Shelter in Place
One Autism Mom's Notes
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4y ago
As COVID-19 has recently become a global pandemic, people around the world have faced fear and uncertainty as well as a loss of freedom because sheltering in place has become necessary to stop the spread of the virus. Although the concept of staying home is daunting for many, I have had to shelter in place before and can assure those who are experiencing this for the first time that one can be content while homebound. As the Apostle Paul states in Philippians 4:11, “…for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” When I was pregnant with Alex, I was diagnosed with a rare auto ..read more
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Seek and Find
One Autism Mom's Notes
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4y ago
In last week’s blog entry, I wrote about the need for sameness in autism and the problems that can arise when certain comfort items are no longer available. Thanks to the thoughtfulness of an autism dad, The Little Blue Cup Project emerged, allowing parents to connect with others and track down rare items their children need. The online article I cited from Vox[To read this article, please click here.] also described problems that occur when certain foods are taken off the market. Since many people with autism can be picky eaters due to sensory issues and/or have food allergies and sensitivit ..read more
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Comfort Objects
One Autism Mom's Notes
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4y ago
In their early years, many children develop a fond attachment to certain objects that bring them comfort. For me, a small pink blanket I draped over my toddler shoulders served as my security blanket, much like the Peanuts’ cartoon character Linus. My mother tells of how I stood by the washer and dryer waiting for that beloved pink blanket’s return during necessary laundry sessions. Most appealing about this blanket was the satin binding around the edges that I fingered as I sucked my thumb. In fact, I so associated the two calming sensory activities that when I decided to stop my thumb-sucki ..read more
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The Autism CARES Act
One Autism Mom's Notes
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4y ago
Last Monday, on September 30, 2019, President Donald Trump signed the Autism CARES Act into law. As Natasha Anderson from Cleveland’s Fox 8 News reports in an online article titled, “President Trump signs ‘Autism CARES Act’ providing $1.8B in funding for programs,” this law offers 1.8 billion dollars over five years for autism programs. [To read this article, please click here.] Specifically, three government agencies––the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health, and the Health Resources and Services Administration––will use these funds toward autism rese ..read more
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"To Protect and Serve"
One Autism Mom's Notes
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4y ago
Last month, two Northwest Indiana police departments announced initiatives to aid people with autism and their families. While these programs seem rather simple, the potential benefits could be significant in emergency situations. Moreover, these agencies demonstrated their caring and commitment to some of the most vulnerable citizens in their communities, which is certainly impressive and commendable. On August 28, 2019, the Starke County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page posted an offer of free bumper stickers to families affected by autism or Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. Sheriff Bill Dula ..read more
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Breaks and Breakthroughs
One Autism Mom's Notes
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4y ago
Like many students with autism, Alex has a laminated card that reads, “I need a break” his therapist gave him a few years ago. These visual aids communicate an important need for those who have limited verbal skills or for those who simply may be too upset to speak. In addition, knowing that break time is available may also relieve stress. Considering how difficult communication, social interaction, and motor tasks can be for people with autism, certainly they need to know that taking a break is always an option. Over time, as Alex has mastered skills and learned how to cope with stress bette ..read more
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Most Annoying Award
One Autism Mom's Notes
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5y ago
Last week, an article from my local newspaper, The Times of Northwest Indiana, received national attention: “Teacher mocks autistic student with ‘most annoying’ award, parent complains.” In this news report and two follow-up articles, education reporter Carley Lanich describes how a fifth grade student with nonverbal autism received a trophy inscribed with “Bailey Preparatory Academy 2018-2019 Most Annoying Male,” and she details the school district’s response to the teachers’ involvement in this unprofessional and unkind act. [To read “Teacher says she’s a scapegoat after student with autism ..read more
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Pleasant Plateau
One Autism Mom's Notes
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5y ago
For the past few weeks, every evening after Alex goes to bed, Ed will remark in a questioning way, “He’s been good all day?” When I nod and answer in the affirmative, Ed will say, “Knock wood, he’s doing really well,” and we will both rap our knuckles on the nearest wooden table. Knowing that I really shouldn’t buy into this superstitious ritual and should give proper credit, I add, “Praise God!” Because Alex’s progress has not been a linear path as we have seen setbacks along the way, we fear speaking about the good could somehow make him regress. When he is dealing with anxiety that causes h ..read more
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Connections Between the Brain and Heart in Autism
One Autism Mom's Notes
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5y ago
Recently, two interesting research summary articles published online at Spectrum indicate that children and adults with autism display characteristic differences in heart rates, suggesting the autonomic nervous systems of their brains also function differently. In “Nerves that control heart rate may contribute to autism,” published February 19, 2019, Nicholette Zeliadt describes contrasts between heart rate changes in typical children and those with autism. [To read this article, please click here.] Referencing “Developmental trajectories of autonomic functioning in autism from birth to early ..read more
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Bears and Blanket
One Autism Mom's Notes
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5y ago
Before Alex was born in December 1991, I made two teddy bears for him. After seeing how tiny he was as a newborn, I was worried that those bears intended to comfort him might scare him instead with their big eyes and slightly creepy smiles. Nonetheless, he seemed to like them, smiling back at them as he grew older. Once he was bigger, he wanted those teddy bears, whom he designated in his practical way as “Red Bear” and “Blue Bear” for the color of the bows around their necks, beside him in his bed every night. When I would check on sleeping Alex, I would find Red Bear and Blue Bear ever vigil ..read more
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