Recognising pain in the non-verbal child, by Yvonne Newbold. Just as the parents of a newborn hones her instinct over the first few weeks to discern the meaning of her baby’s cries, parents of non-verbal children remain highly attuned to their children’s needs. However, this instinct is sometimes ignored by medical professionals, because it is seen as over-emotional and unreliable rather than scientific- and thus the child’s only “voice” is silenced.
Tell it right
Tell it right (It’s all about Evie blog). A very honest account and reflection about the Downs Syndrome prenatal test, and the inaccuracy and incompleteness of information accompanying it.
“I believe that any choice should be an active choice, a properly informed, totally unbiased choice. Where prospective parents get the chance to see the reality and not rhetoric and medical fear.
In my opinion for what it’s worth, there is no point in having these tests, if the tests aren’t used morally. If the tests aren’t used hand in hand with fair, honest information you may as well take your test and stick it where the sun doesn’t shine.“
10 acts of autism acceptance
10 acts of autism acceptance, by Elizabeth (AutismMom blog). A very thorough and practical list of how people can demonstrate autism acceptance.
On assigning friendship
On assigning friendship, by L. Kelley (Thirty Days of Autism blog). “When kids are assigned to other kids – it is not friendship. The act of assignment runs counter to all the qualities that make a friendship a thing. It sends the message that this person isn’t worthy of friendship without the reward of extrinsic approval of being a mini helpery person or do-gooder. It sets up the relationship as unbalanced and unequal right from the start, but there are ways to structure and model things in the classroom (and on the playground – and in our lives) to create opportunities for kids to develop authentic friendships and positive relationships without it being an assignment.”
Ido in Autismland
Ido in Autismland, by Ido Kedar. A touching and well-written book, describing the feelings, memories and hopes of an autistic teenage boy, formerly unable to communicate. How he was assumed to be intellectually impaired because he was non-verbal and had motor control issues, yet had no means of communicating his intelligence to his family or therapists for many years. He now communicates by using a letter-board, as taught through Rapid Prompting Method (RPM). This book chronicles his journey from the outpouring of years of frustration, through his goals to manage various difficulties he encounters with his autism, and his determination to get an education and go to college. He has a very insightful mind and a beautiful gentle spirit, and I enjoyed learning from him.
Loud Hands
Loud Hands: Autistic people, speaking, edited by Julia Bascom, is a compilation of essays by autistic people.
From the Foreword: “The autistic community needs to be heard, speaking in our own ways on our own terms about the items on our agenda, on an unprecedented scale, reaching a much broader audience than we ever have been able to before.”
There are articles contributed by several autistic authors whose work I have previously enjoyed (and shared here), and a few who I have looked up since reading this book. The range of subjects covered is impressive, as are the references provided! There are various histories (eg the development of the autistic community and its culture; the future and the past of autism advocacy), self-acceptance articles (including non-speaking, stimming, echolalia, assistive technology etc), explanations of “Loud Hands”, and the uses of language (dislike of “person first”, liberation from the pathology paradigm and embracing neurodiversity etc).
ASD Medicare benefits
Medicare Benefits for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder, by Amaze (Autism Victoria). Very easily understandable documents outlining the various Medicare options available for people diagnosed with an ASD in Australia.
Other side of empathy
The other side of empathy, by Gavin Bollard (Autism and Empathy blog). There has been much written about Aspies’ alleged lack of empathy as a major cause of relationship breakups, and in this article, Gavin presents the situation from the Aspie side. They may have the emotion, but it may not appear at the appropriate time- and they can’t lie about it. “Their inner conflict causes them just as much pain as the outer pain that NTs display, but since they lack the facilities to convey the message, they can only watch in stunned silence as they are treated like unemotional robots and their relationship collapses around them.”
Identity and hypocrisy
Identity and Hypocrisy: a second argument against person-first language, by Lydia Brown (Autistic Hoya blog). Good description of the multiple cultural, religious, gender descriptors we use- as markers of our identity, but not our sole identity. Just as none of them is inherently good or bad, neither is Autistic. “An identity is not something that I have. It is who I am.”
Dark side of SN parenting
The dark side to special needs parenting (Firefly blog). Our children are who lights up the dark corners of our lives. The “dark things” (outside challenges) can add up – fighting for services, all the emails/phone calls to manage various aspects of your child’s affairs, finding therapists, funding/finances, the exhaustion of being your child’s secretary and advocate as well as their parent etc. I have sometimes semi-joked to my husband that I should keep a diary of all the “little things” that I do during a week – how much time I spend preparing for appointments and writing notes afterwards, or on the phone following up on people who were supposed to get back to me etc. But my children are worth it :).
lovenlearning 