Communicating with the autistic

I received this E-newsletter and found it quite interesting...

Hello again Joanne

I hope you are well and ready for the next autism newsletter.

Today's newsletter covers some of the simple ways to communicate with someone with autism.

Communication is often more difficult for people with autism.
Autistic people tend to take things very literally.

They are not good with sayings, double meanings or jokes in speech.

When you are speaking to someone with autism you must try and avoid such figures of speech. Phrases such as "apple of your eye" will cause confusion as they will be taken literally.

It is important to speak slowly and clearly telling them what you want or what they should do. Never use sarcasm or long winded explanations as you will lose their attention and understanding.

I hope you found this tip useful.

In the next newsletter I will be talking about some of the specific dietary needs of someone with autism.

Until next time.

Rachel

http://www.essential-guide-to-autism.com/autism.html

Rachel Evans
Sandown House, High Street, Esher, Surrey, UNITED KINGDOM

I enjoy these messages that come to my Inbox related to autism. They sometimes provide me with insights, other times with reminders of what it is like to live with someone with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (as I do). This time, I wanted to take time to comment on the importance of paying attention to what we say when dealing with those with this group of disorders.

I find what Rachel says to be very true. Any time I am not literal with my daughter, she flounders, argues or simply does not respond. Often I ask if she understands what I say, and get a blank stare and "I understand". This can be disconcerting, especially when it appears that she doesn't really get what I am saying to her. Explanations repeated over and over seem to be the norm in our house.

Those with autism really do have trouble understanding spoken language, however we intend what we say to be taken. While we don't have to speak as we probably would to a foreign visitor with limited English speaking skills, it is important to spend time thinking through what we want to convey to the autistic person. My daughter is very high-functioning, with PDD. Still she needs simple explanations in short sentences. When I am stressed and go on a verbal tirade over her not completely listing her homework assignments in her planner, or getting her to stop focusing on a book (not necessarily reading it, just staring at the cover) or the TV and clean her room, I know I lose her attention after the first sentence, and need to bring her back and slow down. (This often serves the dual purpose of helping her to get the point and calming me down as well.)

I continue to read these newsletters and recommend you do as well. Checking our own actions in dealing with those around us with autism can ease the stress of the situation and help both of us to grow! It also reminds us that we are not alone in our situation. Often we get bogged down in our own situation, feeling that no one else out there knows what we are dealing with, but there are those who do and can, at least in part, explain it to us.

Articles that do not support vaccines' involvement in autism

In my research today, I found an interesting post, which relates a number of studies, some of which I was aware, that do NOT support the involvement of vaccines in the causes of autism. My daughter was born in the 1990s, where vaccines containing thimerosal were routinely given, and I have never felt that the procedure caused her autistic characteristics. I have spoken with a number of individuals over the years since her diagnosis, and I tend to side with the possibility of a genetic trait, as yet undiscovered, being at least partly to blame. To say that there is one single autism gene would be wrong. So many of our thousands of genes interact together to create each individual that saying that a single gene is to blame would be a disservice. Nevertheless, I believe that the "correct" combination of genes could be involved. The real key of research should be to determine specifically what in a person's neurological makeup creates an autistic individual. There are so many individual forms and levels of the disorder that putting blame on any one cause seems unlikely. However, until we really understand the neurological "short circuits" that equal autism, it seems to me that we will not be able to accurately determine a cause.

That said, I realize that many out there would disagree with me, saying that we need to prevent autism from occurring in the future. That is the goal of many of these individuals. While I realize that those of us dealing with the autistic individual on a daily basis may want an answer to the question "Why?" on occasion, I believe some of us truly do a disservice to the person with autism when we focus only on that. Autism is a difference that can also be looked at as a gift. Sure, my daughter may be difficult to handle in a classroom. But can't all children be the same way from time to time? (Remember, I am a teacher in an Alternative High School as well!) The differences in these individuals have not only presented the challenges faced by their families, but they have also presented the world with Albert Einstein (whom it is believed had Aspergers Syndrome). We need to remember that when we seek answers to the question "Why?" This is often the question our autistic relatives struggle with more than any. And yet, we expect to get an instant answer to it. Maybe we should focus on another WH question, and maybe it will lead us to the "Why" answer. Let's learn "What" in more detail, then getting "How" figured out can tell us "Why". In research there are always questions. In the meantime, let's enjoy the uniqueness of those with the "gift" of autism. Their unique perspectives can sometimes find answers we overlook. Theirs is a world that may always have a bit of the simplicity ours lacks. We seek answers that to them seem irrelevant. I do not forget that my daughter has PDD-NOS, but I celebrate the unique points of view that her "disorder" provides.

Can your autistic child understand his or her differences?

Autism Asperger Pub Co - The Incredible 5-Point Scale: Assisting Students With Autism Spectrum Disorders In Understanding Social Interactions And Controlling Their Emotional Responses

My daughter, Darbie, is 12 years old and was diagnosed with PDD-NOS when she was eight. She has an understanding of her uniqueness that she is able to express quite well. It was thanks to this publication, which was used by her social worker when she was 10 during her fifth grade year of school. High-level or not, our autistic children have a right to know why they are "different" from their peers. Completed with the assistance of professionals and families, this resource enables the child to understand what makes it difficult for him or her to "fit in." The cost is reasonable and well worth it. Check it out today!

Where can we find answers about Autism?

When the social worker in my daughter's Special Education (Communications Handicap) Kindergarten class first suggested she had Aspergers Syndrome, I was confused. What was this syndrome? I'd never heard of it, so I asked her teacher about it. She said my daughter didn't seem to fit the profile for Aspergers, but she didn't give me a clear explanation of what it was. Nevertheless, I tried to learn more about it, and found myself researching the world of the Autism Spectrum Disorders. Since we did not have an explanation for what was happening with Darbie (my daughter), the initial information I found seemed to be a reasonable explanation, but there were differences between Darbie's behaviors and the descriptions of Aspergers available. Most of the information was written by psychologists for other psychologists and developmental pediatricians, of which I am neither. Many of my questions were left unanswered and it was not until three years later that they began to be answered. Darbie was finally diagnosed as PDD-NOS partway through her third grade year. The developmental psychologist who provided the diagnosis was quite good about her explanation. Regardless, I was still left with many questions, such as where my husband and I should go from there? Few non-professional resources were available for those with high-level functioning PDD out there.

Autism was once defined as a single disorder. Today there are a number of disorders recognized as being part of the Autism Spectrum. These include Aspergers and PDD-NOS (Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified). What is autism? How do we identify autism? What are the treatment options available? How do we live with someone diagnosed as autistic? These are among the many challenges faced when we realize that something is "not quite right" with our child- only to find that he or she is autistic. Excellent books on the subject written for the non-professional are often difficult to locate. One that I have found is called The Essential Guide to Autism. Written for the person dealing with an autistic loved-one in mind, this book provides answers to the many questions we have when the diagnosis comes to us. Click Here for a copy of this resource book! The bonuses that come with it are also wonderful!

Welcome to Autism At All Levels

Welcome! I am the parent of a twelve-year-old daughter with PDD-NOS, an autism-spectrum disorder. While she is high-functioning, and often acts like a typical twelve-year-old (if anyone of this age can be considered "typical"!), she still has special needs and requires special behavior management techniques to improve her growth. I created this site to provide support, resources and a place to share experiences for those dealing with this group of disorders, whether low- or high-functioning. I welcome comments from others and hope you are willing to share your experiences!