Autistic Neurology or Psychiatric Symptomatology?

by Judy Endow Sometimes autistic neurology – specifically our style of thinking and the way our brain handles information bumps up against what can appear to be psychiatric symptomatology. This has happened to me many times over the years. My style of thinking is visual along with being quite literal and concrete. I understand myself and, in general, thoughts, ideas and concepts by having or creating an object or visual representation of that construct. Here is an example: “…in my life, I have come to a fuller understanding of the parts of me as represented by actual pastel colored

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Social Rules that Change with Age

by Judy Endow The “hidden curriculum” refers to the set of rules or guidelines that are often not directly taught but are assumed to be known. Most people automatically pick up this hidden information; their brains work that way. For those of us with autistic brains, this information is truly hidden; we do not automatically pick it up. Hence, the term, “hidden curriculum.” Even though our brains are not wired to automatically pick up this hidden social information, we can learn it. Once we learn it then we know it just like everybody else. Sounds easy. It is

Respectfully Connected: Journeys in Parenting and Neurodivergence

We are all about respect, so of course, Respectfully Connected is a Resource We Love!

Doll Diversity Isn’t Just Child’s Play – Dolls with Disabilities

As a little girl, I had a doll collection that took over nearly every inch of toy storage space in my room. I loved them all, especially my two most prized dolls - a My Twinn Doll and a My American Girl Doll, both made to look "just like me." And there was a indeed a striking resemblance between me and the dolls. We had matching brown hair, brown eyes, glasses, and even a matching freckle above our lips. There's just one thing that didn't quite match: my dolls stood upright in their plastic doll stands while I sat in

Autistics Can BE Friends

Just like people in the neuro majority do not automatically understand social norms of autistics so it is that autistics do not automatically understand the social norms of the neuro majority. This is not complicated. Our different neurologies sort us out to have different norms when it comes to behaviors around friendships. As a society we seem to operate on an assumption that the social ways of the majority are the right ways. We do not think about this or talk about this. We all define the standard by a majority rules mentality. Then, anyone who deviates from this standard

A Typical Son’s mom on “the r-word” and Chuck Klosterman’s apology

Kari Wagner-Peck ,the author of  A Typical Son blog, and twitter friend @atypicalson wrote a letter to find out why Chuck Klosterman , of the Ethicist used the r-word. Kari who is 'like Erma Bombeck - in that I write funny about the ordinary and not so much in that I am angry, I swear a lot, and we have a kid who has Down syndrome' wrote an eloquent, thoughtful letter to Klosterman , reached out to folks on twitter and used social media for social good. Pretty cool.  You can read the  response from Klosterman  here,It's fabulous- CK, sincerely apologizes

Closed Captioning Helps All Students

"Not only were students talking about how much having the captions helped them as they took notes, their test scores went up," Collins said. During the first year of a 2-year case study, he showed videos without captions to establish a baseline of student comprehension, then in the second year turned on the captions and began to see improvement in comprehension and grades. "During the baseline year, there were a lot of Cs. In the second years, they went from Cs, Ds and Fs to As, Bs and Cs. It was really significant improvement," he said. "We're living in an

Man with Down Syndrome owns “The World’s Friendliest Restaurant”

Tim Harris has a great deal to be proud of. "Tim The Man" to those who know him, he's accomplished more in his 27 years than some people accomplish in an entire lifetime. A Special Olympian, he has dozens of gold medals. He's lived on a sailboat and is well-known in the Bahamas as an excellent sailor and fisherman. He graduated from Eastern New Mexico University in 2008 with certificates in food service, office skills, and restaurant hosting. He's now living independently, and really enjoying the fact that he can walk to work - the restaurant that he owns is

Ollibean Baseball Camp

Great week at Ollibean Baseball Camp! Thank you to all the great Ballplayers and Counselors who made it so much fun. We still have some spots for this week- August 12 through 16, 8:30 am to 11:30 am. It's free!

Lawsuit alleges school bus aide slapped autistic boy

A north suburban special education school bus aide slapped an autistic student who cannot speak, according to a lawsuit filed by the boy’s mother, who claims she uncovered the alleged abuse after putting a recording device in her son’s backpack. Nabiha Z

Must Have Autism E-book

Great e-book for Autism Acceptance Month !

A Generational Shift in Understanding Life With Down Syndrome

"You cannot know if someone else's life is worth living without asking them and without even knowing them."

  • Autism Acceptance Month, Acceptance Is An Action

Autism Acceptance Month

"Acceptance is an action." Autism Acceptance Month from the brilliant folks at ASAN, is beyond incredible. We could read the About page again and again- and probably will. Check it out. Take the Pledge. What is Autism Acceptance Month? Autism Acceptance Month is about challenging ignorance, prejudice, fear, and hysteria about autism and autistic people. Autism Acceptance Month spreads the word that autism is both a neurological disability and a natural part of human diversity, and centers the voices of autistic people in the conversation about us. Autism Acceptance Month promotes acceptance of autistic people as family members, sons, daughters, spouses, friends, classmates, co-workers,

Why did Robert Ethan Saylor die?

Where is the public outrage over the death of Robert Ethan Saylor , killed in January while being taken into police custody in Frederick for the crimes of petty larceny and, perhaps, disorderly conduct? Saylor, 26, had Down syndrome, a genetic defect tha

Man with Autism, Caregiver Shot by Off-Duty Officer

A man with autism and his caregiver were shot by an off-duty Camden police officer, who thought his home was being burglarized, according to the Camden County Prosecutor's Office. NBC10's Katy Zachry talked with investigators who say the 21-year-old man had just been dropped off at his home on the 2800 block of Arthur Avenue by his special needs school in Cherry Hill and was met at his house by his caretaker. Investigators say instead of going to his front door, the 21-year-old with autism went across the street and started banging very loudly on a neighbor's door. Investigators tell

By |February 23rd, 2013|Categories: Articles, Autism, Developmental Disabilities, General|Tags: , , , |0 Comments

The Arc Responds to the Death of Maryland Man with Down syndrome

This is a moment for us not only to mourn, but we must also learn from this tragedy and encourage proper training in our police departments. The Arc is deeply saddened and shocked by the death of Robert Ethan Saylor, a young man with Down syndrome whose

Neurodiversity IS the Next Civil Rights Movement

"When we talk about inclusion what we're talking about is diversity." Audra Zucherman, co-founder, The IDEAL School .The IDEAL School practices full inclusion while nurturing their students abilities to create real change in the world through compassion and self- empowerment.

Family wants answers in son with special needs death

A lawyer for the family of a 26-year-old man with Down syndrome who died while being escorted from a movie theater by security guards says the grieving family is looking for answers after the death was ruled a homicide. Robert Ethan Saylor died Jan. 12 a

Love is in the Air – Media Profiles People with Disabilities

Bill’s and Shelley’s path to marriage is not unlike many others who fall in love, lose touch as life takes its turns, and reconnect later in life when the time is right.

The Arc Applauds Social Security Administration’s Ending the Use of…

Changing how we talk about people with disabilities is a critical step in promoting and protecting their basic civil and human rights. In an historic change for people with intellectual disabilities (ID), the Social Security Administration (SSA) announce

Get Schooled: Jack Black Rocks “Sensitive”

AUTISM IS AWESOMISM . LOVE this video performed by the incredible Wyatt Isaacs (Autism the Musical), Jack Black, Stephen Stills from the Miracle Project Benefit.

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Association on University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD)

The Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD)  is an incredible resource. The Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) is a  membership organization that supports and promotes a national network of university-based interdisciplinary programs. The AUCD network includes: 67 University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD), funded by the Administration on Intellectual Developmental Disabilities (AIDD) 52 Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (LEND) Programs funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) 15 Developmental Disability Research Centers (IDDRC), most of which are funded by the National Institute for Child Health and Development (NICHD) AUCD Program Locations and Network

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World Down Syndrome Day March 21!

Down Syndrome International presents the Global Video Event "LET US IN - I WANT TO LEARN!" in partnership with 68 countries for World Down Syndrome Day 2012.

Certain Proof – A Question of Worth

Certain Proof: A Question of Worth is a feature documentary about three children living with significant communication and physical disabilities, who struggle against the public schools in an emotional battle to prove their worth.

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