" In a box not a bottle" Asperger's revealed

[Silverbirch]

Wow, sounds cool With Love! All the best for the special little girl in your life. I'm such a big admirer of Temple Grandin. Quite some time ago, I tried to get the Oliver Sacks novel " Anthropologist from Mars" which is based on Temple Grandin. Did you know that Monty Roberts, the famous horse whisperer and trainer won't let any single person in the world in a round pen with him while he is with a horse except for Temple Grandin. She is the only person he trusts for that. He is not just some type of weirdo - even Queen Elizabeth has employed him to retrain some of his horses - and he has retrained race horses who spook at the starter gate. People in the racing industry and also the dressage people are usually have absolutely no regard for natural horsemanship - but a lot of them believe in his abilities. I have wondered if he might have Aspie as well or some traits. That other woman I mentioned, Lianne is also a brilliant horsewoman. It's surprising how many people on the A spectrum have this thing going with horses. . . And dogs . . . And most animals actually.

[WithLove]

Temple Grandin has this amazing ability of being able to design, in her head, the perfect layout of almost any structure - from farms to animal pens to agricultural layouts.

[Silverbirch]

Oh yeah, did you see the movie on her life with Clair Danes? It was very good.

[Seraphim]

Hi WithLove,

 

Absolutely ,they can be totally brilliant even without language. If you have Netflix watch the documentary ; A Mother's Courage : Talking Back to Autism. A lot of the children in that documentary are nonverbal. And some are particularly brilliant. There is also a woman who teaches the nonverbal to communicate that might be something for your boyfriend's daughter.

 

Yeah ,I can't believe that a parent would disadvantage or harm their own child just to make an ex partner pay that's just so foreign to me. It is pretty disgusting.

[WithLove]

Oh yeah, did you see the movie on her life with Clair Danes? It was very good.

 

No, I didn't know about this movie, but I will definitely look for it. Do you know if it's on Netflix?

[Silverbirch]

Will see what I can find out. I have never used Netfix, but I think the movie was simply called "Temple Grandin". Something a bit quirky, I saw a very old photo obviously, of Annie Oakley, and Temple Grandin bears a striking resemblance to me. The life story of the real Annie Oakley is very touching. She was an alcoholic who used to get into brawls with men, but she was an extremely caring and compassionate person, and nursed a tribe of native Americans through a deadly plague. Sorry, maybe you know that.

[Silverbirch]

Here is the Youtube trailer of the movie

 

 

[Silverbirch]

So sorry, I meant to say that I saw a strong resemblance to me anyway between Temple Grandin an Calamity Jane Not Annie Oakley. It was Calamity Jane who was the folk hero.

[Seraphim]

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[Silverbirch]

doesn't surprise me at all Vic. I have worked with several girls with Retts - one for a couple of years, and I read that there had been a major breakthrough in Scotland which is believed will eventually lead to a successful treatment if early intervention is sought.

[Seraphim]

doesn't surprise me at all Vic. I have worked with several girls with Retts - one for a couple of years, and I read that there had been a major breakthrough in Scotland which is believed will eventually lead to a successful treatment if early intervention is sought.

 

There is so much research lately.

[Seraphim]

The other day my son was doing really great at socialization. He looked at the waitress when he ordered. Also when we left Canadian Tire there was a man checking bags and the man said to us have a good day and my son looked at him and said and to you.

 

Also when we were at the restaurant we had to wait a little bit so we were seated in the waiting area. An older lady came in with a cane so I let her sit down and then my son stood up and said how about you Mom, you need a seat, here you can have my seat.

[WithLove]

That's so great, Vic! Moments like that just want to make you grab your son and hug him forever, don't they?

 

When C calls for his daughter every evening, she presses the buttons on her mom's phone. She has a certain sequence for mom and dad each. It's cute

[Seraphim]

It is awesome and you have to celebrate the little victories! With the little victories we win the big war.

 

Does your boyfriend's daughter connect with him over phone calls using a certain code?

[WithLove]

Yes, she presses the same buttons for her dad every time.

[Seraphim]

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[Seraphim]

I talked to the lady with the ABA videos and she pointed out some more appropriate to my situation.

[Seraphim]

My brother's girlfriend is going to try and help us get services here. She works for the autism Society back home. She's also going to try and help us get our caregivers tax credit from the government. This time I'm not gonna hold my breath. But if it works out great!

[Seraphim]

My son can finally wear thicker winter gloves! Ever since he's been a baby it's been the devil to find a pair gloves that he will wear. They annoy his hands as he says it. Well last night he tried on a pair of thicker gloves and he said hey I can wear these my hands are not annoyed! Woohoo! I will pick them up later today.

[Seraphim]

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[Seraphim]

Tonight I'm joining an online meeting for transitioning into adulthood.

[Seraphim]

It was a great meeting through an app called GoToMeeting. That way people from all over Ontario were able to talk to each other. And see the presentation that the facilitator was presenting. I did it through my iPhone instead of my computer so that way I could go to my room and listen to the meeting in private. The meeting was given by a lady who offers a program for transitioning from high school into adult life for people with Asperger's specifically. She gave me some really good ideas on how to teach my son specific life skills. I will mention some tomorrow if I have time.

[Seraphim]

[The following is from Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders: DSM IV]Asperger's

(I) Qualitative impairment in social interaction, as manifested by at least two of the following:

(A) marked impairments in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors such as eye-to-eye gaze, facial expression, body posture, and gestures to regulate social interaction

(B) failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to developmental level

© a lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interest or achievements with other people, (e.g.. by a lack of showing, bringing, or pointing out objects of interest to other people)

(D) lack of social or emotional reciprocity

(II) Restricted repetitive & stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests and activities, as manifested by at least one of the following:

(A) encompassing preoccupation with one or more stereotyped and restricted patterns of interest that is abnormal either in intensity or focus

(B) apparently inflexible adherence to specific, nonfunctional routines or rituals

© stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms (e.g. hand or finger flapping or twisting, or complex whole-body movements)

(D) persistent preoccupation with parts of objects

 

(III) The disturbance causes clinically significant impairments in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.

 

(IV) There is no clinically significant general delay in language (E.G. single words used by age 2 years, communicative phrases used by age 3 years)

 

(V) There is no clinically significant delay in cognitive development or in the development of age-appropriate self help skills, adaptive behavior (other than in social interaction) and curiosity about the environment in childhood.

[Seraphim]

Often described as “little policemen” or “little professors”, individuals with AS have a good rote memory and a love of rules. However, due to deficits in fluid thinking and problem solving, they often have difficulty applying the rules and generalizing behavior. While the rules may be readily committed to memory, applying them, recognizing exceptions, and executing the behaviors with appropriate timing, is another matter.

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[Seraphim]

Diagnostic Features

 

This lifelong disorder is present from age 3. Intellectual capacity and language development is normal (unlike lower-functioning individuals with autism). Individuals with this disorder are socially isolated (because of their trouble reading social cues and recognizing other people's feelings, plus their avoidance of eye contact). They often obsessively pursue a single interest and talk about little else. They have strange ritualistic behaviors or mannerisms and a strong adherence to routine. Extensive support in school is needed to correct their poor communication skills, obsessive or repetitive routines, and physical clumsiness. Adults with this disorder need considerable social and financial support to live independent of their parents. Even with extensive family and community support; most adults with this disorder are unemployed, single and socially isolated.

New Evidence Shows That Autism Begins During Pregnancy

 

Researchers have found that there are patches of disorganization in the neocortex of the frontal and temporal lobes of the brains of children with autism. These brain abnormalities are present in the second and third trimester of pregnancy. This research conclusively shows that autism begins during pregnancy, but what causes this prenatal brain disorganization is still not known.

 

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