SPECTRUM CONNECTION

By Toni Lapp

Anyone who has a child with autism has at least a passing interest in research of the disorder, so I assume we are all now familiar with the 1998 study published in The Lancet medical journal by British researcher Andrew Wakefield. His work purportedly linked the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine — or MMRV — to autism and bowel disorders.

The Lancet now says it was remiss in publishing the study, and many of the co-authors have withdrawn their names from it in wake of criticism that Wakefield had a conflict of interest; he enrolled kids attending a birthday party for the study (not exactly a randomly selected population researchers would strive for); and the parents of some of the 12 autistic children in the study were recruited by a lawyer suing vaccine manufacturers.

So where does that leave those of us who yearn for clear answers in solving the puzzle of autism?

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By Toni Lapp

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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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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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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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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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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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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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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By Toni Lapp
Individuals with Asperger’s and high-functioning autism can be their own worst enemies, struggling with negative thoughts that threaten their well-being. One technique that can quiet the chatter of the brain is to employ affirmations. It’s a way to nip negativity in the bud before it has a chance to flourish.

Affirmations are positive statements that, when used regularly, seemingly lead to a rewiring of the brain. All actions begin as thoughts, after all. Change must begin on the inside; when you can choose your thoughts, you have more control over your life.
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By Toni Lapp
After attending a presentation earlier this year by autism specialist Peter Gerhardt, I was awakened to a new use for Bluetooth technology. It seems the tiny ear phones have been used in helping autistic individuals go on errands or short excursions, coached by a parent or therapist from afar.
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