Maja Toudal is a student with Asperger’s I met in Copenhagen, Denmark. Here are her tips for succeeding in your classroom.

I realize that not every part of this will be applicable in every country. We have different educational systems, and this is tailored to mine. This is meant as an inspiration to what you can do to make the student-teacher relationship go well from the beginning.

When I begin a new semester there’s a conversation I must repeat. Actually, it’s getting to the point where it’s more of a monologue. I have some diagnoses that make it difficult for me to be in a classroom, and while I do my best to deal with it, there are still a few things that will be affected.

I need a place – preferably always the same – on the first row, and away from the door. This allows me to create an imaginary sensory bubble around myself, the teacher and blackboard, which excludes the rest of the room. That way, I can pay attention in class. It is exhausting to do this, and to keep it up, but not as much as every other strategy I’ve tried.
As for taking part in the class, I do my best, but the teacher should never expect me to take part in group work. It is one of the most stressful things to do, and I am only capable of it on very good days, in a group of two with someone I like. That’s a problem in Denmark, because group work is a huge part of our educational system.

When I explain my issues with it to teachers, I try to keep a non-dramatizing, matter-of-fact tone, and let them know that I will generally learn more for the whole week if I am not forced into group work, due to the extra stress it would cause to take part in it.

I will have to take a day here and there to decrease my stress levels. I am aware that this pattern in absence can easily appear as though I am skipping school, and because of that I find it important to let the teachers know that this is not the case. I mention it in an effort to avoid misunderstandings.

Finally, I tell them not to worry about me learning the subject. I’m a good student and I will work hard to do as well as I can. After this conversation, we’re usually on good terms.

I have not promised to be perfect. I have not promised that I will be a straight A student – only that I will do my best. I’ve also been open and honest. This is something most people appreciate.

On the really bad days, I remind myself that whatever I do, I must not piss off the teachers. There is nothing at all to gain from it. I want them to be my allies, not my enemies. So I am always polite to all teachers.

Aside from this, I keep two things in mind:
I can only expect them to take me seriously if I uphold my end of the agreement. So no matter how long I will be taught by this person – one semester or several years – I have to do my best.

Second, my diagnoses are explanations, NOT excuses. So while they demand attention on certain points, they do not keep me from being a decent person or student, or from advancing both in education and in social matters. I must always improve.

As for the conversation itself, the key elements to it going well (there are no guarantees!) are:

1) Be polite Make sure everything seems like a request, but one that will make it all easier for both parties.
2) Be exact About the difficulties and the solutions.
3) Make it short The whole conversation, from “hello” to “thank you, goodbye”, should only last 5 minutes – remember you can always have another at a later time.
4) Only give the necessary information Don’t explain every detail of the difficulties that are relevant. Present them in short, simplistic form, and stay focused on what they need to know in order for things to go as smoothly as possible.

Maja started writing songs when she was 9 and released her debut album, Live, Acoustic & Stripped less than a year ago. She has also released quite a few singles, available online.

Listen to Maja’s Music on Myspace and check her out on Facebook. and check out her music channel on Youtube.

Maja also has a youtube channel where she talks about Asperger’s and Autism.

The post How to Deal with Classrooms and Autism appeared first on Wrong Planet.

Remarks like these spread ignorance about autism and threaten to return us to a previous era where parents were blamed and labeled as “refrigerator mothers” for having autistic children. Not only have Michael Weiner and Talk Radio Networks refused to retract these outrageous comments – they have added to them by claiming, unsupported by science of any kind, that the autism spectrum is an overdiagnosed medical condition. This is part of a broader pattern of statements attacking people with disabilities and our families.

Wrong Planet has joined a coalition of disability rights organizations calling for the sponsors of Talk Radio Networks and the Savage Nation to pull their support. Read on for the joint letter regarding Savage’s remarks.

To Sponsors of The Savage Nation Radio Show, Syndicate of Talk Radio Networks, and sponsors of Talk Radio Networks programming:

We, organizations representing people with disabilities, family members, professionals and other concerned citizens, are calling upon you to withdraw support for Talk Radio Networks in response to the outrageous comments by TRN personality Michael Alan Weiner, also known as Michael Savage.

On July 16th, Weiner announced: “Now, you want me to tell you my opinion on autism, since I’m not talking about autism? A fraud, a racket…You know what autism is? I’ll tell you what autism is. In 99 percent of the cases, it’s a brat who hasn’t been told to cut the act out. That’s what autism is…What do you mean they scream and they’re silent? They don’t have a father around to tell them, “Don’t act like a moron. You’ll get nowhere in life. Stop acting like a putz. Straighten up. Act like a man. Don’t sit there crying and screaming, idiot.”

These comments represent dangerous misinformation. The refusal by Talk Radio Networks to condemn the comments or undertake any steps in response to them, as well as Michael Savage’s refusal to apologize, is absolutely unacceptable. The autism spectrum is a very real developmental disability affecting millions of Americans. It includes a series of impairments in social interaction and communication, executive functioning, sensory processing, and motor skills. Adults and children on the autism spectrum often require substantial supports, services and education across the lifespan. Comments like those on the Savage Nation do real damage to autistic people by increasing public ignorance and misinformation about autism, thereby putting at risk vital education, supports and services. Contrary to the remarks by Mr. Weiner, there is no evidence whatsoever to suggest that autism is over diagnosed – in fact, research suggests that there is substantial under-identification of the autism spectrum, resulting in a lack of vitally needed services and education. In addition, these remarks revive outdated and damaging misconceptions about the source of autism, recalling the “refrigerator mother” myth in which parents were blamed for having autistic children.

Talk Radio Networks’ sponsors must consider whether or not to associate with the hateful and offensive comments spoken by Michael Weiner. Because TRN has taken no action, we urge you to communicate the need for Mr. Weiner’s immediate removal by withdrawing sponsorship for TRN’s programming. There are over 50 million people with disabilities in the United States, representing approximately $200 billion in disposable income. We represent a market that cannot be ignored. By disassociating your businesses from the ignorant and hateful remarks made this past week and taking practical steps to help educate the public about the true nature of the autism spectrum and other disabilities, we can move forward towards creating a world that will recognize the rights of all people to respect, dignity, support and inclusion.

Regards,
Ari Ne’eman
President
The Autistic Self Advocacy Network
http://www.autisticadvocacy.org

Andrew J. Imparato
President and CEO
American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD)
http://www.aapd.com

Jim Ward
ADA Watch and the National Coalition for Disability Rights
http://www.adawatch.org/

Marcie Roth
Executive Director
National Spinal Cord Injury Association
http://www.spinalcord.org/index.php

Barbara Trader, MS
Executive Director
TASH
http://www.tash.org

Marca Bristo
President
Access Living of Metropolitan Chicago
http://www.accessliving.org/

Jean Arnold
Co-founder and Chair
National Stigma Clearinghouse
http://www.stigmanet.org

Phil Schwarz
Vice-president, Asperger’s Association of New England
http://www.aane.org/
Member, Board of Directors, Autism National Committee
http://www.autcom.org/

Deirdre C. Wright
President & Co-Founder
The Asperger Syndrome Alliance for Greater Philadelphia
http://www.ascendgroup.org

Stephen Drake
Not Dead Yet
http://www.notdeadyet.org/

Alex Plank
WrongPlanet.net
http://www.wrongplanet.net/

Lawrence Carter-Long
Director of Advocacy
The Disabilities Network of NYC
http://dnnyc.net

Amber Smock
Feminist Response in Disability Activism
http://www.ourfrida.org/

.

As a result of this continued attack against autistic people and the broader disability community, the Autistic Self-Advocacy Network has joined with over a dozen national and regional disability rights organizations to call on the sponsors of Talk Radio Networks and the Savage Nation to pull their support. Together, we have issued a strong joint statement calling for an ad boycott. In addition, we’ve collected contact information for several of the major sponsors of Talk Radio Networks in order to empower our community to take further action. We urge you to use the information below to write, call and e-mail these sponsors and tell them why it is imperative they join companies like Aflac and Telesouth Communication that have already pulled their ads in response to these hateful remarks. There are over 50 million people with disabilities in the United States with approximately $200 billion in disposable income. It is time for us to make our voices heard.

Below you will find contact information for Talk Radio Networks’ largest sponsors and a sample letter for you to use as a reference point in your e-mails and phone calls. We will be keeping an updated list on our website here and will post updates and changes to contact information as new information becomes available. In addition, if you would like to express your support for the disability community’s joint statement on this issue, you can do so by signing our petition here. Please distribute this message to your networks and feel free to repost.

Sample Letter:

“To Whom It May Concern:

As a member of the disability community, I am outraged by the recent comments made by Talk Radio Networks’ host Michael Alan Weiner, also known as Michael Savage, stating that autism is “a fraud…a racket…In 99 percent of the cases, it’s a brat who hasn’t been told to cut the act out. That’s what autism is.” Not only have these comments not been retracted but Talk Radio Networks continues to stand by Michael Weiner as he continues spreading public misinformation about autism. Autism is a very real developmental disability affecting millions of Americans. Public ignorance and prejudice against people with disabilities represent one of the most significant obstacles to full access and inclusion of people with disabilities throughout society. I urge you to take immediate action and pull your financial support from Talk Radio Networks and The Savage Nation Radio Show in response to these hateful comments.”

Contact Information:
ABC, Inc.:
VP Advertising/Sales Mike Shaw
Phone: 212 456-7272
mike.shaw@abc.com
VP Public Relations Kevin Brockman
Phone: 818 460-7756
Fax: 212-456-1424

Acura:
Acura Public Relations
Mike Spencer, 310-783-3165
info@acura.com

American Express:
Leslie Berland
212.640.5142
Leslie.A.Berland@aexp.com
American Express
P.O. Box 981540
El Paso, TX 79998-1540

Boca Java:
Stefanie Hochstadter
shochstadter@bocajava.com
1-888-262-2528
Boca Java
730 South Powerline Rd.
Suite D
Deerfield Beach, FL 33442

Campbells:
Campbell Soup Company
Campbell Place
Camden, NJ 08103-1701
Phone: 800-257-8443
Phone: 800-871-0988

Citrix:
851 West Cypress Creek Road
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309, United States
Americas PR
Jason Wyse
Americas Senior PR Manager
Phone: (786) 449-3740
Email: jason.wyse@citrix.com
Eric Armstrong
Director, Corporate Communications
Phone: (954) 267-2977
Email: eric.armstrong@citrix.com

Dish Network:
CEO Charlie Ergen: (303) 723-1010
CEO assistant: (303) 723-1005
EchoStar Satellite L.L.C.
Attn: Corporate Communications
9601 S. Meridian Blvd.
Englewood, CO 80112
press@echostar.com

Ebay:
Alan Marks
Senior Vice President Corporate Communications
Telephone: 1-408-376-7400
Fax: 1-408-369-4855
Email: info@ebay.com

General Motors:
Andrea Canabal
General Motors, Northeast Communications,
Work: +1-914-244-6059,
Cellular: +1-914-391-6898,
andrea.canabal@gm.com
Stockholder line: 313-667-1500

Gallo Winery:
John Segale
Gallo Winery Spokesperson
Work: 916-960-5341
Cell: 916-600-1081

Prudential:
Bob DeFillippo
Phone: 973-802-4149
bob.defillippo@prudential.com

Nestlé Purina PetCare:
Email: kschopp@purina.com
Phone: 314-982-2577
Fax: 314-982-2752

Simon & Shuster:
Michael Selleck
(800) 223-2336
info@simonsays.com

Staples, Inc:
Paul Capelli, 508-253-8530
paul.capelli@staples.com

Subway:
SUBWAY® Public Relations
(203) 877-4281
Les Winograd Ext. 1683
winograd_l@subway.com
Kevin Kane Ext.1329
kane_k@subway.com

Volkswagen:
Keyes, Steve
Director, Press and Public Relations
Phone: 703 364 7650
Fax: 703 364 7071
Email: steve.keyes@vw.com

Thank you for your support and please distribute. Our combined activism has and will continue to help us create a world that respects, includes and supports people with disabilities throughout society. Remember, nothing about us, without us!

Regards,
Ari Ne’eman
President
The Autistic Self Advocacy Network
1101 15th Street, NW Suite 1212
Washington, DC 20005
http://www.autisticadvocacy.org
732.763.5530

The post Disability Community Responds to Hateful Comments by Michael Savage appeared first on Wrong Planet.

Autism Western Cape (AWC) of South Africa is launching a fundraising campaign next week called Jail4Bail. The executive director of AWC plans on locking himself in a jail cell at a local mall until $128,000 dollars is raised. The promotional material for this event depicts a young girl locked in a jail cell followed by the text ‘Help raise $128,000 dollars for Autism.’

Please note that I do support fundraising campaigns for autism if their purpose is to better the life of autistic people and if they ensure that the lasting image of autism left in its participants’ minds furthers the acceptance and inclusion of autistic people in society. Unfortunately, Jail4Bail does not meet this criteria and actually feeds a negative stigma in the media that hurts autistic people and their families.

“How we talk about autism—how we talk about autistic persons—directly impacts on how the public, how people, think about autism, and how they perceive and act towards autistic persons.” – Autism Vox

At first I did not give it much thought as my understanding was that part of the funds would go to a local police station and that the concept of putting him in jail would be viewed as a joke and a fun event, as it has been in other situations where the Jail4Bail idea was implemented. AWC also requested me to write an article about my daily experiences as an autistic person to use in conjunction with this event, which I gladly did.

In my naivety I never realised that in their minds, there was a direct link to the idea that either autistics are viewed as imprisoned, or that the family of an autistic person live in a jail-like environment because of autism.

This horrifying realisation came to me when I saw the first attempt at a poster for the event. It features a pre-school girl in a cell with her hands clasped around the bars and a look of fear on her face, as she stares to some unknown horror somewhere above her.

I immediately sent off an email to the director of AWC which:

• pointed out that I am appalled and furious at the logo
• suggested that he becomes acquainted with the recent similar Ransom Notes debacle, and included several links to insightful articles
• requested a public apology
• demanded that the image is pulled
• suggested that he resigns from his position
• asked that my article is excluded from this appalling and nauseating campaign

I further mentioned that I will make the global network of autism activists aware of this initiative, which is what I am doing here.

I got a response which rang:

“Thank you for giving me your personal opinion. Can you please tell me exactly what you find appalling and nauseating? I have retracted your article as requested. It is great that you are willing to forward the information to the global network of autism activists to help us in a developing South Africa . I hope that the global network of autism activists would give us the necessary funding to be able to provide additional schools and other service to enable our assist thousands of children, adults and their families affected by Autism. We are going ahead with the project, because we need to create awareness about Autism and we need funding to provide additional services for individual children and adults who not as fortunate as you. “

I decided not to respond to this email as the person obviously did not bother to read the articles I suggested or proofread his email before sending it through and I realised that it would be wasteful for me to try and keep speaking to a person of such lack of awareness and ignorance.

I heard the next day that AWC did decide to pull the image but replaced it with an image of an adult person behind the bars. AWC did not bother informing me of this decision; I was made aware of it by another person in the broader community in Cape Town.

The new logo now features a dismal looking adult in a dark jail cell, staring out once again to who-knows-what. At least a child was not used but the message is still unacceptable, self-pitying and totally counter-productive to the message of inclusion and acceptance.

I am further concerned that a significant portion of the AWC funds, that is meant for the improvement of the lives of autistics, has been spent on the organising of this event, which apparently has taken a resource knock of nine months, understandably leading to AWC not being prepared to call its launch into question. I have to question the length and associated cost of planning such an event, considering that there has obviously been very little research done into whether it is appropriate. I also have to question whether the time and investment cost into a fundraising event is a reason for not considering changing its theme, if it is clarified that the image portrayed is not just inappropriate but damaging to autistics.

I am surprised by their claims that they have gotten consent and indeed positive responses both locally and internationally, not just for the event theme but also the resulting poster with the child. I can only wonder who those parties were – perhaps in numbers they were sufficient but in diversity I have to assume that only like-minded individuals were approached for commentary. I can say that certainly no autistic person was approached and I question whether any of the other autistic organisations or schools for autistic learners in the Western Cape were notified, neither were any non-autistic organisations that deal with disabilities, which would have immediately pointed out the inappropriateness of AWC’s theme and image.

I am further concerned that the mind that constructed this event will be the one that is the face to the public and who will be answering questions with regards to autism, as donations are received. I do not want this one-sided, negative view of autism that is reflected in the actions of the organisation to speak for me and other autistics, of all ages – at all. And if the AWC’s message is not sympathetic towards the autistic, then what is it? Perhaps if it is only sympathetic towards the parents that see themselves as imprisoned, it should clarify its purpose and ask for donations for therapy for parents that have difficulty accepting their children as they are, or wanting to change them into different children, if only they could get sufficient funds to put them through endless behavioural therapy.

In the end, there is huge responsibility that comes with being in the position of executive director of AWC. It does not mean playing hero or martyr, or furthering your own personal agendas: it means staying in touch with what is happening in the world of autism, being educated and aware and being inclusive, of all autism related parties in the Western Cape, including autistics and other autism related organisation, even if they disagree with you.

And asking an autistic to write an article (for free) to support your event is not inclusion. It is pretend.

One has to be so careful how autism is portrayed to society. The problems that autistics face today are often more those caused by lack of acceptance and inclusion in society than the actual disabilities. If your hope is to give autistics the freedom of society one day, how can you portray it as a jail? If you want to change a perception, don’t enforce it! This is not a difficult concept to understand. How to brand your fundraising event is far too important to leave to advertising and marketing organisations and it needs much thought and mindfulness. When in doubt, just consider the Pity: It’s 100% Curable brand. That is the type of message that I would like to see at an autism fundraising event.

I can speak much more about this but bottom line is that the campaign is wrong in that it will damage the very cause it is trying to promote. Your campaign will cause damage to my image as an autistic person – no good will come to me, personally, if society sees autism as a prison that locks either the autistic person or their parents up in a situation of desperation which only a pitiful donation can make better. That prison is your prison, not mine. Go sit in it, for weeks, but don’t make it mine. I feel ashamed and violated by the theme of this campaign.

And I am your autistic daughter or son’s future voice. Whether you like it or not.

“I hope to communicate to you that, contrary to the unfortunate paradigm that has pervaded the media discourse about us, autism is not a tragedy.
We are, as with any other minority, a community with unique needs, strengths, challenges and aspirations that are often distinct from the parent or professional voices that speak about us, without us.
The true tragedy is the persistent discrimination, abuse and lack of access that continues to govern society’s approach to us. On this, the first ever World Autism Day, we assert that it is this prejudice – not autism itself – that we have a true interest in combating, in the interest of ensuring for every person the rights of communication, inclusion, self-determination and respect.” –  Ari Ne’eman

This article was written by Adi of the Wallpapering Society, a support group for Adults on the autistic spectrum in Cape Town, South Africa.

The post Bail4Jail: A shameful image of Autism appeared first on Wrong Planet.

Glennys Jones’ son, David, 23, was found dead on December 31 last year, following an overdose of prescription drugs. Last week, a coroner recorded an open verdict at an inquest into his death.

Now Miss Jones is calling for more awareness of his condition.

David was found at his home in Belvedere Road, Crystal Palace, where he had been moved seven months earlier by Bromley Council. He had previously been a Broomleigh Housing Association tenant in Crown Lane, Bromley, but had to be relocated after falling victim to homophobic abuse.

As Broomleigh was unable to rehouse him at the time, it was decided David would go into temporary council care.

A social services meeting in April last year concluded that David needed to remain in the area so he could continue receiving his network of support.

Despite this advice, Bromley Council rehoused David in Crystal Palace, forcing him to register with a new doctor.

Miss Jones says she stressed her son’s vulnerability but was told that, as David had accepted the offer, it would not be reconsidered.

The 56-year-old said: “I told them their actions were totally irresponsible and, by moving David out of his safety net area, they were putting his life at risk.”

Following the move, David’s drug prescriptions for conditions which included anxiety and stress increased dramatically and he began to rely heavily on out-of-hours surgery services.

Miss Jones, of Newbury Road, Bromley, said: “If Bromley Council had not ignored recommendations from myself and social services, my son would still be alive. Neither Bromley Council nor David’s new GP understood his disability. Although it was not visible, he was not able to comprehend and assess information in the way you or I can.

“I can no longer do anything to help David, but I can raise awareness of this disability so another parent does not have to suffer such a tragic loss.”

A council spokesman said: “The council expresses its sympathy. While it would not be appropriate to go into detail about this particular case, the council can confirm that assistance with rehousing was provided to Mr Jones at his request.”

Asperger’s syndrome was first identified in 1944 but it did not become a clinical diagnosis until the mid-90s. A developmental condition affecting the way the brain processes information, there is no cure for the syndrome, which affects more men than women. Symptoms of the disorder can include poor communication and social skills, and sometimes physical clumsiness. Sufferers can have difficulty reading body language and making eye contact. Establishing set patterns and routines is also common, which can lead to distress when these are changed.

Strong attention to detail and the ability to memorise facts and figures also characterises Asperger’s syndrome. Renaissance artist Michaelangelo, the Victorian botanist, Charles Darwin, and the scientist, Albert Einstein, are all thought by some researchers to have had the disorder.

(Source: News Shopper, August 23, 2006)

CRYSTAL PALACE, London, UK

The post ‘My Asperger’s son died because authorities did not understand his condition’ appeared first on Wrong Planet.

Some days it seems the only predictable thing about it is the unpredictability. The only consistent attribute, the inconsistency. There is little argument on any level but that autism is baffling, even to those who spend their lives around it.

The child who lives with autism may look “normal,” but his or her behavior can be perplexing and downright difficult. Today, the citadel of autism, once thought an “incurable” disorder, is cracking around the foundation. Every day, individuals with autism show us they can overcome, compensate for, and otherwise manage many of the condition’s most challenging aspects. Equipping those around our children with a simple understanding of autism’s most basic elements has a tremendous effect on the children’s journey towards productive, independent adulthood. Autism is an extremely complex disorder, but we can distill it to three critical components: sensory processing difficulties, speech/language delays and impairments, and whole child/social interaction issues.

Here are 10 things every child with autism wishes you knew.

1. I am a child with autism. I am not “autistic.” My autism is one aspect of my total character. It does not define me as a person. Are you a person with thoughts, feelings and many talents, or are you just fat (overweight), myopic (wear glasses) or klutzy (uncoordinated, not good at sports)?

2. My sensory perceptions are disordered. This means the ordinary sights, sounds, smells, tastes and touches of everyday life that you may not even notice can be downright painful for me. The very environment in which I have to live often seems hostile. I may appear withdrawn or belligerent to you, but I am really just trying to defend myself. A “simple” trip to the grocery store may be hell for me. My hearing may be hyperacute. Dozens of people are talking at once. The loudspeaker booms today’s special. Muzak whines from the sound system. Cash registers beep and cough. A coffee grinder is chugging. The meat cutter screeches, babies wail, carts creak, the fluorescent lighting hums. My brain can’t filter all the input, and I’m in overload! My sense of smell may be highly sensitive. The fish at the meat counter isn’t quite fresh, the guy standing next to us hasn’t showered today, the deli is handing out sausage samples, the baby in line ahead of us has a poopy diaper, they’re mopping up pickles on Aisle 3 with ammonia. … I can’t sort it all out, I’m too nauseous.

Because I am visually oriented, this may be my first sense to become overstimulated. The fluorescent light is too bright. It makes the room pulsate and hurts my eyes. Sometimes the pulsating light bounces off everything and distorts what I am seeing. The space seems to be constantly changing. There’s glare from windows, moving fans on the ceiling, so many bodies in constant motion, too many items for me to be able to focus – and I may compensate with tunnel vision. All this affects my vestibular sense, and now I can’t even tell where my body is in space. I may stumble, bump into things, or simply lay down to try and regroup.

3. Please remember to distinguish between won’t (I choose not to) and can’t (I’m not able to). Receptive and expressive language are both difficult for me. It isn’t that I don’t listen to instructions. It’s that I can’t understand you. When you call to me from across the room, this is what I hear: “*&^%$#@, Billy. #$%^*&^%$&*” Instead, come speak directly to me in plain words: “Please put your book in your desk, Billy. It’s time to go to lunch.” This tells me what you want me to do and what is going to happen next. Now it’s much easier for me to comply.

4. I am a concrete thinker. I interpret language literally. It’s very confusing for me when you say, “Hold your horses, cowboy!” when what you really mean is “Please stop running.” Don’t tell me something is a “piece of cake” when there is no dessert in sight and what you really mean is, “This will be easy for you to do.” When you say, “It’s pouring cats and dogs,” I see pets coming out of a pitcher. Please just tell me, “It’s raining very hard.” Idioms, puns, nuances, double entendres and sarcasm are lost on me.

5. Be patient with my limited vocabulary. It’s hard for me to tell you what I need when I don’t know the words to describe my feelings. I may be hungry, frustrated, frightened or confused, but right now those words are beyond my ability to express. Be alert for body language, withdrawal, agitation, or other signs that something is wrong.

There’s a flip side to this: I may sound like a little professor or a movie star, rattling off words or whole scripts well beyond my developmental age. These are messages I have memorized from the world around me to compensate for my language deficits, because I know I am expected to respond when spoken to. They may come from books, television or the speech of other people. It’s called echolalia. I don’t necessarily understand the context or the terminology I’m using, I just know it gets me off the hook for coming up with a reply.

6. Because language is so difficult for me, I am very visually oriented. Show me how to do something rather than just telling me. And please be prepared to show me many times. Lots of patient repetition helps me learn.

A visual schedule is extremely helpful as I move through my day. Like your day planner, it relieves me of the stress of having to remember what comes next, makes for smooth transitions between activities, and helps me manage my time and meet your expectations. Here’s a great web site for learning more about visual schedules http://www.cesa7.k12.wi.us/newweb/content/rsn/autism.asp

7. Focus and build on what I can do rather than what I can’t do. Like any other human, I can’t learn in an environment where I’m constantly made to feel that I’m not good enough or that I need fixing. Trying anything new when I am almost sure to be met with criticism, however constructive, becomes something to be avoided. Look for my strengths and you’ll find them. There’s more than one right way to do most things.

8. Help me with social interactions. It may look like I don’t want to play with the other kids on the playground, but sometimes it’s just that I simply don’t know how to start a conversation or enter a play situation. If you can encourage other children to invite me to join them at kickball or shooting baskets, I may be delighted to be included.

9. Try to identify what triggers my meltdowns. This is termed “the antecedent.” Meltdowns, blowups, tantrums or whatever you want to call them are even more horrid for me than they are for you. They occur because one or more of my senses has gone into overload. If you can figure out why my meltdowns occur, they can be prevented.

10. If you are a family member, please love me unconditionally. Banish thoughts such as, “If he would just …” and “Why can’t she … ?” You didn’t fulfill every last expectation your parents had for you, and you wouldn’t like being constantly reminded of it. I didn’t choose to have autism. Remember that it’s happening to me, not you. Without your support, my chances of successful, self-reliant adulthood are slim. With your support and guidance, the possibilities are broader than you might think. I promise you I’m worth it.

It all comes down to three words: Patience. Patience. Patience.

Work to view my autism as a different ability rather than a disability. Look past what you may see as limitations and see the gifts autism has given me. I may not be good at eye contact or conversation, but have you noticed I don’t lie, cheat at games, tattle on my classmates, or pass judgment on other people?

You are my foundation. Think through some of those societal rules, and if they don’t make sense for me, let them go. Be my advocate, be my friend, and we’ll see just how far I can go.

I probably won’t be the next Michael Jordan, but with my attention to fine detail and capacity for extraordinary focus, I might be the next Einstein. Or Mozart. Or Van Gogh.

They had autism too.

Freelance writer and consultant Ellen Notbohm is a columnist for Autism/Asperger’s Digest and co-author of 1001 Great Ideas for Teaching and Raising Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders (Future Horizons). She favors “common sense” approaches to raising her sons with autism and AD/HD. She lives in Oregon. Original Story from Florida Weekly

The post Ten Things Every Child with Autism Wishes You Knew appeared first on Wrong Planet.

This “Autism” tragedy that parents are experiencing with their affected children has taken a terrible toll on these families and the U.S. healthcare system.

This epidemic will cost the U.S. billions of dollars. An entire generation of children may have been affected. The symptoms of “autism” and mercury poisoning are identical.

I for one don’t think of myself as a national tragedy and I hope that we make these guys know how we feel!

The post Autism – Children’s Lives Destroyed? I don’t think so appeared first on Wrong Planet.