Dec 29 2015
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Asperger teens, Asperger's research, Aspies and families

First Year College and Asperger Kids: Emotional Preparation

Dr. Eell’s talk on resiliance seems to speak to how to deal with the negativity Asperger kids’ experience in everyday situations.

In this blog, I want to address the emotional transition from high school and college, an area which can fuel negativity in many students, not just those with Asperger’s.

In my book, Unforgiving, Memoir of An Asperger Teen, I mention in passing that my parents wanted me to go to college, but I couldn’t face it.  I felt so unprepared, I thought it would be a total waste of their money, and in our family, money was scarce.  However, in 1999, forty-five years after I left high school, I started that journey.  I was finally emotionally prepared.  And that’s what this survey studies: the emotional preparedness of first year college students.

An online survey of 1,502 U.S. first-year college students by Harris Poll between March 25 and April 17, 2015 found that new college students faced crucial challenges beyond academics.

Being emotionally prepared for college was found to be key to social and academic success.

Emotional readiness includes being able to care for oneself, the ability to adapt to the new environment, being able to handle negative emotions and/or behaviour, the ability to engage in relationships that are positive.  Students who were not prepared in these ways were generally found to have lower GPA’s.

Generally speaking, students felt that emotional preparation for college was needed in high school curriculums.

Researchers noted some indicators of students who feel emotionally unprepared.  Generally, students who indulged in regular consumption of alcohol and/or drugs, students who wanted to transfer out, and those who took a leave of absence after the first term were among those who felt emotionally unprepared.

These students felt extremely challenged by several situations.  These ranged from managing college expenses to keeping in touch with distant family and friends, making new friends and establishing independence.

Almost half of all the students thought that their fellows had figured out all these issues and were handling them well, which made the struggle feel worse.

Researchers found many students, including a high percentage of African Americans, are silent about these issues. Those who do reach out will often turn to friends or family members.

Students who regularly use drugs or alcohol are more likely to suffer anxiety, stress and feeling overwhelmed.  They tended also to say getting emotional support was difficult.

The researchers point out that the transitional phase between high school and college is a high stress point for kids, and therefore the danger of initial or increased drug abuse is a concern.

 Parents need to be especially “attentive and communicative” during this period.

Half of the surveyed students said they felt they needed more independent living skills. Parents and other influential adults can be significant in helping students develop confidence and independence.

An important resource for parents and students, and school administrators is now available at http://www.SettoGo.org.

About the Survey. Survey respondents were students 17-20 years old, graduated from high school, are in the second term of their first year at college, and attending at least some classes in-person at a 2- year or 4-year college. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables and subgroup sample sizes, visit http://www.SettoGo.org or email info@jedfoundation.org.

For more info please see: http://jedfoundation.org/press-room/press-releases/first-year-college-experience-release.

Hope this helps!

Yours truly,

Margaret Jean.

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Dec 04 2015
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writing on the Spectrum

Asperger’s Poetry!

Cameron

I think I’ll kill myself, he says, and start over.

He looks at me with world-weary eyes.
I despise the people who have made him feel so wrong.

He watches with interest as friends throng around his younger brother.
They hang out.  have fun.  He’s not sure just how that’s done.

Cameron doesn’t do his work, his teacher tells his mom.
He does the minimum, and when we ask for more, he refuses.
The fact is, in the classroom?  Your son does as he chooses.

His teachers want to increase his medication.
His Mom just wants him to get an education.

Did the teachers speak to Mrs. Einstein?
Madam, your son spends too much time gazing at outer space.
And when it comes to Mathematics, his work is a disgrace!

Or Leonardo’s Mom?
Mrs. da Vinci?  You’re Leo’s mom, right?  Well, he doodles all day.  Can’t keep his mind
On his work.  Draws ‘flying’ machines.  And (ahem) did you know he sketches nude men?

Or the mother of Microsoft:
Mrs. Gates, you’ll have to get a tutor to help Billy with his writing.
He’s fighting it. Says he’s going to build some computer: He will speak
and it will type.  You must get his mind off this tripe, Mrs. G.  Bring him
back to earth or he’ll never be worth anything.

I wonder what Mrs. G. might have had to say, how she and the other mothers
might have responded.  Cameron’s mom feels inadequate.  Anxious for her son.
Sometimes despondent.

He can’t pretend.  And anyway, it’s no use now.
Everyone knows he’s different somehow.
His mother tries to ease his pain.  His father’s gone.
Last week he promised to come round.  And didn’t.
Again.

Cameron has Asperger’s or PDD.  It’s a condition he lives with.
But Cameron has voiced what he perceives to be another choice:
I think I’ll kill myself, he said, and start this thing all over again.

He looks at me with world-weary eyes and I despise
the people who have made him feel this way
Because Cameron is my grandson and he’s
eight years old today.

M. J. Adam.

 

Nov 07 2015
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Asperger teens

Autism/Asperger’s Quiz Answers! Yay!!

  1. c) Autism was described by Dr. Hans Asperger in 1944.  Some sources say that a Russian doctor reported similar symptomology in 1926, but Asperger’s work is often recognized as the first definitive work on the subject.  Because he was Austrian and published only in the German language around the time of WWII his work was not immediately recognized.  In 1984 a Brit, Dr. Lorna Wing introduced the term “Asperger’s Syndrome” in a research paper.
  2. d) The syndrome was added to the DSM-IV in 1994.
  3. b) Dr. Hans Asperger.  His birthday, February 18th, has been designated Asperger’s Day in some areas.
  4. b) Today, experts tend to see Asperger’s children as outside the autism spectrum, since the DSM-V states that children with autism exhibit delayed speech and more severe symptoms.  Speech delay is sometimes seen is crucial for achieving access to funding for treatment under the autism spectrum umbrella.
  5. d) All of the above.
  6. True: Children with Asperger’s often have a fairly large vocabulary and talk a lot on one topic that interest them.  In fact, according to Wikipedia’s account of Dr. Asperger’s childhood, it seems he was one of us.  Apparently he loved the work of a particular poet and would often quote reams of poetry to uninterested companions.
  7. c) Flat aspect.  Frozen masks come from Disney Studios.
  8. c) Neurotypical:  This term is said to denote ‘normal’.  I’m okay with that.
  9. d) All of the above.
  10. For me, here in the lower mainland, these are the societies:  BC Autism Society; SOS BC Parent Driven Autism Services;  BC Families with Autism.  The links to these organizations are as follows:
    1. http://www.bcfamilieswithautism.ca/links_resources.html
    2. http://www.sosbc.org/our-programs/autism-services?gclid=CL36gNyS_8gCFchgfgod0BYJ8A
    3. https://www.autismbc.ca/

Hope you enjoyed the Quiz!

Yours truly

Margaret Jean.

 

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Oct 20 2015
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Autism Awareness, autism research, Autism Spectrum

Asperger’s Quiz: Autism and Asperger’s.

As you know from my book, Unforgiving, Memoir of an Asperger Teen, nothing was known about Asperger’s when I was born into my parent’s life.  I thought it would be interesting to see what you readers know about Asperger’s and Autism, now that there is a wealth of information out there on the net.  So here’s your quiz:

  1. Asperger’s Syndrome was first described in:  a) 1984     b) 1957    c) 1940.
  2. Asperger’s Disorder first appeared in the APA’s Diagnostic and Statisical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM IV) in what year?  a) 1984    b) 2003  c) 1994.
  3. The doctor who first described the symptoms was  a) Dr. Jonas Salk     b) Dr. Hans Asperger     c) Dr. Sigmund Freud.
  4. What differentiates Asperger’s from autism is currently thought to be:  a) Asperger’s is always accompanied by ADHD but autism isn’t    b) Autism exhibits delayed speech and more severe symptoms     c) Asperger’s kids never have OCD symptoms.
  5. Asperger syndrome kids may excel at memorizing but struggle with:  a) social skills     b) abstract concepts     c) understanding body language  d) all of the above.
  6. Children with Asperger’s often have a fairly large vocabulary and talk a lot on one topic that interest them.  True or False?
  7. Children with Asperger’s may have difficulty showing emotion or empathy.  This lack of facial response to events, conversations and people is often called a) facial paralysis    b) frozen mask     c) flat aspect.
  8. Children not on the Autism spectrum are referred to as: a) unlucky   b) outside the disorder   c) neurotypical.
  9. Facial recognition for children on the autism spectrum a) is difficult due to differences in neural development  b) hinders their ability to make and keep social contacts  c) all of the above.
  10. Can you name three Autism Societies currently operating in your area?

Except for number ten–which will vary depending on where you are, the answers will be posted next week.

Thanks for stopping by!

Margaret Jean.

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Oct 01 2015
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Aspies Socialization, Autism Spectrum, autism support BC, UNFORGIVING

Autism Society BC Workshop in Burnaby–How to Help Your Child Be Successful in School.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TSlti5bioQ%5B/embed

My Book, Unforgiving, Memoir of an Asperger Teen, talks about a time when kids and parents alike had no idea about Asperger’s and there were no support groups.  Fortunately, that is no longer true today.

]The following is a notice from the Autism Society of BC about an October 16th lower mainland Workshop that will give you ways to help your child get organized at school:

ASBC Burnaby Support Group Meeting – Fri Oct 16th 10-12‏

Do you know what  Executive Function is and how it affects our planning, organizing, attending to the right information at the right time, making decision accordingly, flexibility…?

We are pleased to have Michele Shilvock, Behavior Consultant, to present the following workshop in our October meeting.  All are welcome.

 Our upcoming ASBC Burnaby Support Group meeting details:

Date: October 16, 2015 (Friday)

Time: 10:00 am to 12:00 noon

Place: Studio, Suite #301 – 3701 East Hastings, Burnaby BC (North East corner on Hastings and Boundary)

Directions:  Walk from north side on Hastings from Boundary towards east, past a mail box and a bus stop, look towards the building (Enterprise Centre), walk up a few steps to see a long flight of stairs at your left, walk up the stairs from G/F directly to 3/F (if you see 2/F it’s the wrong staircase).  Suite #301 is at your left.

Topic: Executive Function Skills and how these play out in the school (elementary and high school)

Executive function plays a key role in all students learning and specifically looks to target skills that help one decide on what information to attend to, how to interpret the information and ultimately make decisions based on it.  They allow a learner to organize, plan out, sustain attention and assist with task completion both in their social and academic worlds.  The focus of this presentation is to offer attendees a greater understanding for the different components of executive function and how children on the autism spectrum may be impacted by deficits in one or more areas, both in the elementary and high school settings.  Further more, strategies for how to improve in these areas will be discussed in a general format both for implementation in the home and school settings.

Speaker: Michele Shilvock, Behaviour Consultant, BCBA

Michele is a board certified behaviour analyst who has been working in the field of autism for over 15 years and brings with her a wealth of knowledge and a passion for wanting to work with others. She is very dedicated to the training of individuals in the community through workshops and speaking engagements.  She has and continues to work closely with families and school teams to assist in the facilitation of team oriented working relationships. Michele works closely with children in the home and school settings and has a keen interest in the social, emotional and executive function of individuals on the autism spectrum.  Her focus ranges from working with infants and toddlers, to supporting skill development through the preschool years and into adolescents and teen years.

 Coffee/tea and refreshments will be provided.

Hope you all can make it!

Yours truly,

Margaret Jean.

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Sep 13 2015
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Adult Aspies and Social situations, Aspies in the Workplace., Aspies Socialization

Young Adult & Adult Aspies: Who Is In Charge of Your Life?

Who will navigate us successfully through life to success?  To achieve the goals we set for ourselves?

Dr. Phil as he is commonly known, says it has to be us.  Nobody else. And he has developed a set of what he calls “Life Laws” which he has used to help many of his clients find their way out of seemingly hopeless situations.

In his book, Life Strategies: Doing What Works, Doing What Matters, Dr. Phillip McGraw stresses that what is vital is “…understanding and controlling the cause-and-effect relationships of life; in other words, using your knowledge to make things happen the way you want them to.”

That we are responsible for learning the social strategies that will get us where we want to go, is probably, as Aspies, the last thing we want to hear.

But whether or not you are familiar with Dr. Phil’s non-nonsense TV Show style of therapy, I strongly suggest that every Aspie young adult and adult read this book at least once.

He goes on to state that “We live in a social world.”  This book explains why social skills are key to success and how to organize and manage your life in the direction of your own definition of success.

Perhaps the two most important aspects of this book, are 1) the insistence on one’s duty to self when it comes to learning social skills, and 2) the notion that we manage ourselves.

If you haven’t read this book, you might look at your current self-management strategies and ask yourself:

How’s that working out for you?

Yours truly,

Margaret Jean.

 

 

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Sep 06 2015
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ASD and Aspergers Resources, Asperger's diagnosis, DSM-5 and Services

ASD, Aspergers and PDD: Diagnostic Changes with DSM-5

With the publication of the DSM-5, parents of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) children may be wondering whether or not to submit their child to another diagnostic evaluation in the hope of qualifying for a more extensive range of resources under the new criteria.  Caution is recommended.

Generally speaking, evaluation for available services has been conducted in accordance with the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), although some agencies and districts may use a different criteria.

According to the DSM-4, diagnosing ASD included 3 designations: PDD or pervasive development disorder, high-functioning autism, and Asperger’s.  Asperger’s was generally used for fewer than six symptoms of autistic behaviour, high-functioning autism for six or more and PDD for any number of symptomatic behaviours that did not fit either pattern.

Then, in 2012 a study conducted by Dr. Catherine Lord indicated that while these three diagnoses varied widely, the symptoms among the children so diagnosed did not greatly vary.

What did vary to a great extent, however, were the services available based on the diagnosis.  For instance, a child diagnosed with high functioning autism would, in many regions, be entitled to a far greater range of services and resources than a child determined to have Asperger’s.

It was in an attempt to correct this situation that the DSM-5 abandoned Asperger’s as a designation and instead, diagnosed for high functioning autism as an umbrella category.

However, under the criteria of the DSM-5 a child must have at least two repetitive behaviours in order to qualify for a high functioning ASD diagnosis.  Repetive behaviours are not always present, and some professionals are finding that children are being eliminated from the spectrum on re-diagnosis.

It is important to note that the DSM-5 specifically states that individuals with a well-established DSM-4 diagnosis of autistic disorder, Asperger’s disorder or PDD not otherwise specified should be given the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. (p.51).  

Thus, it is possible that a child already established as having Asperger’s could still be slotted into the autism spectrum disorder even without repetitive behaviours as long as he is merely carried forward in the system and not re-evaluated.

These are important considerations to keep in mind if you are thinking of having your child re-diagnosed under the new DSM-5.

(This article is based on information from A Parent’s Guide to High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder; Ozonoff, Dawson, McPartland.  Please check with your physician or specialist regarding current DSM standards and issues it presents in terms of evaluation).

Hope you find this helpful!

Yours truly,

Margaret Jean.

 

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Aug 30 2015
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ASD and Aspergers Resources, Asperger's research, Aspies and families, Aspies parenting, Autism Spectrum

Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Parent’s Guide

I’ve come across a terrific book for parents of children on the autism spectrum, or kids with Aspergers.  I wish my parents had it when I was growing up!  But as you’ve undoubtedly read in my book Unforgiving, Memoir of An Asperger Teen, in those days no such guide existed.

Today’s parents have a huge advantage in raising children on the spectrum.  There are many resources available now, and one of them is this book whcih combines the expertise of three PhD’s, Ozonoff, Dawson and McPartland, A Parent’s Guide to High Functioning Autism Disorder–How to Meet the Challenge & Help Your Child Thrive is informative to say the very least.

Published in 2013, the book discusses research and developments including significant changes from the Diagnostic & Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV (DSM-4)  and the current diagnostic manual–DSM 5. The authors specifically address how these differences may relate to your child’s diagnosis.

The book is divided into two sections:  Understanding High Functioning Autism Syndrome Disorder (A.S.D.)which includes history and diagnostic and research approaches, and Living With High Functioning A.S.D.

Both sections contain significant information on the syndrome itself as well as its various implications on the life of a child and their family.

While the book is obviously directed at the lay person, I would not say it is light reading.  Wisely, the authors use anecdotes from recent case histories to illustrate the application of much of the information.  These anecdotes along with some more personal notes make the book very readable.

The reference section alone, 15 pages of book titles, CDs and Websites is worth the price of the book.

All in all, its a great resource and I heartily recommend it for reference purposes.  Look for it in the bookstore, or in your local library.

Yours truly,

Margaret Jean.

 

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Aug 25 2015
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Aspies intellectual life helps, Aspies Socialization, Autism Spectrum Living in a rich intellectual life

Autism Spectrum:  The Benefits of a Rich Internal Life

People who are different somehow are often subjected to unpleasant treatment.  Sometimes very harsh treatment.  Social isolation.  Bullying.  Discrimination.  Unfortunately,  people on the autism spectrum can often find themselves in these unpleasant situations.

Many now-famous people have found themselves in very dire situations, suffering treatment or circumstances which might easily have left them forever emotionally scarred if not dead.

One such man, Viktor Frankl, imprisoned in Auschwitz for several years during WWII, was fascinated by his own and others’ ability to survive conditions which should have killed them.

“Sensitive people who were used to a rich intellectual life…” Frankl concluded, would often survive, even if they seemed more fragile emotionally and physically than other men.

In his book, Man’s Search For Meaning, Frankl credits their survival to an interior sphere of intellectual stimulus to which they could retreat.

This brings to mind the biography and now, movie Unbroken.  Cast adrift on a raft for weeks with no food or water, Louis Zamperini and his pilot survived.  Both credited their survival with intellectual discussions and debates which took their minds off their plight.  They were also able to devise ways to catch fish (rarely) and capture drinking water from the occasional rainfall.

Also, the story of Nelson Mandela, (movies, Invictus and Long Walk To Freedom) a man who endured unthinkable punishment in prison under the Apartheid system of South Africa.  He had a dream to live for; to see his people live freely in their own country.

While most Aspies or high-functioning autism spectrum individuals will never live under conditions as dire as these, it is encouraging to know that interior intellectual lives have meaning and value.

It is important to learn to cope socially, to hone our social skills to the point where we can move freely in our societies with confidence.  However, nurturing that rich interior life can help move us through periods of suffering.

Frankl says also that people who had an unfinished work that only they could complete, people who had a dream to fulfil, and people who had someone else (a loved one) to live for, also found reason to endure.

Frankl notes that unavoidable suffering gives a person a unique opportunity to express his finer self in how he/she manages or bears his suffering.

Please note that Frankl is speaking of unavoidable suffering.  To suffer when it is avoidable, Frankl maintains, is mere masochism.

Hope this helps!

Yours truly,

Margaret Jean.

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Aug 07 2015
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Asperger's research, autism research

MSSNG–Crucial Project Collecting Data on Autism Spectrum Disorders

https://www.mss.ng/film

Click on the link, then click ‘play’ to see the film.

Hey, Aspies!  There’s a ground-breaking autism research project and you can be a part of it!

MSSNG is a groundbreaking collaboration between Google and Autism Speaks to create the world’s largest genomic database on autism.

By sequencing the DNA of over 10,000 families affected by autism, MSSNG will answer the many questions we still have about the disorder.

T​hanks to the Google Cloud, this vast sea of information will be made accessible for free to researchers everywhere.

The greatest minds in science from around the world will be able to study trillions of data points in one single database.

Our pilot program of 1,000 whole genomes has led to new discoveries about the disorder.

With over 10,000 whole genomes and the help of the global science community we can far outreach what has been accomplished so far. MSSNG will identify many subtypes of autism, which may lead to more personalized and more accurate treatments.

For questions about MSSNG, please contact us at info@mss.ng or call (646) 385-8593.

 To learn more, go to https://www.autismspeaks.org/

Yours truly,

Margaret Jean.

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