Autism Acceptance - A Good Place To Start Research

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Here is another LiveBinder that I designed to help those parents who have recently had their child diagnosed with Autism. It is a great tool and it keeps your attention while diverting any worries that you are suffering from at the moment. There is some great information but not too much that will cause overload and shut down by parents and children alike. I hope this helps some parents. Please feel free to leave more links below if you feel there is something missing. For those that have been working the "Autism Scene" for a while like me, I also made a transition LiveBinder early this year that you may find some use for. I hope you enjoy!
Regards,
~ Holley

Understanding Autism Meltdowns

Chapter Four of AsperTools is an interesting chapter about meltdowns. As a mother of a child that used to have meltdowns so often and significant that I could not take Jacob out in public. People would stare and make comments either about his "behavior" and my "parenting skills". It was, quite frankly, easier to stay at home. Over the years of learning about Autism/Asperger's, I have concluded how to work with them and my son, rather than avoid everyone else on earth. I got to a point where I didn't care anymore if people stared at me; it was not going to affect my daily life nor the life of my child. He has every right to go on field trips and vacations as any other child.

Now that Jacob is 18 and about to graduate from high school, meltdowns are less frequent but are just as severe. The good news is that Jacob is able to express his side of meltdowns. I have always been observant of his meltdown symptoms but they have changed over time. This is one area that chapter four doesn't mention.

 The main gist is that "an ounce of prevention is truly worth a ton of cure".  **Source

 #Autism #Aspergers #self-soothing of #meltdowns need to be taught to youth who experience them."

The author and his daughter are absolutely delightful in their remembrance of events such as meltdowns. The chapter shows the human side of the parent whose first respond is to get angry and yell (have to admit guilty here too). Unfortunately, that is not the way meltdowns work. They are a part of my son, not a temper tantrum that needs the kind of discipline that people in public will state he needs. Instead, I had to learn not only to be very observant of Jacobs' signs but also aware of my own responses. Once a meltdown starts, it is near impossible to stop it. From that point on, you are just along for the ride. I learned that the hard way too. 

Update on Progress - Mendability Sensory Enrichment

For personal reasons, I have been unable to help Jacob with Mendability as often as I need and want to. I love the fact that it gives Jacob and me "time together" and even though, it is in a treatment setting; it doesn't feel that way for me. 

I cannot nor do I speak for Jacob's opinion but I will ask him and see if he wants to write a post about his views.
I have always believed in inclusion and teaching Jacob self-advocacy and life skills. At this point, he is almost 16 so many of the issues we face may not be due to his diagnoses but instead to just being a teenage boy.

Jacob's Mendability Experience One

Jacob's Mendability Experience One



"When I first heard about Mendability, I was excited about it. But when I heard the age groups, I kinda got nervous about it because I did not want to do something I would not like. And when me and my mom saw the videos of the things I was supposed to do, first off; what they were doing was weird. Secondly, it creeped me out the way the person was talking about the things and lastly I was kinda reluctant because I know no one in my age group would like to do those things. This is my thoughts so far."
~ Jacob Klein