tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72234192166149666522024-03-15T18:09:09.489-07:00Ido In AutismlandI am an autistic guy with a message. I spent the first half of my life completely trapped in silence. The second - on becoming a free soul. I had to fight to get an education. Now I am a regular education student. I communicate by typing on an iPad or a letter board. My book, "Ido in Autismland" is now available on Amazon. It is an autism diary, telling the story of my symptoms, education, and journey into communication. I hope to help other autistic people find a way out of their silence too.Idohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12598537052217431699noreply@blogger.comBlogger176125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223419216614966652.post-69274729718348518152014-04-23T21:16:00.001-07:002014-04-23T21:16:57.179-07:00My blog has moved!My blog address has changed. Please go to <a href="http://www.idoinautismland.com/">www.idoinautismland.com</a> for my latest posts and films. <br />
Thank you!Idohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12598537052217431699noreply@blogger.com854tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223419216614966652.post-1352003787951468902014-02-16T15:45:00.000-08:002014-02-16T15:45:11.590-08:00A Challenge to Autism Professionals<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
The theories regarding autism have been based on observation
of our odd behaviors. Lists of these behaviors make a diagnosis. I have limited
independence in selfcare. I have limited eye contact. I have flat affect often.
I can’t express my ideas verbally. I have poor fine motor control. I have
impaired initiation. I have impaired gross motor control. I have difficulty
controlling intense emotions. I have impulse control challenges and self stimulatory behavior.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Whew. When I write that it sounds pretty bad, but I function
adequately in this world. I am now 17 and I am a fulltime high school student
in a general education program. I am in Honors Chemistry, Honors US History and
Honors English. I am in Algebra 2, Spanish and Animal Sciences. I get straight
As. I work out with a trainer 2 or 3 times a week to get fit. I study piano. I
hike, cook, and help take care of a horse. I am invited to speak at universities and
autism agencies. I am the author of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Ido-Autismland-Climbing-Autisms-Silent/dp/0988324709/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1390458886&sr=1-1&keywords=ido+in+autismland" target="_blank"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ido in Autismland</i></a>, and a blogger as well. I have friends.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I say this, not to brag, but to let you know that people
like me, with severe autism, who act weirdly and who can’t speak, are not less
human, as Dr. Lovaas suggested, and are not doomed to live lives of rudimentary
information and bored isolation<a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/local/autism/la-me-autism-day-one-html,0,1218038.htmlstory#ixzz2tWwMPs7m" target="_blank">.( “You have a person in a physical sense — they have hair, a nose and a mouth — but they are not people in the psychological sense,” the late Ivar Lovaas, a UCLA researcher, said in a 1974 interview with Psychology Today).</a></div>
<br />
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
I communicate by typing on an iPad with an app that has both
word prediction and voice output. I also<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>communicate by using good, old-fashioned letterboard pointing. If I had
not been taught to point to letters or to type without tactile support, many
people would never have realized that my mind was intact.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My childhood was not easy because I had no means to
communicate at all, despite my 40 hours a week of intensive ABA therapy. I
pointed to flashcards and I touched my nose, but I had no means to convey that
I thought deeply, understood everything, but was locked internally.
Meticulously collected data showed my incorrect answers to flashcard drills,
but the limitations of theory are in the interpretations.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My mistakes were proof to my instructors of my lack of
comprehension or intelligence, so we did the same boring, baby lessons year
after boring year. How I dreamed of being able to communicate the truth then to
my instructors and my family too, but I had no way to express my ideas. All
they gave me was the ability to request foods and basic needs.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Here is what I would have told them if I could have when I
was small. My body isn’t under my mind’s complete control. I know the right
answer to these thrilling flashcards, unfortunately my hand isn’t fully under
my control either. My body is often ignoring my thoughts. I look at my
flashcards. You ask me to touch ‘tree,’ for example, and though I can clearly
differentiate between tree, house, boy and whatever cards you have arrayed, my
hand doesn’t consistently obey me. My mind is screaming, “Don’t touch house!”
It goes to house. Your notes say, “Ido is frustrated in session today.” Yes,
frustration often occurs when you can’t show your intelligence and neurological
forces impede communication between mind and body and experts then conclude that
you are not cognitively processing human speech.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In my childhood I feared I would remain stuck forever in
this horrible trap, but I was truly fortunate to be freed when I was 7 when my
mother realized my mind was intact, and both my parents searched to find a way
to help me communicate without tactile support.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thousands of autistic people like me live life in isolation
and loneliness, denied education, condemned to baby talk and high fives, and
never able to express a thought. The price of assuming that nonverbal people
with autism have impaired thinking is a high one to families and to people who
live in solitary confinement within their own bodies. It is high time
professionals rethought their theories.</div>
Idohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12598537052217431699noreply@blogger.com48tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223419216614966652.post-46723751807646720042014-01-27T22:55:00.000-08:002014-01-27T23:22:20.687-08:00Challenging and Changing Perspectives<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
By Edlyn Pena, guest blogger</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
As a researcher who studies ways to support the access and success of students with autism in higher education and a mom to a handsome six-year old son who uses an iPad to communicate, I aim to help Ido advance his message to educators, professionals, and caregivers. My objective here is to provide context and encourage you to learn more about approaches that enable nonverbal individuals to spell and type to communicate. I’ve received criticism for endorsing approaches like Rapid Prompting Method (RPM) because they are not evidence-based. There is still much speculation in the autism community about the legitimacy of RPM and other approaches that teach pointing to letters and typing. Research on these methods are lacking. I understand that professionals will continue to question these methods until they are rigorously studied and published in peer reviewed journals. I am the first to believe in well-designed research studies. As an academic, I also believe in being open to new possibilities, ideas, and presuming competence in individuals on the spectrum. Without this openness, I would have never exposed my own son, Diego, to RPM. He would not be where he is today with regard to sharing how autism affects him daily (e.g. “Paying attention is tiring”) and to articulating unusual ideas (e.g. “Eight elephants play in a new kind of ecosystem”). I would not know the level of depth of thought and curiosity hidden in his mind. Diego’s voice is now being heard. <br />
<br />
Ido is a pioneer in advancing our knowledge about autism and people with complex communication challenges. Ido's book, <i>Ido in Autismland</i>, is by far the most powerful book I have read about autism. Other authors write compelling books about autism, prompting us to think about those on the autism spectrum. But Ido is different. He is extraordinary because he<i> </i>changes<i> </i>the way we <i>think</i> about autism. He disrupts our misguided notions that lack of speech equates to lack of intelligence; that students with autism are impoverished of expressing or recognizing emotions; and that all students who are non-verbal belong in special day classes without the opportunity for inclusion. Contrary to many of the messages the world receives on a daily basis about people with autism, Ido’s book tells us that the minds of people with autism are as complex, creative, and intelligent as yours and mine.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
<br />
On a personal level, reading Ido’s book was transformative and allowed my relationship with my son to turn a corner. I now talk to Diego like I would any other smart and capable 6-year-old. I make efforts to talk <i>to</i> Diego, not <i>about</i> him, when he’s in the room. Ido, Diego, and children like them are nonverbal, affected by autism, and brilliant. By typing to communicate, they blow us away with their complex insights, imaginative ideas, and witty humor.<br />
<br />
If you are a professional in the autism field, I invite you to think outside of the box about what “conventional wisdom” on autism tells us. Without doubt, this takes courage. It means acknowledging that we do not know everything about autism. You might learn, as I did, that our perceptions about the capabilities of non-verbal individuals are wrong. Rather than dismiss RPM or other approaches to support typing, I encourage you to educate yourself about the approaches. Interact with individuals who have learned to type. Read Ido’s book or watch videos of children and teenagers who point to letter boards or type independently. For example,</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wvn7kYJyOFM">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wvn7kYJyOFM</a><br />
<br />
And, of course, Ido has posted great video clips of him typing on this website. For example, <br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLtQWXdDCFo">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLtQWXdDCFo</a><br />
<br />
From one professional to another and from one parent to another, I urge you to take a chance to learn more before dismissing approaches to support our children who otherwise have limited means to communicate. We have the power to make real change by enabling the individuals we care for and serve to communicate in rich and meaningful ways.<br />
<br />
-Edlyn Vallejo Peña, Ph.D.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
www.EdlynPena.com</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Assistant Professor</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Graduate School of Education California Lutheran University</div>
Idohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12598537052217431699noreply@blogger.com50tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223419216614966652.post-74602286761756489402014-01-08T00:19:00.001-08:002014-01-08T00:19:47.679-08:00Autism and the Challenge of Rapid Motor Planning and Initiation in New Situations<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="envelope address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="endnote reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Acronym"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Preformatted"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Table"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="44" Name="Plain Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="45" Name="Plain Table 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="40" Name="Grid Table Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 2"/>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
My high school has an old farm because it has a magnet program
for intensive studies in veterinary science and agriculture. It is really nice because
the students care for the animals. Over vacation we have to feed them. There are
rabbits, hens, sheep, goats, a horse and a llama. The goats are intelligent and
eager to escape to eat leaves. They have the same lock the sheep have on their
pen. The sheep can’t open it but the goats open it with ease. To stay in, they
require an additional chain and clasp lock and if it isn’t on just right, they
escape.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Today was my turn to feed, water, clean and exercise the
animals (that is, I exercise and clean the horse and feed and water the rest).
We went to give the goats fresh water and in a flash they opened the gate and
rushed out to eat leaves. They group up and run away and resist you too so it
can be a struggle to get them back in, and the first ones you catch only want
to escape to get back to the leaves and their friends.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I was watching this because I was with my mom who asked me
to help her with the gate. I am able to do everything I need to do, more or
less, but it felt frustrating today because I saw that I still react so slowly
in a moment that required speed. I knew I needed to move fast because she had a
goat at the gate and didn’t want to lock up the gate completely since there
were more she had to put back in the pen. They struggle to get back to their
leaves with great intensity and it is a pain to hold a struggling goat with one
hand and fumble with a lock with the other.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Autism is an initiation disorder too. I see where I should
go and I stay frozen. Doing new tasks is tough because our bodies need to learn
the steps. The steps in this moment would be clear to a neuro-typical body, but
not to mine. Though my mind knew what to do, it just wasn’t ready to react in
time. This is frustrating personally, but perhaps even worse is that our
difficulty initiating certain responses confuses many specialists who then assume
we don’t understand logic and basic problem solving.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It isn’t the thinking that’s the problem. It is the ability
to react and follow our thoughts that we struggle with. I see my
skills have improved, because eventually I got to the gate and held it against
goats pushing with all their might to escape again. In the end, we got them all back in. Maybe next time we should let them out on purpose so I can get more
practice reacting to emergency situations more quickly.</div>
Idohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12598537052217431699noreply@blogger.com62tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223419216614966652.post-70274688358179537212013-12-30T19:15:00.000-08:002013-12-30T19:15:26.892-08:00False (Deprivation of) HopeBy guest blogger, Tracy Kedar<br />
<br />
A few weeks ago my friend’s elderly father was hospitalized. At the time he was confused, agitated and had worrisome physical symptoms. A doctor told my friend that she should place her father in a hospice, that his death was imminent. “What?” she responded, “He was driving just last week!” “Well,” said the doctor abruptly, “he isn’t now." <br />
<br />
Today he is back home, back on his feet, and more active than he has been in months following the correct treatment of his symptoms by a different doctor. “What that doctor did was rob me of my hope for my father. I was crushed by his verdict and he turned out to be completely wrong,” she told me.<br />
<br />
How can we fight when we are told something is hopeless? When there is no point in hoping we must be resigned and accept. When Ido was around six a doctor we saw who specialized in autism said that over the next few years it would become obvious whether Ido would be able to improve or would spend his life as a "low functioning" autistic person. This was prior to him having any communication and his true potential was totally unknown to us. She was preparing us to accept the low remedial, low expectations prognosis she saw as inevitable at that point.<br />
<br />
I was thinking about these stories, and so many others, of professionals advising people to abandon what they saw as false hope, and then having their dire predictions turn out to be wrong. These professionals advised false deprivation of hope, in my opinion.<br />
<br />
I have heard a few people suggest that Ido’s book may cause disappointment to parents whose children with autism may not learn to type as he does. Perhaps they believe that people with autism who have the potential to learn how to communicate their ideas are such rare exceptions that it is better if they keep silent and not give parents a chance to dream that their child too might have that capacity. Better to have low expectations, this reasoning goes, than to strive for more and have hopes dashed. Keep expectations low like this and you guarantee disappointment.<br />
<br />
Every autistic person I know who now can express his or her ideas through typing was once thought to be receptive language impaired and low functioning intellectually. No teacher would have looked at them as children and said, “That one will be a fluent eloquent communicator.” That is because their outside appearance belied their inner capacity. Every parent of these children gambled and decided to pursue letterboard and typing without any guarantee of success.<br />
<br />
Since Ido began typing a number of children we know personally also began to get instruction in use of letterboard and typing on an iPad or other assistive technology, either by Soma Mukhopadhyay at halo.org or in another method. And every single one of them has proven themselves able to communicate. Some are more proficient than others, but none had zero capacity. (This is different than rote drills of typing and copying done in many schools. This is specialized training in typing as a form of communication).<br />
<br />
How would it have been compassionate to these children and their parents to lower their hope to the point that they would not even try these methods? Shakespeare said. “Better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.” In this case I would change it to, “Better to have tried and not succeeded than never to have tried at all,” because success may very well be the result.<br />
<br />
Ido describes his experience of autism as being trapped in his own body, with a mind that understands and a body that doesn’t obey. Every nonverbal autistic communicator that we know of has expressed the same thing. How many more are waiting to find a way to express their thoughts and receive an education? Diminished expectations helps no one. I do not believe hope in this case is false, but rather, the denial of hope through misunderstanding and low expectations is what is false.
Idohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12598537052217431699noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223419216614966652.post-28075606203256560062013-12-24T17:31:00.000-08:002013-12-24T17:31:46.277-08:00The Courage to Hear, to Learn, to Change<div class="MsoNormal">
Guts means the courage to change. My book, my speeches, and my
efforts have challenged people who have gotten accustomed to seeing severe autism
in a traditional way. We need rudimentary lessons. We need drills to learn
words, understand emotions, recognize the people in our lives, notice gender.
We need baby talk because we don’t understand English or speech. We need
M&Ms because we have no motivation. It is an illusion to imagine we can be
more.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So, I am honored and amazed when parents and educators write
to me that my explanations changed this thinking after years of seeing it one
way. One person said it “hit him like an anvil on the head." One described how
he was, “shaken to the core.” One mom wrote a long letter about how she had
always believed that the potential for her son to type was “delusional,” but
after reading my book she understood how he could be smart but trapped
internally. Now she types with him freely. He is 20 and finally able to
communicate his ideas and finally is seen as intelligent. Brave moms, Brave
dads, because they now have to face systems that have to look at why their
methods could not see this possibility in the person with autism.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I now speak normally with my son and it has changed
everything,” I hear over and over. “I see my students differently,” I hear as
well. One brave teacher wrote that she now wonders if she has been going at it
wrong for decades. Kudos to them for thinking openly. It is guts.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I will tell you one lady with guts is my old teacher from
when I was small. I write in my book how I loved her in spite of my frustration
and boredom in her class due to babyish lessons and repetition. Fate has plans
and recently my mom ran into her many times after years of no contact. After several
weeks she told my mom she would like to read my book. I knew it would be
painful for her because I talk about her- not by name, but she would know. I
wrote her a note. After reading my book she came to my mom with a letter for
me. She wrote that she tried to read it through my eyes. She was powerfully
impacted and was determined to teach differently, to see her students
differently too. She has been teaching a long time. This is guts and I admire
her.</div>
Idohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12598537052217431699noreply@blogger.com91tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223419216614966652.post-48681391347129129762013-12-22T17:45:00.001-08:002013-12-22T17:45:50.930-08:00Story in the TimesI have been cooperating with a reporter from the Los Angeles Times, <a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/readers/2008/12/tom-curwen.html" target="_blank">Tom Curwen</a>, and a photographer, <a href="http://framework.latimes.com/who-we-are/genaro-molina/" target="_blank">Genaro Molina</a>, since last April. It appears in today's Sunday Times. Here is the <a href="http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-c1-autismland-20131222-dto,0,7512437.htmlstory#axzz2oFqniXWg" target="_blank">story</a>. Idohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12598537052217431699noreply@blogger.com112tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223419216614966652.post-31983348915749468652013-12-19T23:17:00.000-08:002013-12-27T10:44:19.343-08:00Turning the Titanic<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Guest Post</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">By Tami Barmache </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">We
live in an exciting time! A time when people are starting to think that maybe
the children and adults that we were certain were receptively and cognitively challenged are
actually bright, literate, capable, and gravely underestimated. As a mom of one of these
underestimated children, it certainly feels like change is in the air. The tide is turning! </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><br />
It may be like turning the Titanic, but maybe once we start to build momentum
and inertia takes over, there will actually be a paradigm shift that will change the lives of
countless incredible, bright and often misunderstood individuals. We are missing out on so many gifts
and insights. If people only knew! <br />
<br />
My heart is beating fast just thinking about how I feel every time my son,
Dillan, shares his thoughts with me. Everything from simple opinions, to funny stories, and
profound insights. It's life changing for all of us. He feels like his life began when he started to
communicate. That's not an easy thing for a mother to hear, but it's honest, and I can only imagine
how limited his world was when he had no way to express himself. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Dillan began his journey to
communication when he was 10 years old. I fought hard within myself to dig deep and follow
through with the practice, but Dillan’s resistance, and mine, often led us astray. We were
fortunate to have Tracy and Ido to re-motivate and inspire us along the way. I remember sitting in the
park with them one afternoon looking for some words to propel me forward again. Ido told me that
“autism is a deep pit…don’t give up.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">I never gave up. I urged his teachers and therapists
to see who he truly was, to raise the bar, to give him the opportunities he deserved. I don't know
if my desperation was apparent from the outside, but inside I was screaming. "Don't you
see????" I showed video of him doing math and writing stories, explained the process, and tried so
hard…so hard. But sometimes a journey has it's pace, no matter your plan. It took several years
and the right support in place to finally achieve the daily communication and learning opportunities
that Dillan has now. <br />
<br />
Today, things are finally moving in the right direction. I must admit that it
is taking Dillan a bit longer to become fluid in his typing with me than it has with some others. That being said, we are getting “our groove” and
improving every day. We will have to work together to sort through the pain, frustration and
hopelessness that Dillan experienced all of those years, but it's never too late to find a
voice…never too late! </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">documentary
"Wretches and Jabberers" features two incredible men who began typing
later in life, and I'm sure many other have been able to communicate after years of
silence as well. It's never too late. As parents, there are a lot of intense feelings to face in this
process, but none of them compare to their sentence of silence, so we have to take a deep breath,
support them, push for them, and celebrate who they are and have always been. It's painful. But we
can do it. We must do it…for them. But we don’t have to do it alone. We can build a community
to support each other, and to provide opportunities for learning and practice.<br />
<br />
We all need communication. Real communication.<br />
<br />
As Larry Bissonnette (from "Wretches and Jabberers") said so well at
a recent event: "Operating pictures on a board brings you cheeseburger, typing lets you create the
menu."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
Idohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12598537052217431699noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223419216614966652.post-50974472011564710092013-10-15T15:14:00.000-07:002013-10-15T15:15:29.356-07:00How Do You Talk to a Nonverbal Person with Autism?<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
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Guest Post</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
By Tracy Kedar (my mom)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“High five, Ido,” the earnest young woman said, greeting my
son for the first time as they were about to work together. “Uh-oh,” I thought,
“bad start.” "Good job. High five," she said to him over and over.</div>
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Ido has nonverbal autism and can’t speak. At that moment,
due to the nature of the activity, he did not have immediate access to his
letterboard or iPad, so he had no means to tell the nice, well-meaning young woman
that he hates being told, “high five,” and “good job,” and that he hates being
spoken to as if he were three (he is seventeen), and to please talk normally to
him.</div>
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<br /></div>
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I thought, “Okay, say something now before this becomes a
pattern and he becomes insulted.” As tactfully as I could, I mentioned to her
that Ido doesn’t like “high five.” He wants to be spoken to normally. “But this
is how I talk to everyone,” she replied.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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Really? She goes to a party, walks up to her friend, or the
attractive young man she wants to meet, lifts her palm and says, “high five” in
that particular tone of voice? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She palm-slaps
friends she passes at work, the cashier in the market, her doctor? I didn’t
think so. Perhaps if she hung out exclusively with two year olds she talked to
everyone like this. Otherwise, let’s assume she gives people with autism or
other special needs, special communication. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My son, Ido Kedar, is a high school junior, and despite his
severe nonverbal autism, he is the author of a book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Ido-Autismland-Climbing-Autisms-Silent/dp/0988324709/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1381874824&sr=1-1&keywords=ido+in+autismland" target="_blank"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ido in Autismland; Climbing Out of Autism’s Silent Prison</i></a>, is a
<a href="http://www.idoinautismland.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">blogger</a>,
is an honors fulltime general education high school student, and is a frequent
guest lecturer at universities and autism conferences. His vocabulary is huge,
his intellect, fully intact.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Knowing this, or even a small bit of this, I had to wonder, why
would <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">anyone</i> talk to Ido in this
infantile manner? Why talk to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">anybody</i>
like this? The answer is that many people with special education training have
been programmed to believe that autistic people need speech broken down to
simple components to help deal with the assumed receptive language or cognitive
delay. Talking in this way is deeply habituated for many people who assume it
is the right thing to do for every person with special needs. Otherwise, why
say, “high five, good job,” instead of, “excellent effort. That was
outstanding.” Hear the difference? Autistic people do too.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Recently, Ido had an unexpected encounter with a professional
who spoke to him like this; “He knows I know he’s smart, right, bud? We’ve got
a thing, right, bud?” Enduring a situation he found pointless and patronizing
and which pulled him away from an academic class which mattered to him, Ido
stewed and finally replied as an irate teenager would and typed, “F---<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>this.”</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The question is, would this professional talk to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">any </i>other high school student like this,
let alone a high achieving honors student? We all know the answer is no.
Professionals too often talk <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">about</i>
the person (“He knows…”) and not <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">to</i>
the person (“You know…”).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They talk in
childish tones and reduced vocabulary. The message is, “I say I know you’re
smart but I treat you like I think you’re not.” To which Ido says, “Enough!”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In his book, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ido in</i>
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Autismland</i>, Ido wrote in his essay, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">How</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I
Would Have Liked to Have Been Taught</i>,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
If I could educate the specialists,
the first thing I’d recommend is to talk normally to autistic kids. No more,
“Go car,” “Close door,” “Hands quiet,” or the like. It’s stupid to talk this
way. Some teachers used tones to make words more distinct or over-enunciated
sounds, like “letter” made with a “t” sound, not a “d” sound like we use in
America. They sounded so silly I often rolled my eyes inside. (p 55)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When Ido was little, before he could type and we didn’t know
what was locked inside, we used to speak to him in this simplified way, as we
had been instructed to by autism professionals. We went through a terrible
episode when he was small when he grunted continuously every few seconds all
day long. He couldn’t stop and we tried all the traditional behavioral
techniques of extinction, or telling him, “no,” or “mouth quiet,” to no avail.
Finally, in desperation, I told him in totally normal language before a car
drive that his grunting was distracting to me while I drove and I told him that
he needed to make every effort to not do it for the duration of the drive. To
my amazement, he did. From that point on, even before he had communication
output, I gave him the benefit of the doubt and the respect of normal communication
input.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Regularly, Ido gets letters from parents telling him that
they now speak normally to their child with autism, thanks to his advice, and
that their child is responding positively. Ido has asked professionals to
ponder, if you had duct tape over your mouth and around your hands, would that
mean you couldn’t understand speech? How would you like people to talk to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">you</i> if you were in that situation? How
do <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">you</i> talk to a nonverbal autistic
person?</div>
Idohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12598537052217431699noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223419216614966652.post-77041774970269706942013-10-10T17:19:00.000-07:002013-10-10T17:19:47.143-07:00Valuing Your Education<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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My Spanish teacher had a meltdown in class a few weeks ago.
Lots of kids were rude and disrespectful to her. She said, “I quit,” sat down
and did nothing. After that, until I got switched to another Spanish class, we
had subs. I actually wanted to learn Spanish and she was nice to me so I felt
disappointed when this happened. She burned out in front of us. </div>
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I have been wondering why the students in that class had
such terrible attitudes. I realize some have difficult home lives or have homes
that don’t focus on learning, but to me the indifference to learning is puzzling.
In my case, I fought so hard to be allowed to learn and to have a career one
day. How come they waste their chance to get an education? It makes me very sad
because the kids are decent people. They are nice to me and treat me with
decency, but they are not nice to the teacher and don’t respect her. But I think
even sadder is their lack of respect for their own futures. I think they can’t
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I was imprisoned by my body and trapped with no education in
school year after year when I was small. I know that an education is a gift,
but they feel it is a prison. I wish I could help them to see how to value it.</div>
Idohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12598537052217431699noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223419216614966652.post-38796093997479895912013-10-02T22:27:00.000-07:002013-10-02T22:27:07.558-07:00Silent FightersMe, Carly, Tito, Elizabeth, Naoki.<br />
Who are we? Silent fighters, that's who. I love the flood of books by nonverbal autistic people. It is time to be advocating for ourselves. Why forever must the theories of scholars be listened to over the people with autism themselves?<br />
Is it possible Ivar Lovaas or Bruno Bettelheim knows autism better than I do?<br />
The momentum is beginning. Here we come!Idohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12598537052217431699noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223419216614966652.post-14025833459015629502013-08-10T21:55:00.000-07:002013-08-10T21:55:21.398-07:00One in a Million, or SoHave you noticed how many new books are coming out by severely autistic, non-verbal people? If you look at my book on Amazon you can see many other books recently published by teens who type. I am glad to see it. Routinely experts claim we are one in a million if we get out of rememdial education and communicate fluently. I think the number is too high. If more and more autistic authors have books we each are less than one in a million, right? Maybe by now it's 1 in 10,000 or so (Drat, I'm not so special after all, ha ha). Maybe every severely autistic person in the world will have to write a book to end this theory. Since we all express the same message of intact mind and impaired motor control, when will the theories shift to the truth?<br />
<br />
Option 1- We are all fake trained monkeys scamming you.<br />
Option 2- We are one in a million (and going down).<br />
Option 3- We don't have autism. (It's miraculously cured once we type, lol).<br />
Option 4- The theories are wrong.<br />
<br />
If all non-verbal writers have the same message, that is something to consider, isn't it?Idohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12598537052217431699noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223419216614966652.post-80988887277063025762013-06-22T16:36:00.005-07:002013-06-22T16:36:56.861-07:00More on Autism and Fitness<a href="http://www.voiceamerica.com/episode/71138/physical-fitness-and-autism" target="_blank">Here is an interesting interview</a> on Autism Spectrum Radio with my trainer, Mike Ramirez, (who recently wrote a guest post here), on autism and physical fitness. We can be fit too.Idohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12598537052217431699noreply@blogger.com32tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223419216614966652.post-44695434835708578502013-06-05T22:16:00.001-07:002013-06-05T22:16:37.635-07:00Opening of my Remarks at CSUN Department of Special Education Commencement <br />
<br />
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">It is a great honor to speak to future teachers in special
education. I began my life in special education of the most restrictive sort.
My early years had to be my hardest because I had no voice at all. I want to
challenge you to be open to teaching those who may currently lack the ability
to show their intelligence, but who still deserve the opportunity to learn.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is hard to be a
teacher of kids who don’t communicate. The kids don't have writing, or
gestures, or speech, or facial expressions, but that doesn’t mean they can’t
think. Lack of communication isn’t only a sign of cognitive delay. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">I’ll give you an idea of my early life in my low, remedial
autism class. My teacher was warm, but there was no instruction of any kind
beyond the weather, 1+1, and ABC. Forever. I think it is pretty boring, don’t
you? It is worse when people treat you like you’re not intelligent. Baby talk
and high fives and “good jobs” instead of normal communication.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">I think the idea that all non-verbal people with autism have
receptive language processing delay is not accurate. I don’t have receptive
language issues but I sat in this classroom for years, unable to show my true
capacity.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">It is important to not be overly confident or certain when
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open-mind, because more kids than you imagine are like me. How people escape
this prison varies, but we must have the opportunity.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">I feel that you, who are embarking on new careers in special
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kid like me before letter board or iPad – who just can’t get his ideas
out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To be a great teacher you can’t be
his prison guard. To be a great teacher you must find intelligence and give the
hope of freedom in communication. To be a great teacher you must give a real
education to those kids who may look stupid in the eyes of many, but who think,
and feel, and pray every day for the chance to show who they are inside.</span></div>
Idohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12598537052217431699noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223419216614966652.post-69755298991675965022013-05-08T22:20:00.000-07:002013-05-08T22:20:26.489-07:00Creating a Fitness Program for People with Autism<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
by guest blogger, Michael Ramirez</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
www.special-fit.com</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Recently I received a call from a parent asking if I
could fitness train an autistic child. I</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
had been a high school baseball coach for over 10 years.
Much of my expertise in fitness</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
had come from various experiences in working with
athletes in strength and conditioning</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
programs, working in fitness centers, through textbook
study, and apprenticing other</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
fitness experts. I also had 10 years of experience
working as a behaviorist with autistic</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
children. I had a sound understanding of both areas, but
this was an opportunity to</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
combine the two. I quickly discovered that despite the
fact that people with autism face</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
many physical challenges, there wasn’t much information
out there or programs that</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
addressed this area. In order to work with this child, I
would have to start from scratch</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
and develop a program tailored specifically for him.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
When I began my research, I started to think about what
was available to the autism</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
community. School programs, like Adaptive PE, really
didn’t address the issues I was</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
going to try to work on. One problem I saw with APE,
during my years as a behaviorist,</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
is that it focused too much on teaching how to play
certain games or sports, which I</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
found to be too abstract, with not enough focus on
getting the kids to move and use their</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
bodies. Instead of focusing on functional movements,
these programs produced more</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
frustration because of the slow paced activities. I then
questioned why people with autism</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
don’t go to their local gym or just hire a trainer. This
was obvious. First, even if a parent</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
hired a personal trainer to work out their child, there
was no guarantee that the trainer</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
would have any understanding of autism and the challenges
that accompany people</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
living with this condition. Secondly, therapists like
myself, don’t always have the fitness</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
background to be able to work on the fitness side in a
safe and knowledgeable way.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Needless to say there weren’t many resources out there,
so I was going to have to develop</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
a program through the combination of my two experiences
in both the fitness world and</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
as a behaviorist.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
I began to think about all of the different children I
had worked with in the past and the</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
physical challenges they faced each day. Many of the kids
I had seen shared many similar</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
physical characteristics like low muscle tone, poor
coordination, lack of strength, lack</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
of flexibility, balance issues, and overall limitations
in their movements. Then there was</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
the neurological aspect that impacted their physical
functioning. Challenges with motor</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
planning and sensory integration (proprioception and
vestibular) were the most evident.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Communication and behavioral challenges are also common
among children with autism.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Taking this into consideration, it became clear why there
weren’t many programs</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
out there for people with autism. There were so many
issues that made it difficult to</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
produce such a program. Safety was the first thing came
to my mind. Initially I was</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
uncertain how I was even going to get a child with autism
to perform the basic functions</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
of fitness. Although I had a great deal of experience in
working with kids with autism</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
on the behavioral side as well as many experiences
working with neuro-typical people</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
on the fitness end, I had never combined the two. Many
autistic people are very out-of-</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
shape and have significant gaps in their strength and
mobility. With this in mind, I began</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
imagining the process of getting one of my clients to do
a burpee, or a deadlift or to run</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
for an extended period of time, or to be willing to exert
themselves in a way that would</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
get them the types of results that would be necessary for
a physical transformation. This</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
is hard for anyone beginning a fitness program, but is particularly
challenging for an</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
autistic child who may not be used to engaging in any
kind of exercise. I knew that if I</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
was going to get anyone in shape, they would have to be
exposed to “real fitness.” I had</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
worked alongside occupational therapists for many years.
I had seen how they struggled</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
to get children to do some of the things they demanded.
What I was going to require was</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
not like putting a child on a swing. I was going to
demand real workouts with the goal of</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
fitness and progression.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
A couple years back, I had been exposed to the concept of
CrossFit through a family</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
member. I had trained in CrossFit for a couple years when
I began to train my first</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
client with autism. When I started to think about all the
experiences and knowledge I had</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
from the therapeutic and fitness side, CrossFit was a
good match as a means to structure a</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
program specifically tailored for children with autism.
CrossFit scales exercises to the</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
individual. This seemed to connect to the “I” in Stanley
Greenspan’s DIR Floortime</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Model which stands for “individual differences.” Since no
two people are alike, no two</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
people with autism are alike either. Children that I
would be working with needed a</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
specific program to fit their needs. CrossFit allowed
people to progress based on their</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
current fitness level. CrossFit was developed by Coach
Greg Glassman. CrossFit ,com</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
states that Glassman defined “ fitness in a meaningful,
measurable way (increased work</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
capacity across broad time and modal domains). CrossFit
itself is defined as that which</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
optimizes fitness (constantly varied functional movements
performed at relatively high</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
intensity).”</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Many children with autism struggle with flexibility and
range of motion. Proprioceptive</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) was a good answer to
this. Of course I needed to</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
modify its application. PNF was a good way for me to
facilitate stretching without having</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
the student do the work. The combination of this type of
stretching routine and the</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
CrossFit structure, gave me the necessary components
needed to design a good program</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
to fit the needs of people with autism. All I needed to
do was test it.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
I began to work with the family who was in search for a
personal trainer. It was my first</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
opportunity to test my concepts and ideas. There were
many bumps in the road, but the</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
road to success is not always straight, as they say. It
took a while to figure out how to</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
elicit certain movements, capture attention, and promote
motivation. I relied heavily</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
on my experiences working with Dr. Arnold Miller, who
created The Miller Method; a</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
cognitive systems approach to working with kids on the
spectrum. The basic philosophy</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
that I took from his teachings, in the application to
this program, was the use of children’s</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
aberrant systems and transforming them into functional, relevant
activities. For example,</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
one of my athletes likes to take string like objects and
twirl them around. It is a self-</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
stimulatory behavior. I used his motivation to stim on
these objects, to introduce a heavy</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
rope and create a system of functional movements that can
be repeated. It turns “rituals</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
into repertoire”, also a title of one of Dr. Miller’s
books. His philosophy in working with</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
people with autism shifted my view about how to use
certain behaviors that are common</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
to people with autism. I was fortunate enough to have
worked closely with Dr. Miller</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
for several years before his passing. His techniques
worked well in combination with</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
CrossFit methodologies. They simply complimented each
other.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
The philosophy of this workout program is based on three
principles: Neurological/</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Physical/Individual Based (NPI). Neurological Skills, as
it refers to fitness, describes</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
functions like agility, accuracy of movements,
coordination, and balance, as well as body</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
awareness. Physical Skills include characteristics like
strength, flexibility, endurance,</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
stamina, power, etc. The last part takes into
consideration the differences between each</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
individual. Everyone has their own set of skills and
abilities. With children and teens with</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
autism, I needed to consider many different things,
primarily communication (receptive</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
and expressive), cognitive ability, socio-emotional
skills, sensory processing, behavioral</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
challenges, and learning styles. Scaling and modifying
exercises, using the CrossFit</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
methods allowed us to tailor a program specifically for
each individual, while helping</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
them progress through each movement at their own pace.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
The physical components of exercise in relation to people
with autism needed to address</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
the student’s areas of weakness as well as their
strengths. My research emphasized the</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
five basic fundamental movements of fitness: pushing,
pulling, bending, rotation, and</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
locomotion. These foundational movements allow us to work
on basic movements, and</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
build up to more complex and compound movements, through
the use of scaling and</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
prompting. Many autistic kids have difficulties with
these movements. For example, one</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
of my clients has a big frame and was fearful of certain
movements. In our assessment, he</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
was fearful of bending his elbows to lower his upper body
because he thought he would</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
not be able to support his own weight and might flop down
and smash his face into the</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
ground. As a result, he was unable to do a push-up, so
for weeks and months we worked</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
incrementally toward this goal, first by getting him
vertical and pushing off a wall, and</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
then by progressively lowering him horizontally towards
the ground. Today he can push</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
off the ground, and with a little assistance, he can get
his hips up. I know it will be no</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
time before he is doing a full push-up on his own. He has
also made big strides in his</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
ability to bend and squat. Initially he would bend his
knees only very minimally. This</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
impacted on his ability to perform daily functions like
picking up an object from the floor</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
or even sitting down at a desk. A few weeks ago he got
his rear end below his knees for</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
the first time, when doing an air squat, with some
support to maintain balance (holding</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
his hands out in front of his chest). This was a great
accomplishment for him.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
When I began to work with some of my first clients I
noticed many common</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
characteristics. Many of the children had bodies that had
low muscle tone, very weak</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
posterior chain and core muscles, tightness in the lower
half, and very soft upper</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
bodies (Physical). Some of the kids I met had
difficulties with balance, coordination,</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
motor planning, agility, the ability to perform compound
movements, and be accurate</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
in movements (Neuro). There were also deficits in
communication, attention, and</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
behavioral issues, which made it difficult to motivate
them to perform for an extended</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
period of time. Let’s face it; exercise can sometimes be
painful and hard, especially in</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
the beginning. To get the best results in each workout I
focused on strength, compound</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
movements, strengthening a specific muscle groups, and
work on the constant varying</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
functional movements at a high intensity.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
It takes time to get the kids accustomed to the workload,
the pacing, and to gain</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
confidence in the movements. There are times when I need
to be more of a motivational</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
coach, than a fitness coach. It is definitely a process.
All of my students are making gains</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
in one way or another. Working on physical fitness has
its obvious advantages when</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
you consider the health benefits but when it comes to
people with autism, the benefits</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
are even greater. I have received feedback that fitness
training has impacted things like:</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
sleep patterns, energy levels, mood, attention,
communication and behavior. One of</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
my students expressed that exercising helps him to feel
his body better. He also feels</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
it has been helpful with his pointing (typing). Exercise
gives kids with autism added</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
satisfaction and increased self-esteem when they connect
their brain and their body and</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
even strategies to deal with excess energy. Recently, the
mother of a client told me that</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
her son requested to do some pull-ups in the middle of a
behavioral therapy session.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
He then proceeded to continue to perform his own routine
of sit-ups and push-ups in</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
combination until he relaxed.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Fitness is an area that has far too long been under
utilized in the lives of people with</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
autism. My mission is to change that, through my company,
Special-Fit. I want to thank</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
all of my students for inspiring me and helping me
develop this program. It was because</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
of the relationship I’ve created with them and their
families, that forever changed the way</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
I view people with autism. They have taught me more about
breaking through limitations</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
than any other individuals I have met in my lifetime.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Michael Ramirez</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Special-Fit</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Owner and Head Trainer</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
For more information about Special-Fit, visit our website
at www.special-fit.com</div>
Idohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12598537052217431699noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223419216614966652.post-83530361046629321192013-04-25T21:54:00.002-07:002013-04-25T21:54:56.662-07:00Ido in Autismland<a href="http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/Autistic-Teen-Writes-Book-on-an-iPad--204775591.html" target="_blank">Here is my NBC piece</a>. I hope you like it.Idohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12598537052217431699noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223419216614966652.post-54927739933156196852013-04-20T23:35:00.000-07:002013-04-20T23:35:12.246-07:00ForumIt has been a long time since I posted a blog. The purpose of this blog is to express the truth I have experienced in Autismland. I felt happy I had the opportunity to help other people with autism, or their parents, or specialists. To my joy, I have received feedback that my book or blog has transformed the way people see their kids. The feedback from students in grad school and some professionals has also made me hopeful about the future. It is so important for professionals and parents to hear the point-of-view of people with autism. The irony is that we are generally not able to communicate in any of the usual modalities of speaking, writing, gesture, or even facial expressions, so the ability to explain is not yet available to everyone, though I hope one day it will be. Because the message is not mine alone I hope to be presenting the words of other non-verbal people with autism on this blog, as well as parents and professionals. Stay tuned.Idohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12598537052217431699noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223419216614966652.post-25097984214547601262013-04-04T22:43:00.001-07:002013-04-04T22:43:38.911-07:00My Radio Interview for Autism awareness MonthHere is a playable link to the <a href="http://www.voiceamerica.com/episode/68240/the-voice-of-autism" target="_blank">radio interview</a> my mother and I did with Autism Spectrum Therapies in Honor of Autism Awareness month. My interview starts about ten minutes into the broadcast. My segment was pre-recorded because otherwise there would have been a lot of silence while I typed my replies.<br />
Hope you like it.<br />
http://www.voiceamerica.com/guest/16686/ido-kedarIdohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12598537052217431699noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223419216614966652.post-88870342262613966832013-03-16T22:17:00.000-07:002013-03-16T22:17:59.675-07:00Trying to Understand the Incomprehensible<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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I have been thinking about human beings and how mixed we
are. In school I study world history. The subject has become hard to take since
we began learning about World War I with the massive battles and senseless
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Idohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12598537052217431699noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223419216614966652.post-87129371035497438322013-03-03T07:41:00.000-08:002013-03-03T07:41:10.392-08:00ChallengeEvery day of my life I face a kind of moral dilemma. My autism makes self control very difficult. It takes more effort to sit still in class than to do the intellectual work. I have big personal goals for myself. I prefer to have a full life than a hidden, bored one in some remedial class like most other severely autistic people. It is my mission to help them get an education too. None of this is a dilemma. I am clear on my goals, but I struggle morally with my inner forces. My body is programmed in a different way than typical people. It has internal orders that differ from my mind's intentions. My struggle to control myself is to be kind to others, thoughtful of the space of others and not disruptive in class. Each day I remind myself to do this because it is the right thing to do in spite of how hard it is to accomplish.Idohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12598537052217431699noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223419216614966652.post-56875464339193915472013-02-16T21:21:00.002-08:002013-02-16T21:21:47.547-08:00Oscar Pistorius<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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For those who have read my book, you know that Oscar
Pistorius has been a hero of mine. I admired his bravery in exposing himself to
doubters, his impressive work ethic and his accomplishments for the disabled. I
am aware that every human being is a mixture of imperfections and good
qualities and that it is unreasonable to expect athletes to be supermen
morally. On the other hand, is it too much to expect that he not murder a
cowering woman hiding in his bathroom?</div>
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The truth is I can admire his athletic accomplishments
still, but so what? There is a moral line that cannot be crossed, ever. He
claims it was mistaken identity or an accident, and the trial will determine
the truth. This is why we must try to wait before convicting him internally—but
I can still feel betrayed by him. By putting himself out there, he became a
role model for thousands of disabled people. It is breaking my heart for his
victim, his wasted potential and the flawed nature of humanity. The life we
have is so precious that the loss or waste of it is deeply sad.</div>
Idohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12598537052217431699noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223419216614966652.post-82093333933548303002013-02-13T23:03:00.000-08:002013-02-13T23:03:12.113-08:00Truth Over Theory<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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I had an interesting conversation with a university
professor this weekend about autism. I enjoyed it very much because he was so
open-minded and interested in learning new information about autism. That is
like a near miracle. Ha ha. More often, I think, people get used to their
theories and stay there their whole professional careers. He invited me to do a
training for his staff of professors and has assigned my book to two of his
classes. This is very cool. I love the chance to open people’s minds. In the
near future I will be speaking to staff at an autism agency, giving a speech to
families and staff at a disability support agency, doing an interview on
internet radio and maybe more. I hope little by little to help influence a change
in out understanding of severe autism. With the new DSM out in May, it is an
uphill struggle, but I believe truth will triumph over theory in the end.</div>
Idohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12598537052217431699noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223419216614966652.post-393552572748195582013-02-07T21:58:00.001-08:002013-02-07T21:58:33.816-08:00Behind the Silence<br /><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDnrLv6z-mM" target="_blank">This story</a> is touching and important. It shows commitment,
determination and love and how once again parents need to trust their
observations over expert advice. Here was a boy, trapped in his body in a
different way than I am, but like me he was not able to talk, gesture or write
independently. Therefore doctors incorrectly advise his parents that he is a “vegetable.”
My mission is to give non-verbal people the benefit of the doubt. In many cases
people have emerged from non-responsive bodies to show intelligence. Why then
do so many professionals persist in seeing people with non-responsive bodies as
not? The lesson from this film is not just the inspirational one. It should be
a caution to professionals against assuming the lowest for their patients based
on external observation. Time after time people with cerebral palsy, autism,
strokes, comas, and even encephalitis have been able to emerge to show that
some of them were thinking while unable to show it. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It boggles my mind that people resist this
possibility in so many instances. The amazing thing is that this has been going
on for decades. Each individual emergence is a story and no one generalizes it.</div>
Idohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12598537052217431699noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223419216614966652.post-89381808556969494362013-01-12T20:38:00.000-08:002013-01-12T20:38:22.860-08:00My Speech at Autism Society The Future is Now Conference<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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I am so delighted to have the opportunity to speak to you
today. I appreciate the opportunity to speak to professionals and parents who
are willing to listen to a non-verbal person. Often I experience the opposite,
and I get to listen to the professionals trying to explain to me what I am
like. Then I get to wonder how they know. The problem with this, for many
non-verbal people, is that because so many cannot communicate what they think,
they are unable to express when they disagree. Their thoughts remain trapped
inside because the neurological connections don’t work as they should. The
thoughts are there, but they can’t come out. They stay stuck behind a body that
is not responding. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This may be really different from what you have learned in
college, especially if you studied in certain programs that perhaps taught you that
people like me have a receptive language disorder, a social skills deficiency
-- meaning I can’t understand human behavior-- a lack of theory of mind or
empathy, and perhaps even cognitive delay. After all, that’s what data and
science prove, right? And that’s what everyone assumed about me when I was
younger, before I could communicate. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So, these theories may not be totally accurate in my case,
or maybe many are totally inaccurate in my case, and perhaps in many, many
other people’s cases, but that doesn’t stop the theories.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In science, theories are supposed to change if new data
emerges. When Barry Marshall tried to show that stomach ulcers were caused by a
bacteria, not stress as everyone believed, he hit a brick wall of scientific opposition
and was discredited as a “crazy guy saying crazy things.” Twenty years later he
won the Nobel Prize in Medicine and doctors now treat ulcers with antibiotics, not
antacids. But it was a hard fight for 20 years.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This is why it is really a credit to the Autism Society to
give me this opportunity to be heard and to you for being open to having some
of your ideas about severe autism challenged.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In the beginning, when I was seven and I first began
communicating, my entire ABA team dismissed my being able to communicate
sophisticated thoughts as impossible because according to their data I had not
mastered all their drills. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also, they
insisted I had to communicate with everyone equally or my communication wasn’t
scientifically valid. I think they hoped I would spontaneously erupt in song
and dance in between my drills. My elementary school teacher thought that I didn’t
know what a number was because I couldn’t coordinate my hands to pick up the
number of straws she instructed. Every day for years I got a remedial education
in school when inside my head I was multiplying and dividing and reading. It’s
clear to me why they assumed I didn’t understand. All my mistakes were a confirmation
to them of my internal delays. But there is a big neurological misunderstanding
in their logical idea. Getting answers wrong doesn’t always mean you don’t
understand. Sometimes it means you can’t get your body to obey your mind. When a
person with Tourettes yells out an offensive word, it is not because they want
to and don’t understand right from wrong. It is the opposite. The mind is
pleading to stop and the body charges forward.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The key idea I want to convey is that my form of autism is
like this: my brain is not slow or impaired linguistically. I do not talk, not
because I do not understand. I don’t talk because I don’t gesture because I
don’t have facial expressions because I can’t hold my book to read it because I
can’t turn the pages because I can’t scan a shelf because I can’t pull a
blanket on in my bed. Why do people assume that I can’t do these things because
I don’t understand or because I am not cognitively aware of my surroundings? It
is a theory that has trapped me and countless others in lessons that bore us to
the point of despair, and a school education of calendar, the weather, and 1 +
1, and ABC, year after year. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I suggest that you try to imagine another cause for the
deficits that isn’t based on intelligence or language processing. What do you
think could cause my delays, explain my troubles controlling myself in sitting
still, or controlling my emotional equilibrium? What could cause me to flap my
hands when I want to be still?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If you try to imagine that you are totally paralyzed but can
still think, it’s a scary thought. Imagine that the paralysis includes your
ability to speak. How will anyone know that you are intact inside? It would be
very hard to show. This is the story told in the film, “The Diving Bell and the
Butterfly”. It is the true story of a man who had a severe stroke. He had the
most severe kind of stroke which causes a paralysis called locked-in syndrome.
No one knew he could think because he had no ability to show that he could
think. His mind was active but everyone assumed his brain was dead. Then a
perceptive nurse figured out that he was trying to communicate by blinking his
eyes. He wrote an entire book by blinking as she pointed to letters on a letter
board.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Now, my condition isn’t as severe as that because I can
move, but I have to tell you, it is not that different. My body moves, but it
doesn’t always move the way I like. It moves how it wants, or it moves part of
the way I want, or, if I am lucky, it listens to me. I would describe this as a
moving paralysis. It is frustrating to a high degree.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It is frustrating all by itself without the additional
frustration of being thought to be receptive language impaired and low
functioning and bored in toddler programs by nice, well-meaning people.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It is time to revisit our diagnosis of autism and time to
change our way of helping severely autistic, non-verbal people. Now, I know
what I say is different from many professional opinions which state that I am
at the end of a spectrum opposite Asperger’s Syndrome --<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>or what was formerly known as Asperger’s <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>--in the DSM. But in a spectrum we are the
same, different only by degree.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Temple Grandin is probably the best known person at the
other side of the spectrum from me. She is an important spokesperson for autism.
She has described herself as being a visual thinker. One of her books is
called, “Thinking in Pictures.” She is pretty good at independent body control.
She drives, rides horses, designs complicated engineering systems, and holds a
pencil to write and graph neatly with no help, because her body listens to her mind.
She has social problems because people and their behavior and ways of
interacting confuse her. She told Oliver Sacks that she feels like “an
anthropologist on Mars,” trying to understand alien, human behavior.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I wonder if you think I am the same, just really, really
severe? </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We do have eye contact impairment in common. But a lot of
what she describes is the opposite of me. I have insight. I have theory of
mind. I have empathy. I get jokes. I think in letters and spelling, not
pictures. I can’t control my body’s movements, write or graph neatly, and I
need constant help to do normal everyday tasks.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In the search for a cure, or to find the most effective
treatments, we have to see things the right way. I mean Aids and head colds
both are viruses, but no Aids researchers try to find a cure for Aids by exclusively
focusing on the sniffles. They know they are different, not polar ends of a
virus spectrum.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What I have in common with people with Asperger’s is a
sensitive sensory system, poor eye contact and shyness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>people who are out of shape, and people with
asthma, and people with heart disease, and some people with cancer all may
experience shortness of breath but that doesn’t give them a Breathless Spectrum
Disorder.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It is important that the DSM not miss the differences. I
believe there may be different, discrete types of autism. I don’t claim to
understand every form of autism at all, but I do claim to<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>understand mine and the differences between
me and what people compare me to.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What I believe that severely autistic people, like me, need is
instruction in communication early—teach typing or communication by pointing to
letters on a letter board. Non-verbal people need special methods to do this.
They cannot break through on their own. In my case, I was helped by working
with Soma and RPM. This opened my world. Others may be helped by her techniques
as well, or there are different methods that have also had success. The key was
that she presumed I was intelligent and offered me grade level lessons right
away, and I rose to the challenge. She did not wait for me to type before
teaching me interesting topics.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This is important because her methods helped me to focus and
break through my internal and external distractions. Her support helped keep me
on track, to scan, to look at all the letters and to touch the one I wanted.
And all at the fast pace of my racing mind. If we are denied the support that
makes this breakthrough possible, it often fails to occur. The danger is that
then people misinterpret poor performance as a reflection of cognitive
capacity, rather than as a need for a different kind of support or teaching. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Another important treatment is that we need exercise to wake
up our mind-body connection. So many autistic people never exercise, which is disastrous
in a body that doesn’t listen to our minds. We also need access to a normal
education. Smart, trapped people need support to emerge from their internal
prison. Assume intelligence and look for the signs of it. I think a lot of kids
would be grateful if you spoke to them normally. A lot would be grateful to get
grade level lessons in school, or listen to interesting books in school, even
if they cannot yet show on the outside what they think on the inside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Together we can begin to change things for
the most misunderstood form of autism.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Since I was asked to talk about the future, I want to begin
by saying that I hope for the same future that any 16 year old boy would want.
My hopes include college and career and a girlfriend one day. The whole thing. Am
I frightened that I will never get to achieve the things I want? Very, very,
very. The support I get now dries up after high school. My aide needs to be
exceptional. And trained.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It takes time to develop a common rapport. Not everyone is a
good match. If I get an aide who isn’t too bright—sorry, it’s blunt, but
true—or isn’t intuitive, or is not flexible, it all collapses. Bad aides are
the worst, because people think I am getting help because I have someone with
me, but the fact is that the wrong help keeps me trapped. I need the right kind
of support to succeed in high school, and I will need the same to go to college
and to work in a career. If I can’t get this, what then? I will have to depend
on my mom to support me. As my courses get more advanced, my aide has to be not
only good at helping me control my behavior, keeping me focused, and skilled in
communication, but also someone who is comfortable in higher math, or
literature, or whatever subject I am taking. This is far different from a
babysitter. My hope is to have at least several hours daily of properly trained
support after high school so I can learn and work, and make my own way in the
world.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I fear getting stuck with someone who is not well trained
for my intellectual or communicative needs. I am “low functioning” in
independence, but “high functioning” in intellectual ability, which means that
I will need lots of support to go to college or work, but with the right
support I can achieve at a high level. Stephen Hawking has a pretty good aide who
helps him to achieve at the fullness of his capacity, despite severe
disabilities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are programs today
that simply don’t know how to deal with people like me. They divide autistic
people into groups of either practically independent, or “low functioning” and remedial.
How will the system adapt to people like me, as more of us emerge? Do you have
any ideas?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My ideal future would be to work every day part-time as an
autism consultant, to write every day on autism and other topics, and to earn
my living this way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Exercise has become
important to my life. I need it daily to help my body/mind connection continue
to improve itself. Somehow, any future programs will need to include some way
to help me get connected with friends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>My autism is very isolating. The assumption that I am not interested in
people is way off. My problem is that I get overwhelmed in crowds, noise, and
visually over stimulating environments. Since I cannot talk, socializing
requires an iPad, effort to type—which is slower than talking by a lot—and an
aide to keep me focused. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This makes
socializing hard, but not impossible. I hope any programs for the future think
of the social needs of people with these kinds of challenges.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
How will the system help me to find an Annie Sullivan? The
concept is old. Helen Keller stayed disabled all her life, but she got terrific
and intelligent helpers, so she was able to thrive, and she inspires people to
this day. But if she had not?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I want to let you know that speaking before a large audience
is very anxiety provoking for me. I may need to step out at times. Answering
questions before an audience is very stressful, so I have a film for you of me
answering many frequently asked questions. If my body is calm, I will try to
answer some questions today, however, if you are interested, my book, which is
on sale outside, should answer most of your questions. I describe in detail my
journey into communication, my early remedial education, and my current general
education in a regular high school. I also describe many puzzling autism symptoms
which I try to explain from the inside out. I talk about how it is possible to
understand correctly and get the answer wrong. I explain stimming, impulsivity,
motor issues, anxiety and many other aspects of severe autism. There is an
interesting conversation at the end between me and the neuro-researcher who
wrote the foreword of the book about my internal language and other issues. You
can also check out my blog idoinautismland.com. You can also follow me on
facebook or twitter at idoinautismland.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thank you to the Autism Society for inviting me to speak
with all of you today. I appreciate this important opportunity. I am grateful
to the audience for your patience with my iPad monotone. I also appreciate your
willingness to be challenged by an outspoken, silent guy.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Idohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12598537052217431699noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223419216614966652.post-67276102860356570502012-12-28T08:36:00.001-08:002012-12-28T08:36:17.809-08:00Ido in Autismland on Sale at AmazonAmazon has put my book on a post Christmas sale. I have no control over how Amazon makes its internal pricing decisions, so I have no idea how long the book will be available at a discount -- but if you want, it's a good opportunity for you to get it cheap.Idohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12598537052217431699noreply@blogger.com2