, while others simply echo what they have heard. Some of the non-verbal students can communicate with basic sign ...
More About: Communication , Quality of Life , Language , Skills

Unplugged
2007-11-29 06:27:00
Teachers, therapists, and family members are always looking for ways to connect with their friends who are diagnosed with autism. Because of the challenges in communication and social interaction that are inherent in autism, we need to be very purposeful taking time every day to link up with our friends. One strategy that can help ...
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Prioritizing Behaviors
2007-11-28 14:03:00
?We are faced with lots of behavior issues with our son,? said parents of a pre-teen who is diagnosed with autism. ?We don?t want to just nag him to death or be in a constant state of dealing with multiple behavior management plans. We need some help prioritizing and deciding which behaviors to tackle first.? ...

Still Chasing the Blues
2007-11-27 03:24:00
We are addressing the issue of the increase in lethargic, withdrawn, less responsive behaviors noticed by teachers, parents, and therapists during the winter season. Yesterday?s podcast, ?Chasing the Blues Away,? focused on the strategy of increasing exposure to natural light, thereby kick-starting biochemical changes in the brain to elevate mood. Today we are brainstorming ideas ...

Chasing the Blues Away
2007-11-26 13:56:00
?Colder weather and shorter days seem to affect the mood of my students with autism,? commented a teacher of elementary students. ?They are more withdrawn, less attentive, less responsive, and generally lethargic. Their family members and therapists report similar behaviors. What are some strategies for chasing away those blues?? Listen Now: or
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Enlightening Others
2007-11-20 15:16:00
One of my friends with autism has accepted her situation, and is making plans to use her insights to help other people. This teenager who is diagnosed with Asperger?s syndrome said, ?I think that I accept that I am on the spectrum.? She is making arrangements with a teacher at her school to give a ...
More About: Communication , Quality of Life

Cold Turkey Approach
2007-11-15 19:33:00
A parent of a young adult with autism wrote about a habit that might requre a ?Cold Turk ey ? approach. She said, ?When my son entered high school, we started letting him go shopping for a video each week if he was able to control his tantrums and explosive behavior at school. That seemed to work ...

Holiday House Guests
2007-11-15 19:33:00
?We are having houseguests for the holidays, and we want to make the experience relaxed and enjoyable for the grandparents as well as for our kids,? commented the parents of two children, including a four-year-old daughter who functions on the spectrum of autism. ?What are some things we need to consider in making plans for ...
More About: House , Holiday , Quality of Life , Guests

Giving Thanks
2007-11-14 17:22:00
?When we began to realize that our son had autism, I thought my heart would break,? commented a mother of an 8-year-old recently. ?As time passed, we could see that we were, indeed, blessed with a very special child. He deals with many challenges every day, but we give thanks for the little glimmers of ...
More About: Quality of Life , Giving , Hank

Road Trip
2007-11-14 16:57:00
Over the river and through the woods to Grandmother?s house we go! Road trips to visit relatives are one aspect of holiday celebrations that are challenging for some individuals functioning on the spectrum of autism. The long, seat-belted ride and the change in routine can cause agitation and discomfort. And, if one passenger in the ...
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Better Holiday Visits
2007-11-13 04:20:00
Parents of a third grader diagnosed with autism commented they couldn?t tell if their son enjoyed family visits during the holidays. ?He just sits on his grandmama?s couch and flips through magazines all afternoon. He won?t eat any of the special thanksgiving meal she prepares for our large family because he just likes macaroni and ...
More About: Holiday

Holiday Visits
2007-11-12 04:28:00
“Just the thought of visiting our family at Thanksgiving raises my blood pressure,” commented a parent of a fifth grader diagnosed with autism. “Although none of the aunts and uncles and grandparents have said anything critical, my husband and I both feel pressure to make everything perfect so our daughter doesn’t act strange or have a meltdown.” Another parent commented that she tended to avoid any family gatherings because it seemed like everyone was always trying to give her advice about raising her teenager with autism. She said, “None of their kids are perfect, but I feel like they think I need to do a better job of parenting. Because I always get mad, I just avoid going home for the holidays.” Listen Now: or
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I am MAD!
2007-11-09 14:51:00
What are our options when an individual who has limited communication skills explodes with anger? What steps can we take to help them calm down? What can we do to help them stop screaming or hitting or biting or throwing or otherwise shouting their frustration or anger in hurtful or disruptive ways? How should we respond the moment an angry outburst occurs? Listen Now: or

Preventing Explosions
2007-11-08 01:59:00
“I am looking for ways to help students who have very limited language skills manage their explosive anger,” commented an experienced therapist. “Many of these youngsters resort to hitting, biting, and screaming to communicate their displeasure In some cases, it is very difficult to determine the source of their anger or frustration, so their response can be very intense. Their limitations in expressive language only add fuel to the fire.” Listen Now: or
More About: Explosions , Eventing

Micromanagement
2007-11-07 05:49:00
“Sometimes it seems like we are micromanaging every aspect of our student’s lives,” commented an experienced teacher of elementary students with autism. “If I were in their shoes, I would certainly be irritated if everyone at home and at school was constantly implementing strategies to change everything I thought or did or said.” Listen Now: or
More About: Romana

Making Change Routine
2007-11-06 03:10:00
“My brother gets very upset when there are any changes in routine,” said a family member of a teen with autism. “Because he just throws an extreme fit anytime we try to do something different, we eat the same foods and go the same places and watch the same movies over and over again. We are all getting bored and a little bit upset because we can’t do anything different.” Listen Now: or
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Noticing Small Steps
2007-11-05 05:15:00
“In spite of the diligent efforts of many people at school and at home, it sometimes feels as if our son is swimming upstream,” commented parents of a youngster with autism. “We are pleased with the work of his teachers and therapists and we have been successful in implementing lots of strategies at home, but it is difficult to see that he is making progress in the face of all the challenges he faces.” It can certainly be discouraging when our friends with autism seem two steps backward for every one step forward. Sometimes it might appear that we are fighting rather hopelessly against a flood of challenges related to communication, social interaction, adaptive skills, and behavior issues. Listen Now: or
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?Please Don?t Touch?
2007-10-30 01:32:00
Teachers, residential staff, and parents often ask for strategies to help decrease the need for constantly monitoring individuals who get into drawers, cabinets, closets, and desks, often breaking or tearing up items. Sometimes we feel as if all we ever say to a person is, ?Don?t touch? or ?Leave that alone.? Today?s podcast introduces a ...
More About: Touch

Nagging and Empty Threats
2007-10-29 23:56:00
?I often catch myself just nagging my son,? said a parent of an elementary student diagnosed with autism. ?I really want to help him and to use all the strategies we?ve worked on with teachers and therapists, but sometimes I simply run out of time and patience to follow through. So I end up just ...
More About: Threats , Threat , Empty

Safe Haven
2007-10-29 23:34:00
Some parents asked for strategies to help decrease the need for constantly monitoring their son to ?prevent him from hurting himself and from breaking or tearing up items around the house.? The teenager?s dad said, ?I feel like all I ever say to him is, ?Don?t touch? or ?Leave that alone.?? Today?s podcast will discuss ...
More About: Safe , Haven