Early Intervention is Key

A study conducted at the University of Washington has demonstrated that early diagnosis and intensive treatment of autism can significantly improve IQ, language, and ability to perform everyday tasks.

Pediatrics reports that in the randomized, controlled trial of 48 toddler-aged children, 24 underwent the Early Start Denver model. The treatment plan included 15 hours a week of one-on-one therapy and 16 hours of training with parents. After two years, these children successfully rose IQ scores to within normal levels. The other 24 children assigned to regular therapists throughout the Seattle area did not.

You can read a summary of the study with interviews and implications here.

Inside Out

Inside Out: What Makes a person With Social Cognitive Deficits Tick? by Michelle Garcia Winner describes how the social problems your child may have can be connected to academic problems they are having, such as problems with understanding class readings. Within Inside Out, the reader will learn about Winner's ILAUGH model. this model explains a way for parents and professionals to find specific areas that a child may find a challenge, like social interactions. At the end of every chapter, the reader will find handouts and IEP goal suggestions.

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Stress and Coping in Autism

Stress and Coping in Autism presents effective ways for people with autism and those around them to cope with stress. In Stress and Coping in Autism, the reader can see how stress manifests itself physically and emotionally in those with autism. It also describes how it is possible to lessen the impact of stress by understanding not only the science of stress and autism but also how the two are experienced.

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Autism Advocates of Indiana

The Autism Advocates of Indiana are best known for their annual September walks to raise funds for autism. But the organization is active year round:

Grants
The AAI awards grants twice a year to organizations which support its mission, which is to "increase and broaden public knowledge and awareness of the behaviors, social issues and emotional needs of individuals on the autism spectrum so that all individuals can participate in and contribute to our community without fear of bias or loss of individuality." For details, visit http://www.aaiwalk.org/Grant%20Opportunities/grant_opportunities.htm.

Speeches
Representatives visit functions to spread the word about AAI. To request a speaker, contact Patty Reed at (317)403-4308.

For more information, visit www.aaiwalk.org.

Accommodations for Students on the Autism Spectrum

On Wednesday, December 2 at 1 pm, Cathy Pratt of the IRCA will host a seminar in the Dogwood room of the Indiana Memorial Union on the IU campus. Here are the details:

IU is seeing greater numbers of students with autism enrolled in its programs. Because of this growing student population, IUB's Disability Roundtable is sponsoring an Accessible University session to create awareness of how our campus can be as welcoming and supportive as possible to this student group.

Dr. Pratt will share some of the characteristics of students on the autism spectrum and the issues they may face while attending college. She will also provide guidance on ways to support them in their classes, in planning their programs, and in participating other University activities and events.

Dr. Pratt is Director of the Indiana Resource Center for Autism at IU’s Indiana Institute on Disability and Community, and is a Special Education faculty member in the School of Education. She currently serves as Chair of the Board for the National Autism Society, serves on the Panel of Professional Advisors for the Autism Society, and is part of the Network of Autism Training and Technical Assistance Programs plus many advisory boards.

Bring your questions and concerns and join us for this timely and relevant discussion! Please also share this information with others who may be interested.

Requests for Accommodations
If you plan to attend this session and require a sign language interpreter, real time captioning, assistive listening system, another auxiliary aid or information in alternate format, please contact Alice Voigt, Accessibility Specialist, at the National Center on Accessibility, ajvoigt@indiana.edu, (812) 856-4422 (voice) or (812) 856-4421 (tty).

For More Information
Accessible University is a monthly series of presentations sponsored by the IUB Disability Roundtable. The purpose of the series is to educate the university community about accessibility issues and methodologies to create a more accessible university environment fully inclusive of students, faculty, staff, and visitors with disabilities.

The Accessible University series is a collaborative activity of IUB’s Disability Roundtable, coordinated by Vicki Pappas of the Indiana Institute on Disability and Community and Alice Voigt of the National Center on Accessibility. For further information about the Accessible University series or the Disability Roundtable, please feel free to contact Vicki (cpps@indiana.edu) or Alice (ajvoigt@indiana.edu).

The Autism Encyclopedia

The Autism Encyclopedia: 500+ entries for parents and professionals by John T. Neisworth and Pamela S. Wolfe is an excellent guide to the terminology related to autism spectrum disorders. In the Autism Encyclopedia, the reader can gain information about assistive technology, classification systems, interventions, early detection, medical issues, sensory difficulties and much more. Synonyms and relevant cross references are included for every term in the book and there are appendices that describe autism related centers and organizations.

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Autism: What Do I Do Now?- A no nonsense road map, to fast-tracking your child's medically necessary autism treatment is designed for parents that have children who were recently diagnosed with autism. In the video, you will receive information on how to get started with treatments for your child. You will also receive information from mental health professionals.

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Children with Autism

Children with Autism: Diagnosis and Interventions to Meet Their Needs by Colwyn Trevarthen, Kenneth Aitken, Despina Papoudi, and Jacueline Robarts is a great guide for those looking at the autism research field. In the book, the reader can discover the latest information on the findings of brain research, the contributions of music therapy, and educational provisions for children with autism and Asperger's Syndrome. Children with Autism also includes appendixes summarizing medical diagnostic systems, checklists and questionnaires for identifying autism, and a glossary.

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Living Along the Autism Spectrum

Living along the autism spectrum: what does it mean to have autism or Asperger syndrome? is a video by Daniel Gottlieb, Robert A Naseef, and Stephen M Shore. The documentary shows the perspective persons with autism through a discussion with Shore, who is on the spectrum and a professional expert on ASDs. According to IRCA Director Cathy Pratt: "The DVD provides valuable insight into the range of emotions experienced in connection with an autism diagnosis and covers topics that can be used to generate important discussions."

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Making the Most of the Holidays

The Indiana Resource Center for Autism has posted a useful article for parents of children with ASDs: Making the Most of the Holidays for Your Family and Your Son/Daughter on the Autism Spectrum.

Some of the tips include:
-Create Social Stories that highlight what will happen at holiday-themed events to curb anxiety
-Involve your child in shopping and decorating to minimize disruption to your child's environment
-Prepare your child for family visits by looking through photo albums
-Define clear rules about how many times a child can talk about a desired present, what decorations can and can't be touched, etc.
-Before the big day hits, practice opening gifts and taking turns with others

For the full list, follow the link above.

Straight Talk About Autism

Straight Talk About Autism:With Parents and Kids by Jeff Schultz is an excellent source for those with autism and also for professionals in the field. For those with autism, Straight Talk About Autism offers interviews with their peers combined with appealing graphics and soundtrack. For professionals, the video explains new ideas in the field and tips on how to work with children with autism.

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Souls

Souls: Beneath and Beyond Autism contains images from the book Souls set to Sara Evans song " I Could Not ask for More." Combined with Sharon Rosenbloom's words, the images from the book give the viewer a glimpse into the lives of children with autism, their family, friends and caregivers.

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A Will of His Own

A Will of His Own: reflections on Parenting a Child with Autism shares the stories of Kelly Harland and her experiences having a child with autism. In A Will of His Own, Harland expresses lover for her son but also explains that she has "dark times" that come along with the challenges of having a child with autism. A Will of His Own is a great example of the nature of hope, love and motherhood.

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The Affordable Health Care for America Act and Autism

HR 3962, otherwise known as the Affordable Health Care for America Act, was passed by the House of Representatives this week and is being reviewed by the Senate.

The act contains many components, but section 2527 is especially pertinent to professionals and parents of children with autism. The amendment, called the "National Training Initiatives on Autism Spectrum Disorders," will create multi-year grants that "provide individuals (including parents and health, allied health, vocational and educational professionals) with interdisciplinary training, continuing education, technical assistance, and information for the purpose of improving services rendered to children and adults with autism, and their families, to address unmet needs related to autism."

Individuals eligible to apply for these grants include university researchers and "service entities." You can read the text of this section of the bill at THOMAS (Library of Congress).

"Asperger's Syndrome" Potentially Removed from Medical Manual

The American Psychiatric Association is considering officially removing the term "Asperger's Syndrome" for the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.

The New York Times interviewed Catherine Lord, director of the Autism and Communication Disorders Centers at the University of Michigan. Lord explains that there is no clear clinical line between Asperger's and mild autism, leaving the diagnosis murky and scientifically unfounded.

Opponents of the change have concerns as to how the disappearance of the term "Asperger's" from medical lexicon will affect insurers, researchers, schools and government bodies, and contend that it might lead to a detrimental decrease in autism assessments. Tony Attwood, author of The Complete Guide to Asperger's Syndrome and Asperger's and Girls, among others, acknowledges that the public has a "neutral or fairly positive view of the term Asperger’s syndrome." However, many balk at the suggestion of "autism" and may refuse to offer themselves up for diagnosis and treatment.

Other changes to the manual may counter the disappearance of "Asperger's" by expanding the definition of autism spectrum disorders to include associated conditions such as "anxiety, attention disorders, gastrointestinal problems, seizures and sensory differences like extreme sensitivity to noise."

Autism

Autism: Asserting Your Child's Right to a Special Education by David A. Sherman gives the reader an in depth guide to laws and strategies to get the right care and education for children with autism. In the book the reader will find information about what types of records to keep, how to get a professional qualified to "support you in advocating for your child," and much more.

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Fighting for Darla

Fighting for Darla:The Case Study of a Pregnant Adolescent with Autism explores the troubling issues that those in the medical, education and social service professions have faced when entrusted to take care of someone with autism. The case study relates one young female's "treatment" at the hands of her care givers. Here, the reader can see that the decisions made and their incredible consequences not only on the those in care but the people who care for them.

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Succeeding with Autism

Succeeding with Autism: Hear My Voice by Judith H. Cohen tells the story of Micheal, a young man with autism. Through the use of stories told by family, friends and Micheal himself, the reader can see the struggles he faced at stages of his life and how he overcome them such as keeping teaching positions and employment problems.

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In His Shoes

In his shoes: a short journey through autism by Joanna Keating-Velasco is a work of juvenile fiction centering around a middle school student with autism. Keating-Velasco's 150 page book details the everyday life of 13-year-old Nick Hansen as he visits the beach and mall and attends his first school dance. The book is perfect for students age 11-15 with classmates or friends with autism.

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