Thursday, December 26, 2013

20 Questions and the New M-CHAT-R-V

The old M-CHAT, an aid in diagnosing autism, has been updated to  M-CHAT-R-V.  This is a document composed of twenty questions for parents to answer and covers the age of toddlers 16 to 30 months.
The information I read claims the new M-CHAT-R-V;
>decreases rate of false positives.                                                                                                                                                                                                >detects more ASD cases when used during routine checkup.
The tool is free and available to use.   To obtain a PDF go to http://www2.gsu.edu/~psydlr/M-CHAT/Official_M-CHAT_Website.html
There is no translation as of yet.
******Please use the free material within the guidelines provided.  Early intervention is often the key to helping those with autism obtain the needed services to be better prepared.  Yet, misuse of these materials can mean a setback.
Short brief on the guidelines;
>** No modifications may be made.
>**Reprints must the copyright info at the bottom of the page
>**For further information/restrictions on use in articles or other see                  http://www2.gsu.edu/~psydlr/M-CHAT/Official_M-CHAT_Website.html,         contact Diana Robins at dianalrobins@gmail.com.  This is not formal but       Robert Bock at 301-496-5133 should also be able to help you.  Mr. Bock wrote   the other article I used as a source of information.
AS ALWAYS THIS IS PROVIDED AS INFORMATION INTENDED TO BE USEFUL IN EDUCATING ONE ABOUT NEW INFORMATION ----ALWAYS CONSULT YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER FOR SPECIFIC AND DIAGNOSTIC HELP. THIS INFORMATION IS NOT MEANT TO SUBSTITUTE OR SUPERCEDE THIS RELATIONSHIP.
ARTICLES AND INFORMATION used to write this short update are from
1. http://www2.gsu.edu/~psydlr/M-CHAT/Official_M-CHAT_Website.html
2.  http://www.nih.gov/news/health/dec2013/nichd-23.htm
********************__________________________________******************______________
More information on narrowing down the Genes associated with autism causes was talked about in article at  http://directorsblog.nih.gov/2013/12/03/network-news-gene-discoveries-for-autism/ at length.   Please read it to go into more depth than I am able to at this time.

Friday, December 20, 2013

Invisible Rainbows (fictionalized account)

God has a plan for each and every one of us.  Yes, this is a belief and I recognize that as I tell this story.  This requires faith.  I would be a liar if I said I acted one hundred percent based on my beliefs all the time.  This never stops God from caring for us.  It started, as the Bible says, in the womb, God says he knew us even then.
I was on the phone today to congratulate and old friend and mentor.  “How many children do you have now Sandra?”
“Just one boy, a teenager that will be sixteen this summer, July 11. How about you? Seems I remember two girls.  I recall the oldest had blue eyes and the yellowest strawberry-blonde hair every seen in this world except that of her mother’s!”
My old mentor signs, “Correct as always. Sixteen? I don’t envy you for sure. Are you a nervous wreck from the driver trainings outings everywhere?”
“Actually no and I am not sure Rusty will ever drive.  You see he has Asperger’s or High Functioning Autism depending on the doctor and revision of the codes.  Rusty has some other distinct features that make things in our life follow a different train track and schedule.”  I state and in my mind know what is coming next.
“Oh Sandra!  I am so sorry.  I know quite a bit about that.  When I was working on my Pharm D., I went on Grand Rounds mostly with this one Neuro-pediatrician that specialized in this.  She believed the Theory of Mind was very descriptive of the process that caused social deficits as do I. So sad when genetic mistakes occur like this.  These children seemed doomed to a life role as social misfit.”
I talked a few seconds or a minute longer and made my excuse with a promise to keep up knowing I would not.  How sad that people like this will never understand my explanation of how Rusty is a blessing.  Through him I see the world so many ways.  I get to see those invisible rainbows that most miss because they refuse to look at the world twisting their head almost twice and bending over.  God has given many of these children/people a special view of the world that is just beyond most or most refuse to take the time to see the beauty.  Instead of seeing the invisible rainbow they name these people as abnormal or having things wrong with them.  Looking in the mirror to check one’s comprehension escapes most of these so called experts.
This Theory of Mind is really an insult in my books. A very simple statement of this theory is the ability to understand mental states or emotions of others.  It seems to be accepted as scientific fact that those with Autism lack Theory of Mind.  One teacher said it is like there is a mirror that reflects out of their eyes but not back into their mind so they can respond to the emotion and learn to process or respond to mental states or emotions of others.
I know you might agree with this from what you have seen.  You may have come across one of these people that seem to be in a world all his/her own.  It appears they may even have a special language.  Now I think this may be true, especially when grouped with others of such like awesome talents.
Teachers often gripe and say an autistic child is not paying attention.  If you come upon this in life, please, if you can, have the child repeat what the teacher said.  Then ask the child what he was doing.  I guarantee you odds are that child is doing exactly what the teacher said.  To make it interesting, ask little John/Jane what was going on in the classroom at the time.  Here is one of those invisible rainbows.  This may be the closest thing there is to being transported back in time to a specific time/event.  Many of these blessed outcasts can recreate an exact picture for you.
As I said at the start, I do not act on beliefs one hundred percent of the time.  One day at the Y pool with a young school age Rusty, he popped this question. “Why do those people have toilet paper in the pool?”
I was in a hurry knowing my husband the way I did.  “No Rusty those people do not have toilet paper in the pool.  Now let’s go Dad is waiting.”  I bent over to get our tools saw the group of chronologically older people using water weights that just happen to be all white.  I just discovered all the toilet paper Rusty was seeing in the pool. Finally, I could explain in to Rusty on the way home.  As usual it was not him but the normal person that assumed the autistic child was in his own world as always.
Labels are just that.  Something a person or group uses to define a thing or person so he/she/they can understand it.  This may be right or not.   All I know is what I have experienced.  Rusty was normal baby if there was one.   This could be because in my family each of us were different and embraced for it but treated and loved the same and different.  I know this may sound a contradiction and it is and then it is not.  Basically, just because one child didn’t do everything the same way by this date or milestone but was close life went on as always.  Overreaction causes tension as stress for the babies which results in some of these problems.
My most treasured invisible rainbow was my son, Rusty’s observation that I was not myself since the wreck.  I felt something was wrong physically.  Nothing was showing up.  A so called provider expert in brain injury pegged it is this and told me it was not the brain injury and when asked if she might be wrong said definitely not.  Rusty gave me the confident each time to my injuries taken care of, which included vestibular dysfunction and more fracture;  quite an invisible rainbow.

Thursday, December 12, 2013

Fiction: The Indelible Night of Memory

Jackie, with her long red hair, sat on the end of the sofa watching tv after dinner.  Mom had cooked delicious spaghetti.  Jackie loved mom for cooking it while her friend Rozelen had been able to come on the sleep over after all.

Jackie was cringing inside because her father was passed out on the couch smelling of beer in his boxer's.  Rozelen pretended not to notice.  What made it exceptionally hard to bare was the fighting between her parents before dad passed out ant Ross, her cousin that lived with them,had to work tonight.

At least now he was asleep.  Rozelen asks,"Is it safe to play cards now?"
Jackie sizes up the situation and replies, "Of course." While she then goes off to get them.  Surely after eleven beers he was out for the count.

After a couple of hours playing cards and WhaHoo with only three marbles  each Ross called.  "Jackie can you tell your mother it is time to pick me up? I get off at 10 tonight."

Jackie went and woke her mother up and they drove out of the driveway.  Jackie's tummy drew tight.  Glad her father passing out finally came and gone, didn't feel much better with her mother driving.  The other week her mother drove over a parking meter.  They had only been in Biloxi for four weeks.  Her dad was working at his Master's in Education at the Mississippi State University Coastal School. Aileen, Georgia was much smaller than Biloxi.  If they were there her dad could walk to town to buy his beer and come home.

They were living in their Aunt and Uncle Mason's house and taking care of Ross while they were overseas in Europe on a University Professor Exchange Program.

Mom told them girls to come with her quietly not waking her dad in the process.  Rain started after they were safely in the car.  Mom had the girls singing and looking for horses to play a game Aunt and Uncle Mason had taught them.

Arriving at the campus janitorial and maintenance station, Mom got out to go get Ross.  Ross wanted to drive having heard of the parking meter incidence. Mom wouldn't hear of it.

All rolling along in the car having fun stopped.  Mom managed to get a poll through the front passenger's side floorboard.  Ross said "How did you do that?"  Ross tried to work it off gradually but was scared of what he knew would happen.

That tightening of the belly Jackie felt was instinct.  Soon a small car her father always drove to save gas pulled up. Cussing started and yelling. Bam. Mom falls to the ground. Ross had a feeling. He gets Rozelen out of the way in the other car and head home. He didn't like leaving Jacke but knew she was used to it.

Dad hits mom again. Finally, dad gets the car off of the poll. How the car wasn't damaged other than a hole no one could guess. The ride home wasn't as smooth as the work dad had done on the car. 

The car almost slides into a creek with a 20 foot drop of and gators in the creek.  That tightening up is now a full knot.  Yelling, bitching and fist shaking is going on between both parents.  Jackie wants to get home to her bedroom to go to sleep and let them cool off.

The cooling off doesn't happen.   A stop for  more beer makes for a hell of a long night.  Mom pushes dad when he gets home.  Jackie wonders why.  Knowing this would only trigger her dad to act by swinging his arm and bam. MOm is lying out on the ground in front of the house.  Jackie only can run in and up to her room upstairs.

Listening to the fight about who is going to go and who is going to stay and dad isn't going to pay child support.  This could have all been avoided if mom had let Ross drive home.  

Jackie years later has to go to the funeral of her Uncle Mason.  That night left an indelible memory that will last forever.

Saturday, December 7, 2013

Christmas My Way This Year.

 My Christmas This Year My</strong> Way:</em> I have chosen to do Christmas my way this year.  Drawing names and getting a list is no fun. I like to try and find out what a person wants by the old fashioned way; knowing them and talking to people that know them.  Disappointing Christmas gifts when people complain have me really tired of going to a lot of trouble.

**********We do the dutiful prayer at Christmas meal but how many donate to anything at Christmas?  Remember why we celebrate Christ's birth at Christmas?  We never mention it when it is time to open gifts.  The spirit of Christmas has almost died for me.

Told to buy gifts for a nephew because he needs them.  The same person didn't want to buy for a sister-in-law that is in a group home for those that are challenged.  I mean Christmas has become a hard time for me to enjoy.

My husband may have a point.  I miscarried 16 years ago about Oct. or so.  I buried the memory.  Could I have blamed God? I don't know.  But, still people really forget the reason Christmas is celebrated.  I miss my dad so much.  Another person I miss is a lady that lived across the street from us when I was growing up.  She always had the best candy.  Homemade fudge and every kind of candy you can imagine.  All in a wonderful tin with a Christmas picture. Sometimes she even refilled it for us. I worked at a grocery store in high school. I always bought her a small decorated Christmas tree in a pot.  I continued that tradition for some time.  When she died a part of Christmas died with Mrs. Kirsch.

This year I have decided not to draw names.  However, I am making gifts.  People said I thought you weren't doing gifts this year.  I said I am not drawing names.  However, I am making gifts.  Did you see the picture of the sub?   I made a nurse's hat for my sister- in-law some time ago.  A microscope kleenex box cover was a gift for my sister that is a cytotechnologist. My other brother the CPA got a nameplate.  If someone out there can think of a different thing to make this CPA brother let me know.  The sub you see at the start is for my brother that retired from the navy as a Lt. Comm; a nuclear engineer, he served on Boomers and Fast Attack subs.

I donated anonymously $100 cash to be given as cash to a family. Now I know an Executive Director that can pick a family that won't blow it.  I wish I could give more but have other charities to give. Why cash you may ask?  Well after 15 years of working at Skyline Urban Ministries, a food pantry; I know some hate to feel less than human.  I heard at Skyline some talk about wanting to be able to give cash to their children for Christmas.  Giving to others makes it feel more like Christmas.  My family seems to have all they need.  I told my friend to tell the family it was from God.  Really all are things are from God.  At least I believe this.

I am buying for the kids.  I believe that Christmas should be about the kids.  I want to see them open their gifts and tear into them. If our house is the place to be. I will do what I want to this year. I let things eat at me.  I want to see one girl that loves to open gifts with a zest get at them. I let everyone else run my house at Christmas; well not this year. I will do what I want.  Opening presents first. Then we will eat.  Having fun.  Back up. We will talk about what Christmas means.  Homemade gifts will be explained for the adults.  Return policy for amazon is easy. This is one reason I shopped there. If people complain too much next year may have lumps of coals in their socks for real.

I may want to tell them about how Christmas was great when dad was alive.  Why it was better.  What Mrs. Kirsch meant and what she brought to Christmas.  Christmas shouldn't be a bad time of year. I let it get out of control by giving my power away. I let selfish people steal the good away from Christ's time.

This year will be different. Christ will be remembered.  Gifts will be special.  I will not let people run over me in my own home. My power is being taken back.

I encourage people that feel like me to look at what has caused them to dread Christmas.  Then think what would make it special for them.   I am doing it and I am enjoying it.  I am sending Christmas Cards that don't look nothing like Christmas Cards. They support a local young autistic group called Beesknees'.  They make cards, calendars and more.  I am choosing to have fun. If others don't like how I am doing Christmas, then they can go elsewhere.

www.stumbleupon.com/submit/complete

www.stumbleupon.com/submit/complete

National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG) Updates

National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG) Updates

Friday, December 6, 2013

Submarine Christmas gift handmade


A handmade Christmas gift for my brother ex LT. Comm. on subs in Navy; both Boomers and Fast Attack. 

Thursday, December 5, 2013

INFORMATION ON UPDATE OF “YOUR CHILD IS SMARTER THAN YOU THINK. UNLEASHING YOUR CHILD’S UNLIMITED POTENTIAL.”BY WANDA DRAPER (AUTHOR) , LT. GENERAL THOMAS P. STAFFORD (AUTHOR)







 haven’t read this yet. I have read the original and loved it. 
Wanda Draper Ph.D, is the professional woman that inspired me to write a book to help other in the target audience of special needs or autism. Her book, “Your Child Is Smarter Than You Think,” that is being rereleased or is already now; gave me back my gumption and confidence as a parent. I knew my little one was hiding his secret true intelligence.  Confirmation came recently from a Microsoft Grade Readability Calculator, showing eleventh grade sixth month level. There is some error no doubt; but he is  afraid to show his true talents because of anxiety. Wanda is right!
I am sure this book will be an A+ addition. When I get my copy I will let everyone know. By the way Amazon says they are taking orders but if you want a copy, I can help you with this. The author has copies available or they are available through the author.
Below is what Amazon has to say about the book
“Your Child Is Smarter Than You Think! bridges the gap between how children think and learn and how they feel and behave. Dr. Wanda Draper discusses a whole-child approachto articulate the child’s development and its relationship to behavior and learning from infancy through adolescence. Based on thirty years of experience with thousands of children of all ages, and their parents and teachers, she suggests simple yet powerful ways to help children achieve success in school and life. She says, “You can’t send the head to school and leave the body at home—the whole child goes to school, the whole child lives at home, and the whole child participates in the world.”

Through a down-to-earth approach, Dr. Draper offers insights about how to tell the difference between natural behavior and a real problem—and what to do about it. She gives a lively explanation of how children think and act in relation to how they feel. Your Child Is Smarter Than You Think! focuses, at each stage and pathway of development, on suggestions for how to successfully:
 
  • live and work with a smart child
  • help without interfering
  • activate the learning loop
  • communicate to get results

“Parents and professionals are often confronted by the challenges of children because they are smarter than we think.”
-Dr. Wanda Draper

Wanda Draper, PhD, professor emeritus of the College of Medicine, University of Oklahoma, testifies about the relationship between childhood development and adulthood consequences as an expert witness in capital death-penalty trials. She studied at Texas Woman’s University, with additional studies at Harvard University and in Geneva, Switzerland. The author of sixteen books, she has appeared on television, including The Oprah Winfrey Show, and has been quoted in CNN News, USA TodayThe New York Times,The Washington PostParent magazine, and Reader’s Digest.”
I promise this is a must for educators and parents.
Amazon order information
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=your%20child%20is%20smarter%20than%20you%20think&sprefix=your+%2Caps&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Ayour%20child%20is%20smarter%20than%20you%20think&sepatfbtf=true&tc=1386284394925&ajr=sabc

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

REVIEW OF "A BEST PRACTICE GUIDE TO ASSESSMENT AND INTERVENTION FOR AUTISM AND ASPERGER SYNDROME FOR SCHOOLS WRITTEN BY LEE A WILKINSON PH.D." BY OLLAMOK

Lee Wilkinson Ph.D writes one of the first truly objective books on quality
ways to assess those with Autism and Aspergers in our public schools titled "A
Practice Guide to Assessment and Intervention for Autism and Asperger Syndrome
Schools;" that I personally have seen. Parents and educators (here I include any
workers on the IEP or those they supervise such as OT or SLP Technicians) are the
obvious target audience for this book.
A pharmacist first; I have taught high school biology where there were many
IEP's on my plate. I returned to pharmacy shortly after this. I asked the
question, "What would the parent then an educator want this book?" Incidentally a
pharmacist or other healthcare professional would love this compact version. Often,
I was questioned about this process because I was the first contact person with
easy access to the public. Having a son with issues, I tried to answer with the
best I could while explaining I was not an expert and arming themselves with
knowledge while seeking out good experts was to their advantage.
Parent point of view would seek from this book;
*The Best Practices Promised in the Title.
*What is Expected During the Assessments
*The Who What Where When and How Information and that Would be Obtained and
How this Pertains to Them and Their Children While Using it.
*Taking this to Write an IEP in an Informed Manner
*Language that is Understandable While Brief and Concise
Educators point of view would seek from this book;
**Basically the Same as Above but
**Know the Best Practices Compared to Others (Why, Good and Bad with Examples in
Application)
**Lists, Worksheets,
** See or Explanations of How to Use in Planning Writing an IEP and Using for
Curriculum in Everyday Practice
>>>I believe both parents and teachers really want the best for the children. When
this occurs the children win.
Wilkinson does this in language that is understandable. Cards or guideposts
are presented in nice form to sum up the points. He takes two cases to use as a
walk through for the process of application. There is one thing I could want from
this book. However, authors cannot be expected to meet my everything list. I
mention them elsewhere on my blog on five resources for autism. There are two ten
year reports on best practices from the National Autism Center for health and
education. I mention them because my hope is the same as Wilkinson's I think. I
want to inform. I must inform you that the reports are cumbersome and hard to
read. However, they are research and reviewed.
For your time, Wilkinson's book is one of your best bets. He provides
worksheets for the teachers and parents to refer to often. The person that wrote
his introduction says he believes or transfers the idea of a "dimensional approach"
to his work in application to children. Teamwork is necessary for the best outcome
is one conclusion drawn by me that he believes in that is a must for these
children.
I think this because assessments are key in helping the children. He writes
the book to provide educators with the best practices and latest in a concise
manner. I feel this is from the heart instead of a desire to seek rewards. He
presents to me as a true man of science. He doesn't discount the new but cautions
parents to be wise about their approach to it.
He says the focus is on the child. Furthermore, he says to zero in on the
strength's of the child. This is so nice to read. Having been on on many IEP's of my o
own child, he is 17 now. I will say most educator's were on the positive side but a
few tended to be negative. It is more motivating to look on the child's positive
aspects. If the focus is on the negative, the scene will be set at school and home for
a worse future than need be. Do you ever see a negative salesman?
Therefore, I can say as parent, I have bought the Kindle and love the
information. Educators, it is a quick reference in concise brief content. If I were
still teaching it would be a must have; especially for new teachers.
To sum it up, the title does this for me, "A Best Practice Guide to
Assessment and Intervention for Autism and Asperger Syndrome in Schools."
Lee Wilkinson Ph.D is the very skillful, dedicated and educated author. ISBN
number is 13:97814905117. Amazon paperback price is $24.65. Barnes and Noble
weighs in higher for a paperback at $29.25. A used book advertised on Amazon goes for around $18.92. For the price, I'd like the new book myself.