Birthday parties, Pinatas, and Expectations

I’m not sure if I’m making a big deal about something insignificant, but my gut says this is important – that it’s a “minor” illustration of an important thought process my autistic son has, and that I need to help him work through to navigate through these situations in the future.

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No You Don’t

If 1 in 88 did NOT have autism

If 1 in 88 did NOT have autism

by stuartduncan.name (Autism from a Father’s Point of View)

Shifted perspective – alternate reality. Things that make you go Hmmmmm : )

Windows

I’m not entirely sure how I found it. Possibly it was through the Autism Speaks website, as that was my first encounter with advocacy as a parent of an autistic child. I’ve only been in the autism “mix” for a couple of years and Autism Speaks has been shifting from a cure focus to an awareness focus (this wasn’t always the case). That’s how I found “A Diary of a Mom” (DOAM). DOAM is a wonderful blog, written by a mom of 2 girls – one autistic and one NT. I read the entire 5 years in two weeks and it was a game changer for me.

How (not) to ask me questions.

How (not) to ask me questions.

– by ballastexistenz.wordpress.com

A vivid illustration of communication, receptive language, and the challenges of language processing with Autism.

It’s all about the language

I posted recently about words and communication. As I mentioned in that post, words aren’t necessarily the “first language” for many autistic people, and can be difficult to deal with – especially the nuanced, colorful language most NT’s use. Within a few days, I came across another post, and several comments around the issue of non-SPECIFICITY of language 

Adventures with the literal mind :)

We’re not cubs, we’re people!”

DS, age 6-1/2, at story time. The adult preparing to read them the book “Little Cub”had referred to the children waiting to hear as “cubs”. LOL!

Words aren’t everything

I’m thinking about words, about words and thinking, about words and how they shape how we think.  A surprising thing you find out when you have an autistic child is that communication is more complex than you ever imagined. Communication goes beyond mere words – how you communicate shapes the world and how you interact with it.

the mama gut

A very powerful post about respect: respecting yourself enough to listen to your gut, especially where your child is concerned; respecting your child enough to understand that behavior is communication, and that they have feelings, opinions, needs that need to be acknowledged and acted upon.

Connecting with Community

When I first received my son’s diagnosis, I wasn’t aware of a lot of support. The school district was very helpful, thank goodness. And his symptoms are not very apparent at home. I didn’t think I needed the community. But once we hit school age, that changed. I felt a bit adrift. What do I need to do for him? What kind of supports are out there? Has anyone else dealt with this before? What if I miss something?