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Aspergers

Links and Resources

by Tim on October 4, 2008

Links and Resources

Here are some links and online resources we’ve discovered that have been helpful in some way to us. We’re not remotely done compiling this list, so we’ll be steadily adding to it. If you have links you’ve discovered and want to suggest that we add them to our list, please send them to us.

Autism and Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs)

Speech Delays, Communication, Apraxia

  • Do2Learn - All sorts of great, FREE resources that help you do everything from create your own picture cards for use in communication with your child to art activities to how to design a classroom in your house and much, much more. This site is amazing.
  • List of Speech Milestones - Helps you understand where a ‘typically developing’ child would be at a particular age.
  • Another List of Speech Milestones - Another page that describes where a ‘typically developing’ child would be at a particular age.
  • Signing Time! - Need we say more!
  • Apraxia-Kids - Their mission is to
    “strengthen the support systems in the lives of children with apraxia, so that each child has their best opportunity to develop speech.”
  • American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) - Provides support to people with a variety of speech and hearing issues and those who care for them.
  • Help For Kid’s Speech - A program sponsored by the Scottish Rite Foundation of Florida to help parents and professionals learn how to better help children with language and communication issues.
  • PECS 101 - An introduction to the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS).

Sensory Integration Disorder/Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD)

  • Sensory Processing Disorder Foundation - Provides information about research, education, and advocacy related to Sensory Processing Disorders (SPDs).
  • The Out-of-Sync Child - The site related to the book of the same title that helps parents with recognizing and coping with Sensory Processing Disorder.

Educational/Behavioral Therapies

  • TEACCH - The TEACCH method is widely used by schools, therapists, and parents in helping autistic children learn and grow in a variety of educational and behavioral areas.
  • Floortime - Dr. Stanley Greenspan’s play-based method for helping autistic children with developmental and communication challenges. Also referred to as the Developmental, Individual Differences, Relationship-based (DIR) approach.
  • Different Roads to Learning - “Your Complete ABA and VB Resource”

Help and Services

  • About Early Intervention - If your child is under age 3, your local Early Intervention office should be among your first stops if you suspect autism or other delays.
  • About IDEA and services through your local schools - After your child turns 3, you’ll move on from Early Intervention to services provided by your local schools, as outlined by federal law under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This is a great place to start learning about IDEA and the services available to you through it.

Individualized Education Programs (IEPs)

  • About IDEA and services through your local schools - After your child turns 3, you’ll move on from Early Intervention to services provided by your local schools, as outlined by federal law under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This is a great place to start learning about IDEA and the services available to you through it.
  • Wrightslaw Special Education Law and Advocacy- “Accurate, reliable information about special education law, education law, and advocacy for children with disabilities.” If you have any questions about IEPs, special education services, or just about anything else related to them, this is the authority on those subjects.
  • Pointers and Tips on the IEP Process - A post written by our special guest Gigi - a retired special needs teacher and guidance counselor of 31 years - and her daughter Stephanie, who is a speech language pathologist (SLP).
  • Resources and Tools for Students with Disabilities - A wealth of information, sample forms, reports, and other links for students with disabilities. Written by the Ohio Department of Education.
  • North Carolina IEP Forms - Note: These forms are probably similar in content to the forms used in other states. Some counties in NC use forms that look a little different than these, but the information collected is pretty much the same.
  • IEPs Yahoo! Group - Yahoo! group for discussing issues related to IEPs.
  • A Parent’s Guide to Understanding Special Education Assessment - More information about the types of evaluations your child may undergo as part of the IEP process.
  • Psycho-educational Testing - Page that describes in great detail evaluations and assessments you might - but not necessarily - come across as part of your IEP process. Added benefit of this site is that it explains a lot of the technical jargon used in assessments.
  • The Listen-Up Web! - Your rights related to IEPs. Note: This page is a rather overwhelming list of resources, but if you can wade through it, a lot of good stuff is there.

Therapeutic Listening/Other Auditory Therapies

  • Vital Links - Home of Therapeutic Listening, the method we’re using.
  • Vital Sounds - Companion site to Vital Links where you can learn more about the Sennheiser HD-500A headphones used with Therapeutic Listening; their store is also the cheapest place we found from which to purchase the headphones.
  • Berard Auditory Integration Therapy (Berard AIT) - Another auditory therapy approach.
  • Tomatis Method - Another common auditory therapy.
  • Samonas Method - One more auditory therapy. Note: They may have the worst site I’ve seen in eons, though.

Assistive Technology

Occupational Therapy/Products

  • Therapy Shoppe- About every product under the sun for occupational therapy, sensory, motor, and related issues.

Financial Issues

  • What is a Special Needs Trust? - Important blog post about estate planning. What would happen to your autistic or disabled child if you died? Would there be enough resources for them to be provided for while still allowing them to be eligible for government services?

Support and Discussion Groups

Medical

  • Special Care Dentistry - If there’s anything that sucks more than taking an autistic child to the dentist, I don’t want to know about it. A dentist who specializes in caring for special needs children is worth their weight in gold.

Advocacy Groups

  • National Disability Rights Network - An advocacy group who serves persons with a wide range of disabilities and fights for ensuring both their rights and accountability in governmental and societal systems and programs.

For North Carolina Residents

  • Autism Society of North Carolina - Autism advocacy and resource provider for North Carolina residents.
  • Generations-Tadpole - Assistive technology available for checkout for North Carolina residents.
  • North Carolina IEP Forms - Note: These forms are probably similar in content to the forms used in other states. Some counties in NC use forms that look a little different than these, but the information collected is pretty much the same.

Other Cool Companies and Products

Other Cool Sites

Random Other Links

 

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Five Things You Can Do If You Think Your Child Has Autism

by Tim on August 11, 2008

Far and away, the most popular post we’ve had is “What’s Your Autistic Toddler Like?” - the one that lists the specific autistic ‘traits’ or ’symptoms’ our son has and to what degree. After talking to other parents, the reason why that post is so popular is abundantly clear - parents are afraid and want to know for sure what’s going on. We know; we’ve been there.

With it coming out this past week that Britney Spears is concerned that her son is autistic, the awareness to the issue that brings makes it seem like a good time to cover some steps you should take if you are concerned that your child has autism. There are more than five, of course, but based on our experience, here are some good starting points people either suggested to us or that we wish they had in the midst of all of our confusion.

A few notes first:

1. We are by no means authorities on this subject. This is no substitute for professional advice and your own common sense and expertise about your own child.

2. I know we have some readers outside the U.S., but honestly I don’t have a clue how your local, state, and national governments provide services. Some of this will still apply to you regardless. We’d love input from our readers in other countries.

3. This is primarily geared toward parents whose kids are under age 3.

OK, on with the list.

[click to continue…]

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