Archive for July, 2009

What do Children with Autism Think About?

Friday, July 24th, 2009

What does my son think about during those times when he’s in his own little world?  Is he lonely? Is he sad? Is he processing the events of the day?  Or is he memorizing again – maybe pii to the 40th decimal or the names of all the American Presidents by state, by party and by hair color?

I know Connor’s thoughts are a private matter.  I also realize what all parenting coaches advise, “Parents  shouldn’t try to own their children’s pain; they should  let them work it out on their own.” But that doesn’t seem fair since my son is only now getting to a point where he can talk about his feelings. 

I just need to know that he’s isn’t unhappy.  I used to worry about that day and night – far too much – but I couldn’t help myself. And then I read a book.  A wonderful children’s book called In My Mind: Through the Eyes of Autism by Adonya Wong, and all of a sudden, I wasn’t quite as worried anymore. Because Adonya doesn’t know what’s going on in her son’s head, either, but she thinks his thoughts are good, happy and full of wonderful ideas.  And I believe her.

In My Mind: The World through the Eyes of Autism by Adonya Wong

“In my mind, I see many colors, bright like a rainbow,
shooting about like comets in a night sky.”

Take a closer look.  What do you see?

In My Mind explores the inner world of an autistic child –
the world that no one else can see.  

inmymind.1From exciting adventures to silly games and conversations with friends, look closely
and see how a child with autism sees the world; and how the world sees him.  www.throughtheeyesofautism.com

What to Expect from an Autism Center Evaluation-Part I

Sunday, July 5th, 2009

I would gladly donate every penny of the gas money I’ve spent driving my son from one diagnostic center to another if I could  find a single, one-stop shop for autism screening!  My dream is to have all  of the tests and questionnaires completed in a single trip – preferably riding up an escalator or a moving sidewalk.  Can you imagine it? I could hold my son’s hand while we shared  ice cream cones or s’mores (it’s a dream, remember?).  As we  passed each diagnostic station– neurology, speech/language, sleep, nutrition, gastroenterology, ENT, fine motor, gross motor, etc –different specialists would take x-rays by digital camera and saliva samples by offering a cherry lollipop.  We’d then smile and move serenely from one specialist to the next, until we came to the end of the ride, where a cheerful uber-doctor would tell us in plain language what specifically we needed to do to help our child realize his potential.

The dream isn’t far off. 

Thanks to government grants, comprehensive development centers with specialties in autism spectrum disorders are springing up around the country.  And, after three months on a waiting list, we were ready to give our local autism center, located at our town’s most-respected children’s hospital,  a try.  We were particularly looking for an updated medical perspective.  Here’s a description of  our experience: (more…)

Stuff that works - for us

We  don’t assume these products will work for everyone–that’s why we ended the title with the parenthetical (for us). But if you are looking for new things to try, please read the accompanying blogs to view our experiences with these products. 

 

 

101 Games and Activities for Children with Autism, Asperger’s and Sensory Processing Disorders, by Tara Delaney, M.S. OTR

Written by a pediatric occupational therapist, this book is full of affordable and fun ways to engage your child in educational play.  Click here for our story on how we turned an ordinary family stroll into an exciting adventure!

101activities and games.1

 

Model Me Kids

Model Me Kids® has broken the code on tools to teach social skills to children on the autism spectrum.

Click here for our success story and a full product review.

 

 b-Calm Audio Interventions

The b-Calm System provides audio technology to help calm and increase concentration in children on the autism spectrum.   To learn how we used b-calm, please visit our blog My Son Threw a Shoe in Class Today.

bcalm_badge3

Do You Have a Product?

Do you have a product you’d like us to review for Stuff That Works™? Contact us today.

 

L. Mae Wilkinson:

National Examiner for Autism and Education

National Public Policy Examiner

St. Louis Examiner for Autism and Parenting

Reporter,  Autism Hangout