LEAD STORY

  • Kate Duffy: Working with Temple Grandin a ‘True Collaboration’

    By Toni Lapp

    Kate Duffy

    Kate Duffy

    When “Temple Grandin” aired on HBO recently, one Kansas Citian watching with keen interest was Kate Duffy, who teamed with Grandin to write “Developing Talents,” published in 2004 by Shawnee-based Autism Asperger Publishing Company. Duffy, mother of two sons on the autism spectrum, had written How to be Happily Employed in Kansas City and a careers column for six years for The Kansas City Star.

    When Duffy’s editor, Kirsten McBride, met Temple Grandin at a conference, Grandin complained about the number of people on the spectrum who were unemployed or underemployed. McBride suggested Grandin collaborate with Duffy on a how-to book about career planning for those on the spectrum, and Developing Talents, now in its second edition, was born.
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  • A New Diagnosis to Ponder for ‘Mild’ Forms of Autism

    By Jeanne Holverstott, M.S.
    imagesRumor has it that the new Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-Fifth Edition (DSM-V) will eliminate the diagnostic category of Asperger’s Syndrome, 16 years after its inception in the DSM-IV. “Asperger” symptoms will be combined with those of another mild form of autism to create a new category to be named.
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  • Who Will Be Number 16?

    By Toni Lapp
    With the new year, efforts are under way in both Kansas and Missouri to pass legislation mandating insurance coverage of autism treatment. Activists in both states are redoubling their efforts after seeing proposals go down in defeat in 2009.

    So far, 15 states have laws requiring insurers to provide coverage for the treatment of autism. Can Missouri or Kansas become the 16th? With Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon identifying autism legislation as one of his priorities for 2010, chances may favor the Show-Me State.
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  • What Role for Antipsychotics, Other Medications?

    By Jeanne Holverstott, M.S.
    images-1
    In December, the Food and Drug Administration approved the antipsychotic Abilify (aripiprazole) to treat irritability in children ages 6-17 who have an autism spectrum disorder. A group of 98 children and adolescents were randomly divided into two groups (placebo and Abilify). By week eight of the study, 52% of those taking Abilify experienced a 25% or greater improvement in autism-related irritability symptoms, including aggression, tantrums, rapidly changing moods, and self-injurious behavior, compared with 14% of those who took the placebo.
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DEVELOPMENTS

EDUCATION

  • Modifications to Ease Anxiety at School

    By Jeanne Holverstott, M.S.
    One of the most common co-morbid conditions within ASD is an anxiety disorder. Whether anxiety is part of the diagnostic make-up of the spectrum or whether anxiety warrants an “additional” diagnosis (hence becoming a co-morbid condition) is akin to the “chicken or the egg” dilemma. Because anxiety rears its ugly head in [...]

  • Commentary: The Wall of Fame or The Wall of Shame

    By Jeanne Holverstott, M.S.
    A parent of a client e-mailed me a copy of the school newsletter and asked me to look at the “Wall of Fame” students on page 6. Placement on the “Wall” was based on the Eight Keys of Excellence: Commitment, Flexibility, Balance, Speak with Good Purpose, Integrity, This is it!, Ownership, and [...]

  • Picking One’s Battles at an IEP Meeting

    By Jeanne Holverstott, M.S.

    A recent IEP meeting made it apparent that ignorance is only bliss from the perspective of the ignorant. For the rest of us, ignorance is torture. And, for those individuals on the autism spectrum, ignorance is disastrous.
    The principal of a local school attributed the social and emotional struggles of my client to [...]

THERAPY

  • Deconstructing the Meltdown

    Behavior analyst Baker Wright vividly recalls the first time he was called in to consult on a child with Asperger’s syndrome. A school had referred a sixth-grader for behavioral services because of his disruptive behaviors – ranging from refusal to follow directions to crying and yelling in class.

  • How Service Dogs Help Kids on the Spectrum

    Our son’s service dog changed his life.

MEDIA REVIEWS

COMMENTARY

  • Picking One’s Battles at an IEP Meeting

    By Jeanne Holverstott, M.S.

    A recent IEP meeting made it apparent that ignorance is only bliss from the perspective of the ignorant. For the rest of us, ignorance is torture. And, for those individuals on the autism spectrum, ignorance is disastrous.
    The principal of a local school attributed the social and emotional struggles of my client to [...]

  • Can Mo. Pass Autism Legislation if its Lawmakers are for Sale?

    As Missourians prepare for another round in the push to pass autism legislation, they might better scrutinize the actions of their lawmakers.

  • Does “Adam” Get It Right?

    First of all, kudos to director and writer Max Mayer for attempting to bring to the silver screen a story that probably has limited interest for the general audience.

Autism Asperger Publishing Co.

ASK AN AUTISM SPECTRUM SPECIALIST

Putting the Brakes on an Asperger Monologue

By Jeanne Holverstott

Q: When we go out to dinner with friends and family, my teen-age son often regales the table with political discussions on topics that are usually out of reach for most kids his age. When he was a preteen, this would elicit chuckles from our friends. Now it’s starting to make me uncomfortable. Sometimes these friends will take the bait and debate him, and it never seems to turn out well. Other times they’ll wave off his precociousness, but he’ll persist. Sometimes he’ll even make political comments to the wait staff. It’s like he doesn’t know how else to engage people. I’m not sure how to handle these situations: by nipping it in the bud, playing along with him and hope it doesn’t go too far, or trying to change the subject.

What are your thoughts?

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DEVELOPING TALENTS

5 Skills for Job Seekers on the Spectrum

By Kate Duffy

People on the spectrum often resist change, even change that might be good for them. They don’t have a lot of motivation to try new things and sometimes can get stuck in patterns that aren’t particularly good for them. This is not a character flaw, just a byproduct of brain wiring and temperament.

But one thing we know about life is that change is what it’s all about. So how do you learn to adapt well enough to hold down a job or start a small business?

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CALENDAR

PERSPECTIVES

  • January 29, 2010
    Disclosing a Disability (or not) to Potential Employers?

    By Toni Lapp

    Several people have asked me for updates on my son Ryan’s job-hunting quest. To date, he has not been called for an interview at the grocery store where he applied, but then, there are probably lots of teens without Asperger’s syndrome who are waiting for a callback, too.
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  • January 25, 2010
    Exploring the Potential of IM’ing for Kids with ASDs

    By Jeanne Holverstott, M.S.

    As I sat at my laptop tweeting (@JHolverstott), e-mailing, reading, instant messaging (or IM’ing if you prefer), monitoring Facebook and watching TV a thought struck me. The only one of these activities most of my clients do is watch TV. I have clients who “talk” on XBOXLiv (which costs $50 per year, not to mention the cost of the XBOX and all of its games). I have clients who I can coax into texting “hi” to mom while she is in the kitchen and they are at the dinner table. I even have a few clients who “duel” YuGiOh cards over the phone with friends from our social skills group. So, why don’t I have anyone IM’ing?
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  • January 17, 2010
    ‘Please put this as your status…’

    By Toni Lapp

    You would think that everyone affected by autism would be united in their views on the subject, but that is far from the case.

    Should researchers continue to look for a link to vaccines or should they investigate genetic testing? Should taxpayer money fund employment incentives? Should health insurers be mandated to cover ABA therapy?
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  • January 15, 2010
    Lesson 1 in Job Hunting: Tell the Truth, Sort Of

    By Toni Lapp

    A couple months ago, I wrote about my son’s attempt to get a job at a nearby grocery store. To date, he hasn’t been interviewed. Ryan attributes the lack of response to the poor penmanship on his application. When he turned it in, the employee at the customer service desk quipped, “Were you born in 1493 or 1993?”

    I’m considering acting as a sort of “job coach” and going directly to the hiring manager to make a case for hiring Ryan. He’s closing in on 17, gets good grades, and a job could help round-out the much-needed social component in his life. Plus, I truly believe he’d be an asset to any business operation: He’s friendly, polite, does chores around the house without complaint and is honest to a fault.
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  • January 5, 2010
    Playing Psychologist at Home (Proceed with Care)

    By Toni Lapp
    Happy New Year, friends! It’s been too long, and now I have an abundance of things to write about. One topic: communication with your kids. I’ve been reading Stephen Covey’s “7 Habits of Highly Effective People” and was particularly intrigued by the fifth habit: Seek first to understand, then to be understood. Admittedly, it goes against my instinct to ensure that others understand my position.

    In fact, the examples Covey gives in his book are scripts that could have many parents of teenagers squirming. Even though he doesn’t specifically address communication with children with autism, I think the lessons can be applied with good effect.
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