A few days ago I made a post challenging everyone to reconsider the assumptions they make about autistic people who are non-verbal; challenged the relevance of "high-functioning" and the existence of "low-functioning" as labels for individuals with autism. If my words, and those of Amy Sequenzia did not convince you to think differently about those labels, watch this video about Carly and read her blog.
Is there someone you need to think differently about?
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Friday, January 13, 2012
Top Ten Autism Reseach Achievements of 2011
The young but burgeoning field of autism research continued its exponential rate of discovery in 2011—fueled in no small part by the joint commitment by government health agencies and private organizations to support this vital work. Autism Speak's Top Ten Autism Research Achievements of the year include game-changing discoveries in how frequently autism recurs in families and the extent to which “environmental,” or non-genetic, influences increase the risk of autism in those who are genetically predisposed to this developmental disorder.
Autism research also went global as never before in 2011, beginning with a study in South Korea that used community screening to discover a far higher prevalence of autism—1 in 38 schoolchildren — than standard surveys of medical records would have revealed. Meanwhile, the increased pace of genetic discoveries moved autism research into the realm of translational research—with basic science advancing to a level that makes rational drug design possible. Research also delivered immediate benefits with evidence that adequate folic acid around the time of conception may lower autism risk and the validation of a method for screening at one year that may enable earlier intervention to improve children’s outcomes.
Autism research also went global as never before in 2011, beginning with a study in South Korea that used community screening to discover a far higher prevalence of autism—1 in 38 schoolchildren — than standard surveys of medical records would have revealed. Meanwhile, the increased pace of genetic discoveries moved autism research into the realm of translational research—with basic science advancing to a level that makes rational drug design possible. Research also delivered immediate benefits with evidence that adequate folic acid around the time of conception may lower autism risk and the validation of a method for screening at one year that may enable earlier intervention to improve children’s outcomes.
Blinking May Yield Clues About Autism
There is a ton of research happening in the field of autism - interesting times indeed! Here's a research article that I came across over break. In this study, researchers examined the differences between toddlers with and without autism and when they blink their eyes. For typical children, the rate of blinking decreased more when watching emotional interactions vs physical movements. The pattern was reversed among children with autism.
Take a look at the findings of this study that give researchers a new tool for understanding how children with autism look at, engage with, and learn form what they see. There are potential implications for the development of more objective diagnostic tools. Results also suggest that therapy for young children with autism should focus on helping students become more emotionally engaged with their social world.
Take a look at the findings of this study that give researchers a new tool for understanding how children with autism look at, engage with, and learn form what they see. There are potential implications for the development of more objective diagnostic tools. Results also suggest that therapy for young children with autism should focus on helping students become more emotionally engaged with their social world.
Low functioning? Really? How do you know?
Within the autism community there are some who choose to refer to individuals with autism as being "high-functioning" or "low-functioning". I personally have never been fond of either of these labels, but in particular object to the use of the term "low functioning". Even if one chooses only to use the term "high-functioning autism", by association, the term low-functioning is implied as being present and relevant for some individuals. My opposition to the term "low-functioning" is that the term is almost always been used to describe students who are non-verbal and have no conventional strategies for demonstrating what in fact they understand.
A dear friend and one of the most important professional mentors with whom I have worked, Anne Donnellan, always told us "the absence of evidence is not evidence of absence". Too often professionals make assumptions about individuals based on this persons inability to tell us what they understand. In this same vein, Amy Sequenzia’s Non–speaking, “low-functioning article explores this in more detail and provides good food for thought and reminders for us to be mindful about the assumptions we make about all individuals with autism, particularly those who are non-verbal.
"The criteria of the least dangerous assumption" -- another GREAT quote from Anne Donnellan, tells us that when we must make assumptions about individuals, we must make assumptions that empower and support individuals as opposed to those that limit and impede their possibilities.
What assumptions have you made and are you making about individuals with autism. Are you seeing them as "low functioning" based on what they can't conventionally tell or show you? Or are you presuming competence. I hope the latter.
A dear friend and one of the most important professional mentors with whom I have worked, Anne Donnellan, always told us "the absence of evidence is not evidence of absence". Too often professionals make assumptions about individuals based on this persons inability to tell us what they understand. In this same vein, Amy Sequenzia’s Non–speaking, “low-functioning article explores this in more detail and provides good food for thought and reminders for us to be mindful about the assumptions we make about all individuals with autism, particularly those who are non-verbal.
"The criteria of the least dangerous assumption" -- another GREAT quote from Anne Donnellan, tells us that when we must make assumptions about individuals, we must make assumptions that empower and support individuals as opposed to those that limit and impede their possibilities.
What assumptions have you made and are you making about individuals with autism. Are you seeing them as "low functioning" based on what they can't conventionally tell or show you? Or are you presuming competence. I hope the latter.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Thinking Person's Guide to Autism
The Thinking Person's Guide to Autism (website & book) helps people with autism & their families make sense of the bewildering array of available autism treatments & options, & determine which are worth their time, money, & energy. The book, which evolved through information posted on the website, covers a wide range of nuts-and-bolts subjects, from strategizing toilet training and planning fun family outings to helping helping students cope with bullying. This book serves as a good resource for anyone involved in supporting students with autism. It provides helpful, positive, pragmatic, and evidence-based practices that parents and educators both will value and appreciate.
The autism team will have copies of this book in our lending library within the next couple of weeks. Let us know if you want to borrow a copy for a few weeks to review prior to purchasing your own copy. In the meantime, go to the Thinking Person's Guide to Autism Facebook page and/or blog and check out these valuable and useful resources.
The autism team will have copies of this book in our lending library within the next couple of weeks. Let us know if you want to borrow a copy for a few weeks to review prior to purchasing your own copy. In the meantime, go to the Thinking Person's Guide to Autism Facebook page and/or blog and check out these valuable and useful resources.
Sensory Integration Tools for Meltdown Management
Happy New Year everyone! I came across this blog entry over the winter break and wanted to share it with you. It's from the Friendship Circle Blog which provides special needs resources for parents and educators. In this entry, Karen does a great job of providing some practical tools and strategies that can be utilized to work through and divert sensory meltdowns. I particularly liked her ideas about Sensory Integration Toolkits, she offers toolkit ideas for when away from home, at home, and at playdates and in school. Lots of practical ideas and strategies here, check them out!
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