January 13, 2010
By Jeanne Holverstott, M.S.
Out of concern for people with autism in their community, police in Scarborough, Maine, have started adding people with special needs to a database that already includes information about residents with Alzheimer’s disease. A member of the police force who has a child with autism says the information will be useful to have when handling missing persons cases.
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January 7, 2010
By Jeanne Holverstott, M.S.
Handheld devices such as iPods have the potential to help individuals on the spectrum in a variety of ways.
Recently, a 7-year-old client walked into my office singing, “Shorty fire burnin’ on the dance floor. Oh whoa!”
I couldn’t help but laugh out loud. “I have that song on my iPod,” Jonah said. “Sean Kingston, you know.” He then showed me some choice dance moves he choreographed for the song.
I didn’t give it much thought until later that evening when Sam came into my office. “Jeanne, I have something to show you,” he said, proudly holding his new iPod. He quickly scrolled to a song, mounted it on my small iPod player, and pressed play. “Ra ra, ra ra ra. Roma…..” He exclaimed, “Lady Gaga!” After applauding his musical taste and enjoying a short and probably horrific karaoke session that would make Gaga herself blush, we talked about how I will be going to her concert and why he likes her music. “She helps me think at school, especially during math,” he said.
Finally, a light bulb turned on.
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January 5, 2010
By Jeanne Holverstott, M.S.
A recent IEP meeting made it apparent that ignorance is only bliss from the perspective of the ignorant.
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December 11, 2009
By Toni Lapp
If you’re the parent of a student with an autism-spectrum disorder, you have most likely participated in an individual education program (IEP) meeting for your child.
For many families, the annual meeting is a stressful event in which educators converse using unfamiliar acronyms and bewildering jargon, and parents rubber-stamp their signatures to a document that they don’t understand and didn’t have a hand in developing.
It needn’t be that way.
As the legal education decision maker for the student, parents often do not realize the power that they wield.
As a result, parents may fail to fully exercise their influence at these meetings, says Jeanne Holverstott, an Overland Park autism specialist. Sometimes parents just don’t know what they can ask for.
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October 23, 2009
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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September 14, 2009
By Jeanne Holverstott, M.S.
Question: I have two preschool-age daughters. My youngest was diagnosed with autism a year ago. Since the diagnosis, my mother-in-law has been treating the girls very differently, inviting only my oldest daughter to dance performances, holiday celebrations, movies, etc.
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August 13, 2009
By Jeanne Holverstott, M.S.
Question: Do you recommend that parents and students on the autism spectrum take special steps to ease into back-to-school activities?
Answer: For most every school-aged child, August generates mostly positive thoughts amidst the dread of homework, going to bed early, and listening to teachers. You may not know it, but a child with ASD is already anxious about school. Many of my clients have been worried since August 1, weeks before most start school; some because they dislike school, others because they enjoy it. Love or hate, school creates anxiety and anxiety is the breeding ground for much more.
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July 13, 2009
By Jeanne Holverstott, M.S.
Question: How do you tell a child that he or she has been diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome? Is this something that a 9-year-old needs to know? My feeling is to protect my son until it’s absolutely necessary – perhaps when his status becomes more of an issue. Is that wrong?
Answer: To begin with, let me share a story I will never forget.
“Don’t say the ‘A’ word about your brother,” a mom once said to her 7-year-old daughter. I was surprised to hear such a reprimand directed at a girl who was always polite, never crass. Somewhat jokingly, I asked when such colorful language had entered the repertoire. “We decided to tell her, you know, about it.” About what…..? There I was thinking about how behind I was in parenting literature to have missed a page on when to tell your little ones the little four-lettered ones. But then I understood, but not completely.
I do not have a child on the autism spectrum. I do not have children yet. I do not know how the possible grief and denial associated with parenting a child with an autism spectrum disorder feel.
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June 24, 2009
By Jeanne Holverstott, M.S.
Question: I often arrange for my son to have play dates with other kids his age. Inevitably, his brother, who is two years younger, joins them, and my older son ends up getting left out. Or, the friend will dump my son when another child enters the scene. How can we (or should we) stop this from happening?
Answer: If only I could count the number of times a parent has shared, “We don’t get calls for play dates.” Each time, the sentiment saddens me and, at the same time, creates hope. When the call does come, jubilation is quickly followed by anxiety. What will they do? Should they play video games? How long? Where?
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June 14, 2009
By Jeanne Holverstott, M.S.
Q: What do you think about kids on the spectrum using Facebook? My son seems to be addicted it. He goes on and checks out what other kids post, yet never posts his “status.” Also, none of his connections seem to be true friends who call, visit, etc. What do you think of this?
A: You can’t judge a book by its cover, and this is the case with Facebook. On the surface Facebook, a social networking website highly popular among adolescents and adults, is a great thing: a website not related to an obsession, a website that allows an individual on the spectrum to make and interact with friends. Better than sliced bread, you might be thinking.
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