The Autism File

http://www.autismfile.com/

I nearly flicked past an article on six ladies featured in one of the Sunday Supplements. I saw the photo of six glamorous and and seemingly high profile women and it was only when I spotted the word Autism that I gave the article my full attention. The women have been photographed by Terry O'Neill to raise awareness of Autism for Thursday's United Nation World Autism day. They are campaigning for mothers of children with Autism, across the world to get together in groups of six to be photographed striking the same pose, in order to ' Show how autism mothers are strong and are 'Delivering Where Governments Have Failed'.

It was actually quite refreshing to read the stories of these successful women, speaking so passionately about a condition that is often considered to be 'invisible' to the outside world. It struck me and not for the first time how disabilities can strike at the heart of any family. When things are difficult and I am feeling low I sometimes ask 'why us?' but I already know that the answer is 'why not? ' I love the concept of these photos raising awareness, by making the parents and advocates visible through media images.

The Autism file is a journal set up by Polley and Jonathan Tommey. It has been running for the last ten years and from what I can gather is pretty extensive in its content. There are links to the Autism one radio station, book reviews and blogs, together with articles written by parents and doctors. The journal is published magazine format quarterly. There is also a helpline for parents in need of support. The couple have also set up The Autism trust, in order to raise funds to build a community for 50 young adults with autism. http://www.autismtrust.com/default.asp Please take time to watch the video if you can. This Telegraph article also gives more insight into the project and what the Trust hopes to achieve http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/3559925/Autism-A-different-life.html

The Dad the run and ICAN #2

Those of you who have read my blog before will know of our involvement with ICAN and their help in obtaining the right diagnosis and help for M. Our ICAN story and information about the organisation, can be found on the left hand sidebar. The Dad has been training, very diligently, for some months to run in The Reading Half Marathon. He has also been raising money in sponsorship, on behalf of ICAN, by way of a thank you to them for the difference they have made to all of our lives.http://sunshinetc.blogspot.com/2009/01/dad-run-and-ican.html

We feel very honoured to live next door to Stan Eldon, former Olympic athlete and one of the founder members of the race. Stan recently reieved an MBE for his voluntary services for sports and athletics for the disabled:- http://www.getreading.co.uk/sport/s/2041510_queen_presents_mbe_to_post_writer_stan

The Dad was pleased to see Stan start the race and to received a blast of encouragement from his hooter.

It was a lovely day, fantastic atmosphere and there was plenty of support from the locals. He particularly enjoyed the music on route from various bands, musicians and even some stereos. The Dad completed the course in two hours five minutes and raised a tidy sum for ICAN. I am very proud of the tired and foot sore veteran runner!

The God Book

The Dad is my favourite guest blogger, and since I have been a little lacking in blogging inspiration lately, I shall hand you over to him this evening .

We make a lot of choices for our children. We decide certain things on their behalf, until such time as they might be able to make choices for themselves. Hopefully, as they grow, we allow them to change some of those decisions based on their choices. One of the decisions we have made for our son is to bring him up in the Christian faith. This isn’t always easy for a child with a language disorder, but recently we have extended story time when M goes to bed. So now we have M reading to me about Biff, Chip, and Wilma’s latest adventure; and me reading to M a story from the Bible….or “The God Book” as he recently renamed it.

Now The Lion First Bible is excellent for any child, but particularly for a child who needs pictures as well as words to learn, as it has many illustrations to add to the stories. And so, over the last few nights we have had a number of stories from the beginning of this book, which has highlighted an interesting theme…and need for M, highlighting one thing that, at least in M’s eyes is missing from the pictures…..

Day 1 – How the World Began

The Dad (reading) “So God made the first man and the first woman, to look after the world…”

M “Is that God?”
The Dad “No M, that is Adam. God made Adam. God isn’t actually in this picture”

Day 2 – The First Sad Day

The Dad (reading) “God made the beautiful garden of Eden for Adam and Eve to enjoy….”
M “Is that God?”
The Dad “No M, that is still Adam. God still isn’t in this picture”

Day 3 – Rain, Rain, Rain

The Dad (reading) “Noah did as God said. He always did as God said….”
M “Is that God?”
The Dad “No M, that is Noah. God isn’t in this picture either”

…….

Day 7 – Jacob Runs Away

The Dad (reading) “…Jacob had a dream. It was a good dream. In his dream there were stairs right up to heaven, with angels going up and down them! Then God was right there….”
M (certain God must be in the picture now – God after all ‘right there’)
“Where? Is that God?”
The Dad “No M, that is Jacob dreaming. Sorry, but God isn’t in this picture either”

Now the Christian part of me is used to us all wanting ‘proof’ of God, but how difficult a concept is this for a child with SLI? The poor boy learns from pictures more than words and none of the pictures have the main man there!

BBC News item

Just a quick post this evening to report this rather lovely item. I'm pleased that my favourite super hero saved the day, yet again

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7961208.stm

A Happy Mother's Day

Here is my Lovely Mother's day butterfly, which I had intended to photograph before it got covered in spaghetti Bolognese. I am very proud of M's efforts even though he may have borrowed some of the lines from Anthony Browne. I know this only because, I am by no way shape of form a good cook. M was so excited to give it to me he bounced up and down like Tigger, on the pavement outside school.

I was so pleased to receive it, I bought him an ice cream from the van in celebration. M seems far more loving these days and so it is so nice that he is finally able to express his affection. It is something that most parents would take for granted, but being able to write his feelings down, in a card like this, is a huge deal.

The Dad pulled out all the stops to make today special for me and my own dear Mum. We had a lovely roast followed by a trip to a local farm. Bumble and Spuds had M over night, so my favourite gift, was a lie in and time to actually get out the best china and cutlery, to make the table look nice for once.

Thanks to all my special people and Happy Mother's Day to all!

Mediscape article by Caroline Cassels on a study of Auditory processing and Autism

Today's link which has been provided on by Mumsnet poster Nikos.
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/584572 It is an article by Caroline Cassels, on the RSNA 2008 study by Timothy Roberts, 'which may explain language delays in autism.'

Using brain imaging equipment MEG, it was observed that children with ASD showed a small but significant 'delay in processing vowel sounds and tones'. It was reported that the greater the delay in processing the sounds, the more serious the impact on speech development. Dr Roberts also suggests that MEG may be a useful tool is diagnosing autism, since it does not rely on a patient cooperating in behavioural tests, to which some children with ASD are resistant.

Potty Time

This is a pic of two pals and their pots. Simon and M were as happy as pigs in mud yesterday, which is probably a pretty accurate description of the state that the pair got into. We are growing giant sunflowers (hopefully). The disaster that was my garden is of the boy made rather than natural tornado variety.

Last week I told two little boys, who have a very literal sense of language, that they may dig around in my flowerbed. This was because I had caught the pair excavating one of my neighbour's boundary stones, to discover what lay beneath. When I said that they could dig, I had in mind a gentle scrabbling around or panning for gold on the surface of the soil. What I have is a hole which is getting on for two feet deep, as I had underestimated Jay's enthusiasm. I shall soon be needing my copy of 'Gardening with kids' in order to put the plot back into some semblance of a place where things actually grow!

http://sunshinetc.blogspot.com/2008/10/gardening-for-kids-by.html

Sometimes....

Sometimes when we have a really rotten week there are moments that shine through the gloom like a ray of sunshine. M really wasn't himself this morning when we started to get ready for school, he had a temperature and there were purple shadows under his eyes. I don't think that he really knew which part of his body the hurt was coming from, but his uncharacteristic complaining convinced me that he had better have a day off from school.

We read a book that I shall be reviewing shortly about disabilities and as painful as it was we had 'that discussion' We talked about things that we were good at too and I explained that I could not build anything other than brick walls form Lego, when I was a little girl. To rub into salt to the wounds, he then insisted that I try and build a Lego house whilst he looked on roaring with laughter.

Then we had to be worms gliding across the floor, which is no mean feat when you are fat and forty. We laughed and laughed til our sides ached and he turned to me and said "I love you Mum." When I thanked him profusely he turned to me and said "No I really REALLY love you Mum."

All Kinds of feelings By Emma Brownjohn

There has been a shadowy spectre prodding me in the back for some time now and it took me a while to realise that it is in fact my conscience. I know that I have to talk to M about his disability and I have been putting this off. The recent spate of verbal bullying incidents at school, are showing no sign of abating. I am painfully aware that M is upset about being different from his peer group. This is the downside to inclusion because there are few places for children with special needs to retreat to, in open plan schools like his.

Help has come from an unexpected source. I have been working hard on talking about feelings and helping M to manage his anger. Although I have no doubt that he feels empathy, his grasp of the right ‘label’ for want of a better word for each different emotion is very subtle.

We have been sharing this wonderful book by Emma Brownjohn. The book really held M’s interest, as there are flaps to open and wheels to turn and each emotion is beautifully illustrated in the pictorial format that he needs.

When we came across a page about about other people feeling prejudice for all sorts of reasons including disability. there was a picture of a child with one leg and we talked about disabilities that we could see and some that we can't, like finding it hard to speak.

Suddenly, I could almost see M making the connection and the floodgates opened. He was able to articulate how he had been feeling. “They call me Tele Tubby because I speak like a baby” He said. “And how does that make you feel” I asked softly. “Sad and Angry” he said emphatically, with blue eyes brimming with tears. The book says that sometimes when people feel things about us because we are different, it is unfair and wrong!