Parents, Are You Listening To Your Child?
As a non-speaking Autistic, I pay special attention to comments and statements made by parents of other non-speaking Autistics, especially children. Many times I see parents lamenting that they will never listen to their Autistic child say "I love you", or how much they long to hear those words.
Normalcy is an Ableist Concept
by Amy Sequenzia Ableism: we know it is everywhere and we know it is the reason why disabled people fight the normative society that chooses to make us invisible. The idea that we should try to fit a pre-determined, arbitrary way of doing things excludes disabled people by default. We are often ignored, many times abused, used as props for inspiration porn, and generally left out - unless we change how we do things, unless non-disabled people feel at least a little comfortable in our presence. Despite laws and general common sense, any accommodations necessary to make a little
Surviving Inclusion: At The Intersection of Minority, Disability and Resegregation
Kerima Çevik on Surviving Inclusion: At The Intersection of Minority, Disability and Resegregation “I see the work of inclusion as probably the last frontier of desegregation. If you read the brief from Brown v Board of Ed, The board of education argued that if we let the blacks be integrated then the next thing you know is that we’ll be letting people with disabilities be integrated.” Joe Petner, Principal, The Haggerty School, Including Samuel NAACP picketing St. Louis schools circa 1950s. Photo credit AARP In October of 2008, we discovered that our son, who was transferred into a full special education
On Surviving Inclusion
On Surviving Inclusion by Kerima Cevik Three young Black soldiers, bubbling over with the news that the Civil Rights act was just signed into law, and ready to demand a front door entrance and equal treatment everywhere rushed around places where people of color were formerly unseen and unheard. Image is of the first page of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Credit National Archives. I cannot impart on you what this moment in time meant to them. Imagine being told all your life that you were less than others. Imagine approaching your local supermarket
The Reason I Blog
This blog (The Autism Wars), and all the other blogs and projects associated with it, are for my autistic son, Mustafa. But this blog is actually not talking about him without him or about daily life with him with some rare exceptions for times when his daily displays of empathy, kindness, and love towards me move me to write. When I say it is for my son, I mean it is part of my activism and my exploration of what it means to try and ally myself to his cause. This cause is something that too many of us are aware of
Autism, Growing Up and Defining Friends
As an autistic, I have difficulties in the social arena in a multitude of ways. This was especially true during my growing up years. Even today as an adult, automatic social understanding is not my strong suit. I am, however, able to continually learn new things that enable me to do and be all I want in this world. Today, in my professional work I am able to provide some input to a variety of organizations and schools in regards to individuals with an autism label. One thing I consistently see regardless of where I go is the practice of
The Benefits of Real Food
Guest post from Chasing the Spring's Dani Johnson on the life changing benefits of a blenderized diet made for her daughter. We were drawn to the great recipes Dani shares as well as her experience of learning from adult g-tube users.
Autism, Airports and Lifelong Learning
For most of my life airports have befuddled me. It didn’t so much matter earlier in my life because the only time I used an airport was to go to visit my parents in another state. Back then, before we had the heightened security of today, people were allowed to meet passengers as they stepped off the plane which allowed me to simply follow them through the airport without needing to concern myself with the confusion all around me. In My 40’s Then, airport security changed. People picking up passengers could no longer go through the security checkpoint. I
Autism and Psychiatric Diagnoses
At different times during my growing up and even during my adult years autism wasn’t something people knew much about. I often came in front of mental health professionals. It is important to know that if you go to a mental health professional or take your child to a mental health professional in all probability you will walk out with a diagnosis of a mental condition as found in the DSM-5 – otherwise known as the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders In my adult life I obtained a master’s degree in social work. I did clinical work
@sesameworkshop This Autistic Wants to Say
Today we #EducateSesame and ask Sesame Workshop to listen to Autistics, to respond to our concerns and to end their partnership with Autism Speaks.
Is Autism a Disability or a Difference?
So many ideas in the larger autism community often become a debate. As an autistic this black-or-white, choose-your-side sort of thinking is very neurologically friendly to me. I like clear choices. But I also believe we are often unwittingly duped into believing we need to choose a side only because the idea is presented as a dichotomous choice. “Is autism a disability or a difference?” is one of these questions posed as a dichotomous choice in the autism community. The way the question is posed gives the impression that there is one correct answer. When Autism is a “Difference” Many
Autistic Pride
I am proud of being Autistic And of my Autistic friends I am proud of young Autistics Who have Autistic pride They amaze me I am proud of young Autistics Who are discovering themselves They are learning to understand the world Through creative Autistic eyes They make me smile Young Autistics showering us with love Bonding, sharing, exploring and laughing With words, gestures and looks Their Autistic selves leading the way They lead their own way Henry stands up for his right to be We follow his lead and stand with him He teaches the meaning of never giving up
The Importance of Opportunity
Dillan Barmache, a 14 year old autistic student, delivers his powerful 8th grade commencement speech using his iPad and brings the crowd to their feet.
Losing an Autism Diagnosis
I am an almost 60-year-old autistic woman who can navigate the world in a way that surprises some people when they find out I have autism. My teen years were spent in an institution because people did not know what to do with my “behaviors” or with me. Today I am a self-employed author, speaker, consultant and artist with a master’s degree in Social Work. Question: Did I lose my autism diagnosis? Official Answer: Yes and No No, an Autism Diagnosis Cannot Be “Lost” Technically, once a person is diagnosed with anything that diagnosis becomes part of their medical records.
Henry
Some call him a kid Others say he is a young man But whatever you call him You need to know this: He is courageous Brave and resilient He will fight and he will win It can be a fight for his rights When enemies come disguised as condescension It can be a fight for his dreams He will mobilize an army of friends To Stand With Him He is an example to many He showed other students the possibilities Henry does not fight for himself He is changing perceptions, changing the world Henry is a leader
Cry Me a River, Katrina Percy. Justice for LB!
I originally wrote this piece for the blog 107daysofaction.wordpress.com. I asked for permission to reprint it to help raise awareness on this side of the Atlantic about the story. If you'd like to get involved with Justice for LB and 107 Days of Action, please click here. I've recently been made aware of the story of the death of a young autistic man in the UK that's not getting any press that I'm aware of in the U.S. or Canada. I'd like to tell you Connor Sparrowhawk's story. Connor Sparrowhawk, known as "Laughing Boy" or "LB" to his friends and
Skunk Hair, Autism and Social Understanding
There is a saying, “love makes the world go round,” but for real it is NOT love. Instead, it is hidden curriculum that makes the world go round! Hidden curriculum is all that social information that most people know even though they were never actually taught it. An example is the rule “don’t pick your nose” with the hidden curriculum being it is perfectly fine to pick your nose as long as nobody sees you doing it. Many people with autism have difficulty with hidden curriculum. Their brains are not wired to allow them to automatically pick up this untaught,
SWIFT on NPR’s “All Things Considered”
by Dr. Mary Schuh: SWIFT Center Recently, National Public Radio’s (NPR) “All Things Considered” aired a story on inclusive education. The story featured Presidio Middle School in San Francisco and SWIFT Filmmaker, Dan Habib. While Presidio Middle School should be applauded for their efforts to educate students with and without disabilities, what was portrayed by NPR would by no means be considered an inclusive school. Students with disabilities placed in a separate basement class learning functional “survival” skills does not make for an inclusive experience. How can students with disabilities learn important “survival skills” such as communication, literacy, following typical
Inclusion – How it Works Best for This Autistic
As an autistic, I sometimes feel boxed in by the best practice strategy of inclusion. Please don’t get me wrong – inclusive education is a very good thing! Historically, people with disabilities were not given access to public education. Then, over time, laws changed. Today we have special ed classrooms in our schools and the progressive schools practice inclusion. Today’s Inclusive Education Inclusion means that all the students get to learn in the general ed environment. Instruction is differentiated while physical, sensory, emotional and every other need of each student is taken into consideration so that all students learn together,
Dan Habib: Disabling Segregation
Dan Habib's Tedx Talk on the importance of inclusion, belonging and disabling segregation. Habib is the creator of the award winning documentaries, Including Samuel, Who Cares About Kelsey, Restraint and Seclusion: Hear Our Stories, Thalia and other disability related subjects . Check out Dan's Tedx Talk on the benefits of inclusive education for students with and without disabilities. Picture yourself back in your grade school classroom. I don't care if it's elementary school, middle school, high school. Just put yourself back there for a second. Look around the classroom. Do you see any kids with and without disabilities studying together
