Book review: Anna Saldo-Burke’s Green Mittens Covered Her Ears — A Look at Autism

by Patricia Wright

I love it when people ask how I got interested in autism — it gives me a chance to talk about Shari! Shari has autism, and I provided respite care for her when I was in high school. That experience, and the relationship that developed between Shari and me as a result, was incredibly influential in my life.

Memories of Shari came flooding back to me when I read Anna Saldo-Burke’s Green Mittens Covered Her Ears — A Look at Autism.
The book is about a high school classmate who had autism, and it served to remind me how crossing paths with someone like Shari (or in Dr. Saldo-Burke’s case, Jessica) can have a profound influence on the choices we make in life. The author is a 27-year veteran teacher in both Special and Inclusive Education classrooms, and she sees the need to create awareness and provide understanding about others who are different.

Saldo-Burke’s short story has wonderful illustrations, and the book gives the reader a strong sense of what it is like to attend high school as a person with autism. It also gives the reader a look at what it’s like to attend high school with a person who has autism. The descriptions of Jessica’s challenges in navigating high school life as a person with autism are enlightening, but what I really appreciated in this book is the way the author describes how much Jessica meant to her. Their time on and off-campus together clearly influenced Dr. Saldo-Burke to go on to work in inclusive education.

Green Mittens is a great short read. It celebrates Jessica’s learning and success in high school and beyond, and it demonstrates how people with disabilities contribute to our society in so many ways.

PS: If you want to read more about Shari, the young woman who influenced my own life in so many ways, you can read a story her dad wrote about her for Fathers Network, a site providing information and resources for fathers, family members, and care providers of children with special needs.

Book review: Jacqueline Williams-Hines’ “The Adventures of Suther Joshua from Planet Yethican”

by Beth Finke

I am pleased to welcome Julie Smrha, Marketing Coordinator at Easter Seals Capper Foundation, as a guest blogger today. I have visited the Kidlink program in Topeka myself and know firsthand how delightful those preschool children are!
A story time book review
by Julie Smrha

Children from Kidlink’s Preschool & Childcare program here at Easter Seals Capper Foundation were in for a treat during story time. This week’s theme was nursery rhymes, and sandwiched between the timeless riddle about a ‘good ol’ egg’ (which suffered a disabling injury) named Humpty Dumpty, and a verse about Mabel Murple (who was, of course, fixated on the color purple) our guest reader Lou Stallard shared the story of Joshua.

In Jacqueline Williams-Hines’ book, The Adventures of Suther Joshua from Planet Yethican,
Joshua rides past his friends on a make-believe horse named Delta (in reality his bike). “Fasther Delta!” he shouts, then crashes to the ground. His friends rush to help him, but Joshua is already back up on his bike, proclaiming “I am Suther Joshua from Planet Yethican.” Joshua turns to his mom then, and gives her a thumbs-up.

Joshua’s friends ask his mom why Joshua calls his bike a horse. What was he saying, they wonder. Joshua’s mom quotes Joshua, explaining that he’d said, “My name is Super Joshua from Planet Yes-I-Can.” The planet is a safe, make-believe place that Joshua, who has autism, can go when life gets difficult. This is a life-learning experience for Joshua’s friends — they gain a new perspective and appreciation for Joshua.

Our Kidlink classroom is inclusive, serving children with and without disabilities. This book was a bit too advanced for the younger children (the Kidlink kids range from age two-and-a-half to six), but one of the older preschoolers loved the super-hero illustrations and checked it out of the library the day it was read.

Our Volunteer Director, Jeanette Waters, plans on using this book in her volunteer curriculum now. She thinks it’s a great read for students who volunteer in day camps for children with disabilities, especially children with autism. The book demonstrates that while kids with autism might be perceived differently, we need to do our best to look at life through their eyes.

Capitalizing on the strengths of people with autism

by Patricia Wright

Last week I blogged about my trip to China. This week, it’s Spain! I had the pleasure of delivering a presentation with my colleague Dr. Lori Geist at the International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication Conference last month. The conference meets every two years, and this year it happened to be in Barcelona.

Our presentation was about Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Autism. The presentation was well attended, and the topic proved to be fodder for some great discussion with some of the thought leaders in the field of autism.

The Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST) is one of my go-to sources regarding UDL. The three principles of UDL are described on the CAST web site like this:

• Multiple means of representation, to give diverse learners options for acquiring information and knowledge,
• Multiple means of action and expression, to provide learners options for demonstrating what they know,
• Multiple means of engagement, to tap into learners’ interests, offer appropriate challenges, and increase motivation.

These principles can be applied to learners with autism to ensure that they have the optimum instruction and the best outcomes.

In our presentation, Dr. Geist and I discussed a bit of the brain science as it relates to UDL and then moved on to how the UDL teaching philosophy can capitalize on the strengths of people with autism.

One example: the multiple means of expression. Many learners with autism would prefer watching a YouTube video to learn how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich over having someone give them the directions verbally. Tapping into a special interest of a person with autism is another great way to increase engagement. One student had a huge interest in labels on cans. Yuuki was a lot more interested in learning how to read if the writing was on the label of a can than if it was on a workbook!

Some people say UDL is just good teaching, and they are right. But UDL certainly gives me a framework of how to think about ensuring that learning is accessible to everyone in the classroom — including those with autism.

And did I mention that I got to talk about UDL in BARCELONA? This just made the topic all that more enjoyable! To help you get a true “flavor” of the city, I’ve included a couple of pictures that my friend and colleague Mira Shah took. She presented at the conference as well — but in addition to being a highly-skilled speech pathologist, she is also a very talented photographer.

Just the right touch: the iPad and autism

by Beth Finke

Ever since the iPad came out this year, a lot of people have asked if I’ve tried it. “It’s amazing!” they exclaim. “It’s so accessible, right out of the box!”

I’m blind, so I figured they were simply talking about VoiceOver, the built-in screen access program built in to every iPad. But hey, guess what? The iPad offers cool stuff for people with other disabilities, too. Take autism, for example: an article in last week’s San Francisco Weekly says the iPad is a “quiet revolution” for the autism community.

Since the iPad’s unveiling in April, autism experts and parents have brought it into countless homes and classrooms around the world. Developers have begun pumping out applications specifically designed for users with special needs, and initial studies are already measuring the effectiveness of the iPod Touch and the iPad as learning tools for children with autism. Through the devices, some of these children have been able to communicate their thoughts to adults for the first time. Others have learned life skills that had eluded them for years.

Other computers (and computer software) have been specifically designed for people with autism, but the article says some experts think the iPad is better.

It’s cheaper, faster, more versatile, more user-friendly, more portable, more engaging, and infinitely cooler for young people. “I just couldn’t imagine not introducing this to a parent of a child who has autism,” says Tammy Mastropietro, a speech pathologist based outside Boston who uses the technology with numerous clients. She sees it as a game changer for those with autism, particularly those most severely affected.

If any of our readers out there with autism have tried the iPad, we’d love to hear from you. I’ve tried the voiceover, and must say: it’s pretty cool!

Learning about autism in Nanjing, China

by Patricia Wright

It’s been about a month since I returned from working in Nanjing, China and I’m still digesting the incredible experience. The opportunity to engage in international work is always a privilege. I like to think that when I am invited to work in another country, the experience will include equal parts of my contributing expertise and my learning how another culture approaches service delivery for individuals with autism. I think I learned more than I contributed on this trip!

I was invited to work with staff members from the Five Project. The Five Project and its team members have been promoting autism awareness and professional skill development in China since 1992. The time in China included providing intensive professional development to the Sanxin training program, an educational program that serves young children with autism. The educators at Sanxin were keen to increase their skills in evidence-based practice in autism treatment.

I also got to spend time with the medical and educational professionals at the Brain Hospital in Nanjing to discuss diagnostic practices. In the mid-1980s, the Brain Hospital was the first place in China where autism was diagnosed. The Brain Hospital continues to be the primary diagnostic center for Nanjing, a city of almost 7 million people.

A community training for parents and care-providers at the China Disabled Persons resource center in Nanjing was also on the schedule. The combination of these activities really made for a rich experience.

One of my favorite activities was time spent with Zhan Ge, a young woman with autism who lives in Nanjing. I was fortunate to be invited to the home of Zhan Ge’s parents. They have known Helen McCabe (the Five Project’s Board President) for almost 20 years, and the opportunity to spend time with Zhan Ge and her family was really delightful.

Learning and contributing: probably the goal for all of my time engaged in work. Somehow the learning seems more obvious when I am working in a culture that is not familiar. I’m already looking forward to learning more on my next international adventure!

Book review: Paul Offit’s “Autism’s False Prophets”

by Lynn Sinnott

Follow the money. It’s a common thread in many mystery books. And so it goes with Dr. Paul Offit’s book Autism’s False Prophets, which details the history of how autism and immunizations have been linked, who benefited from that link and what motivated them to encourage the public to believe there was a link.

It also opens for scrutiny the science and facts that clearly dispel the belief that immunizations/mercury cause autism. The book exposes the manipulation of science and the purposeful misleading of parents, politicians, lawyers, and the press of these false theories and conjectures. Those who were misled spent millions of dollars to prove their theories and develop alternative therapies, wasting time and resources that could have been spent on finding and refining evidence-based treatments and even helping to find a cause.

Dr. Offit’s book is easy to read, what I would call a quick read. His writing is fully footnoted — 35 pages of them, so there is no question about where his information has been derived and what can be “backed up” by scientific facts. While reading the book it is almost unbelievable that the connection between autism and immunization could have gotten as out of control as it did. Understanding the money trail sheds a whole new light on why it happened. While reading the book and learning, again, my 8th grade science facts about the null hypothesis, it helped me understand why good, well known immunization and pediatric specialists were unable to address this proposed link in a way that would have clearly sent a message that autism is not caused by immunizations.

In the book we learn the financial benefits accrued to those who propagated the theory of a link between autism and immunizations and/or mercury. We also learn the truth about preservatives and how they work and the amounts and types actually in a dose of an immunization.

This book is worth reading, if for no other reason than to clearly understand the counter argument to the notion that “immunizations are the cause of autism.” This book also leaves readers better equipped to decide what the real causes of autism might be and to choose the correct treatments for a child with autism.

A message of hope from a social worker

by Jennifer Friesen

I am pleased to introduce Bridgette Andrade, a Social Worker here at Easter Seals North Texas, as a guest blogger today.

A message of hope
by Bridgette Andrade

As a social worker at Easter Seals North Texas (ESNT), I work with parents and families from both our Autism Treatment Program (ATP) and rehabilitative services. I meet with families daily to provide additional resources and support to assure their basic and emotional needs are met.

Parents raising children who have disabilities face ongoing challenges. I feel the parents are the critical link to their children’s progress and successes, and I encourage parents to speak about their challenges and stress. Supporting the parents’ needs empowers their strengths in parenting and abilities to face challenges.

A tragedy took place in one of the communities served by ESNT that greatly affected many of us. Zain and Faryaal Akhter of Irving, Texas were murdered by their own mother. A CBS News story reported what the mother said during the 911 call:

When the operator asked the woman why she attacked her children, she said, “They’re both not normal, not normal. They’re autistic. Both are autistic.” Pressed further, she said, “I don’t want my children to be like that … I want normal kids.”

While ESNT did not know or work with this family, this unfortunate story brought tears to my eyes and caused me to reflect about the wonderful children with autism and inspiring parents I have met working at ESNT. I thought about the mother of the murdered children and how she must have felt alone, hopeless, and desperate.

How could this devastating event be prevented? There is not a way to bring back the precious lives of Zain and Faryaal, but their story has moved many parents of children with autism and ESNT to speak out about hope. Hope can be found within the smiles, laughter, and successes parents see in their children. Hope can be found within educating ourselves and the community about autism and the resources available.

The number of children being diagnosed with autism is rising. The one consistent message Easter Seals hears from families — after the initial apprehension and anxiety of learning their child has autism — is an overwhelming concern about the life-long supports their child with autism may need to be independent. Our Living with Autism Study results revealed that parents raising children with autism are very concerned about the future independence of their children. Parents raising children with autism also expressed concerns related to their own well-being, marriage, and raising other typically developing children.

Let’s face it. Parents of children who have autism deal with more stress and challenges than parents raising typically developing children. Parents need support to find ways to cope and manage stress. If you are a parent of a child with autism, please know you are not alone. Services, support, and funding are available. Across the country, Easter Seals is the leading provider of services for people with autism today. An example: the Autism Treatment Program here at Easter Seals North Texas serves children with autism from ages 3 to 8 years of age. Our program is interdisciplinary and includes Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA). The program is funded with a grant through the Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services. Children come into our clinics in South Dallas and Carrollton eager to play with their therapists and other children.

Easter Seals is proud to continuously hear positive feedback from our parents in ATP. We have heard our families say, “Easter Seals North Texas has given me a sense of hope.” I personally feel privileged as a social worker at ESNT because I am able to share in the joys and successes working alongside the parents.

To read more about one mother’s heartening perspective that aligns hope and happiness, link to this story from CNN.

Remembering Dr. O. Ivar Lovaas

by Paula Pompa-Craven

I was so sorry to hear that Dr. O. Ivar Lovaas, a respected and revered pioneer in the treatment of autism spectrum disorders, died this week. Dr. Lovaas was 83 years old when he died from natural causes at a Los Angeles-area hospital, surrounded by his family. His son, Eric, will continue his father’s research and treatment, and The Lovaas Institute will continue helping people with autism around the world.

I started my training with Dr. Lovaas at UCLA’s Autism
Project while I was doing my undergraduate work. It was an incredible learning experience and really set the foundation for my work in the field.

Dr. Lovaas expanded on the use of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) which supports people with autism to develop tools and skills needed for day-to-day life. His work began in the 1960s and has helped thousands of people with autism across the globe. I am appreciative of the work of Dr. Lovaas and celebrate his contributions to the autism community.

Fraternal Order of Police and Easter Seals make a winning team

by Maurice Snell

The Fraternal Order of Police is a long-time contributor to the services at Easter Seals Metropolitan Chicago. On July 24, I participated in a Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) annual conference in Rock Island, Illinois to talk about the Therapeutic School and Center for Autism Research.

My presentation began with sharing to the FOP members my life story living with autism. I also talked about the importance of building Phase 2 of the school, which will be named the Fraternal Order of Police Therapy Pool and Gymnasium, because of the FOP’s charitable contributions to Easter Seals Metropolitan Chicago over the years.

The new gymnasium will have the amenities that will benefit individuals with autism. For example, it will consist of a therapy pool that would change temperatures to relax the muscles of each student. The fitness room will have a much bigger space for students and clients with a bench pressing station, weights and other equipment. It will also benefit those who are competing in Special Olympics.

The new project would take place during the 2010-11 fiscal year if the timing is right. I would like to thank FOP Easter Seals Committee Chairman Rocky Nowaczyk for inviting me to their conference. I would also like to thank all of the members of the Fraternal Order of Police for its continuous contributions to Easter Seals, and especially to Easter Seals Metropolitan Chicago. Together the Fraternal Order of Police and Easter Seals make a winning team!

CENTURY 21 photo-sharing campaign to benefit Easter Seals autism services

by Beth Finke

Have an inspiring photo of the cutest kid on earth and want to share it with the world? Here’s a way you can do that and help Easter Seals at the same time!

CENTURY 21 has just launched 21st Century Child: Picture the Future, a nationwide online photo-sharing campaign that will benefit Easter Seals autism services. Parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles can upload inspiring photos of kids (age 5 or under) and CENTURY 21 will make a $1 donation to Easter Seals for each entry submitted.

Participants can share their page with their social networks, encouraging others to Act for Autism with a donation to Easter Seals. Families that raise the most funds through their page can win educational prizes for their child.

Century 21 Real Estate LLC has been supporting Easter Seals for more than 30 years. In total, the CENTURY 21 System has raised more than $100 million on behalf of Easter Seals and the individuals with disabilities and their families that we serve. Log on to 21st Century Child: Picture the Future to participate. Your inspiring photo of the cutest kid on earth can do a world of good to raise money to help children with autism.