House Rules by Jodi Picoult with < My Thoughts > by Sara Luker an Extended Book Review

This is a fictional story about a young man with Asperger’s, on the Autism Spectrum; from different perspectives –

Emma (Jacob’s Mother)

I follow my adolescent son Jacob into the kitchen and watched him back down into a corner. “What we’ve got here”, he mutters in a sudden southern drawl, “Is a failure to communicate.” He slouches to the floor hugging his knees.

When he cannot find the words for how he feels, he borrows someone else’s. This scene comes from the movie, “Cool Hand Luke.”

Somewhere around 2 years old, I started to think, “Where have you gone?” as I watch him lying on the floor spinning the wheels on his toy truck; staring with his face only inches away.

I didn’t notice at first when friends ‘forgot’ to tell me when the next neighborhood playdate was. Or, that every minute of my life was occupied by Jacob.

In my mind, Asperger’s is a label to describe, not the traits Jacob ‘has’, but the one’s he ‘has lost’.

Isolation, and a fixation on one particular subject. An inability to connect socially. When he was diagnosed, I was already pregnant with his brother Theo. Jacob wasn’t the only one diagnosed, I might as well have Asperger’s, too.

Now, at 18 years old, Jacob looks like a normal young man. He’s clearly intelligent, but having his day disrupted fills him with fear. It makes him feel like I would if I suddenly had to bungee jump off the Sears Tower. He starts screaming, one keening note that has become the soundtrack of my life. To calm him, I press my lips close to his ear, “I shot the sheriff,” I sing, “but I did not shoot the deputy.”

< My Thoughts >     “I shot the sheriff…”
 
Our Sonny loves certain phrases from “Toy Story”. Here are some of them –
 
“Come on sheriff there’s a kid in that house who needs us!” (We are trying to get him out of the house.)
 
“I have a laser and I will use it!” (He is not responding to us.)
 
“To infinity and beyond!” (He’s complying. He just loves this phrase.)
 
“There seems to be no signs of intelligent life anywhere!”
(When we can’t find him. Or, he is not interested in a task.)
 
Mr. Potato Head – “My ear! Has anyone seen my ear?”
(When we can’t find something he is looking for.)
 
“This is next month’s garage sale fodder, for sure!”
(When he won’t pick up his toys.)
 
Emma (Jacob’s Mother) continues – He eats by color. I don’t remember how it started, but now it’s a routine –
         
          Monday’s food is green
          Tuesday’s food is red
          Wednesday’s food is yellow
          Thursday’s food is brown
          Friday’s food is blue
 
On the weekend, it is a ‘color free-for-all’ meal.
 
But, never anything ‘orange’. Jacob can’t tolerate anything ‘orange’. Even when we drive by something ‘orange’, I can feel him drawing in his breath and holding it until we pass.
 
In case you’ve been confronted with the evidence that you’ve failed as a mother. In case you have been caught between what you ‘want’ to do and what you ‘should’ do. You are not alone.
 
Asperger’s is not a ‘disability’, it’s a ‘different’ ability. As a cry escapes her lips, Emma exclaims, “Jacob is not my cross to bear, he is my son!
 
Every day, it breaks my heart to give him his pills. They cost thousands of dollars each month. They are covered by medical insurance and help him cope.
 
School provides a ‘sensory break’ when he becomes overwhelmed. But what happens when he is out in public and needs to get away from all the confusion, so he can calm himself down?
 
Would I rather have a son who didn’t struggle so hard? Or, who could make his way in the world without resistance? No, because that child would not be Jacob. He would not be the boy I love so fiercely. The son who watches the Casablanca video with me and can recite all of Bogey’s dialogue.
 
Jacob’s father is a towhead, with hair the color of corn silk. Or, at least he was when he walked out on us 15 years ago.
Is Jacob violent towards others? “No”, Emma answers, “but he will fight back when perceiving to be provoked. He doesn’t communicate well and his thoughts are frequently ‘jumbled’. He talks in a monotone and doesn’t show a lot of emotion.  Often, what he says is ‘shocking’.”
 
< My Thoughts >   “…violent towards others…”
 
Jacob’s Asperger’s allows him no ‘empathy’ for the victim of a crime. He is not empathetic when viewing the crime scene in his favorite Crime Busters TV series; nor, when seeing one on live TV news. He is unable to discern between a ‘real’ and a ‘fake’ crime scenes.
 
Also, in Jacob’s mind, the legal system doesn’t find you ‘innocent’; just either ‘guilty’, or ‘not guilty’. Jacob’s character in the book clearly shows how Asperger’s impairs his ability to understand the consequences following the ‘commission of a crime.
 
Rich (Jacob’s law enforcement friend)

Jacob is the kind of kid who is obsessed with crime scenes and their analyses. Who hangs out at crime scenes, but won’t look you in the eye. When confronted, his eyes are shinning and his mouth is bent into a crooked smile. This is ‘typical’ behavior of someone who is acting guilty, and it’s confusing to others who don’t see his ‘disability’.

The Americans with Disability Act prohibits discrimination by states or local governments, including the court system. A person with disabilities is defined as a person with physical or mental impairments that substantially limit one or more life activities; like communication, or is perceived by others as having a physical or mental impairments ‘disability’. Law and the precedence regarding crime and ‘disability’ vary from state to state.
 
Theo (Jacob’s brother) –

​I’m no saint. I’m supposed to make exceptions for Jacob. It’s one of the unwritten ‘House Rules’. There are times when I do things to drive Jacob crazy, but then I wind up feeling bad for my mom. I hear her crying when she thinks we are asleep. That’s when I realize that she didn’t sign up for this kind of life, either.
 
Me, I think of my father as the sperm donor who checks in once a month. He has never been to one of my birthday parties; unless you count when I was born.

So, I act like the big brother. I run interference. I’m the one who physically drags him away from conversations when he’s starting to freak people out by being too intense. I’m the one who tells him when he’s flapping. I go to class to tell his teachers that he’s had a rough morning because we ran out of his soy milk.
 
< My Thoughts >   “…he’s flapping …we ran out of his soy milk.”
 
Ritualistic behaviors, such as ‘flapping’ are somewhat comforting, giving a person with autism a feeling of being in control. That person may continue trying to calm themselves long after the disturbing stimuli has ceased. And, they may be unable to bring themselves out of prolonged stimming, even though the behavior isn’t calming them.
 
Our Sonny also has a daily ritual of checking the degree of ‘fullness’ of containers, both in the fridge and in the cupboards. Even if it isn’t something he likes to eat. My guess is that he figures that dad may start some uncontrollable stimming if the cereal box comes up empty, in the morning.
 
Theo thought that last year, when he started high school, he could start life over. The kids there knew nothing about Jacob. “I hung out with the cool guys. Then one day, Jacob found me in the cafeteria with my friends. I introduced him, and that was a huge mistake.”
 
Jacob (Fictional main character with Asperger’s).
 
My brother Theo puts up with a lot, I suppose. He’s there for me when I get really upset. Like if plans don’t work out, or if I can’t control what is happening. I will go all ‘Hulk’ – screaming, swearing, hitting (although I have never hit Theo). I just go in his room and mess up his stuff.
 
Here are things I can’t stand –
          1. The sound of paper being crumpled
          2. Flickering lights
          3. Having plans change
          4. Missing Crime Busters” at 4:35 pm every afternoon on TV. 
          5. When mom doesn’t put my clothes away in rainbow order (ROYGBIV); and without touching
 
I like wearing headphones, except it makes me look like an Air Traffic Controller. I like weighted blankets and Bob Marley songs. And, I follow our House Rules. I like Crime Scene Investigations (CSI) Series I have seen. I like to watch crime investigators and creating ‘crime scenes’, using corn syrup and red food dye. I take Crime Scene notes, and keep them in notebooks.
 
There’s a lot about my father that reminds me of ‘me’. I have a list of questions for him, if I ever get a chance to ask him.

1. If it hadn’t been for me would you have stayed?
2. Were you ever sorry you left?
3. Do you think one day we could be friends?
4. If I try harder, would you come back?

< My Thoughts >   “…reminds me of ‘me’.”

When Jacob’s father does come back to visit the family, it seems that he too sees some spectrum similarities.

Sorry... working on a LINK to find the book, House Rules by Jodi Picoult, on Amazon.com. This story is a look into one of the ways that someone can experience being on the autism spectrum.

See my website's Paid Link Disclosure

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This image was drawn by J.R. Taylor, and was conceived by Meskee Yatsayte. The two feathers symbolize her two children with autism spectrum disorder; puzzle pieces reflect the complexity of the autism spectrum.
 
Native American Heritage (Autism) Awareness Month
with < My Thoughts > by Sara Luker
 
Hilleary (2020) – “She didn’t walk until she was 18 months old,” said Native American Korryl High Bear. “Then as she started getting older, she didn’t talk. She was so sensitive to sounds and emotions.” High Bear turned to the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Birth to Five Program, in Eagle Butte. “They gave my daughter therapy three times a week. After a year, they sent us to the University of South Dakota, about 6 hours away, for a two-day appointment. The program paid for mileage and lodging.”
 
Shoemaker, the program director, explained that the Bureau of Indian Education is an ‘arm’ of the Interior Department’s Bureau of Indian Affairs, which provides the program funds. Cautioning that the tribal leaders have discretion on how those funds are used. Continuing that the reservation is big and there are lots of kids with autism that they don’t know about.
 
Scott (2020) says, “In Navajo, there’s no word for ‘autism’ or ‘disability’. A lot of the elders didn’t understand what we were talking about. They didn’t necessarily see the signs of autism as something to be concerned about. Much of this is due to a lack of awareness,” said this Western Washington University autism expert. For several years, he worked with the University of New Mexico’s Center for Development and Disability, evaluating children on several Native reservations.
 
IHS Staff Writer (2020) shares that parents and teachers may confuse autism with other conditions; or, chalk up behaviors to disobedience. And, even when Indian children are finally diagnosed with autism, they don’t always get the help they are entitled to receive.
 
< My Thoughts >   “…chalk up behaviors to disobedience.”
 
Outsiders only see a ‘bad kid’ or ‘bad parenting’, or both. But in the case of a child with autism, the behavior is not him/her giving you a bad time; they are having a bad time.
 
Just so you know, help is available to Native Americans through the mission of the Indian Health Service (IHS) TeleBehavioral Health Center of Excellence (TBHCE) Indian Children’s Program is to equip healthcare providers working in the Indian Health Service (IHS), Tribal, and Urban Indian Health System with the training and education needed to provide excellent care for American Indian/Alaska Native youth.  

It utilizes tele-education, otherwise known as distance learning, to deliver training, education, and virtual consultation services to IHS, Tribal, and Urban Indian Health system (I/T/U) healthcare providers. Providing the following training, education, and consultation on the following topics related to American Indian/Alaska Native youth –

• Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
• Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)
• Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
• Communication Disorders
• Intellectual Disabilities
• Learning Disorders
• Motor Disorders
• Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

The TBHCE Indian Children's Program provides –

• Training: Allows I/T/U providers to access upcoming webinars, past webinars, and on-demand trainings related to ICP topics.
• Provider Consultation Clinic: Allows I/T/U providers to seek expert assistance and clinical guidance from healthcare professionals who specialize in ASD, FASD, and Neurodevelopmental Disorders.

 
They invite you to feel free to visit the TBHCE website to see the current training opportunities: https://www.ihs.gov/teleeducation/. Studies show that the sooner a child with autism gets services, the greater the chance for learning.
 
References:
 
Hilleary, C. (2020). Helping Native American Children with Autism Poses Challenges for Schools; Retrieved online from –  https://www.ihs.gov/icp/
 
IHS Staff Writer (2020). Autism & the Indian Health Service; Retrieved online from – https://www.ihs.gov/icp/
 
Scott, F. (2020). Helping Native American Children with Autism; Retrieved online from –https://www.voanews.com/a/usa_helping-native-american-children-autism-poses-challenges-schools/6184254.html

BLOG Day of the Girl 2021 with < My Thoughts > by Sara Luker
 
Autism, already a mysterious disorder, is even more puzzling when it comes to girls. Nordahl (2020) stated that studies suggest girls can be more severally affected than boys. Also, studies do not have an equal number of girls as boys. Therefore, boys are four times more likely than girls to receive a diagnosis.
 
Gupta (2020) gives us an additional perspective, that boys have a tendency to ‘externalize’ autism symptoms. With an accompanying misdiagnosis of intellectual ability, subtle language and social manifestations, autistic girls seem to have the ability to ‘appear normal’.

Even once they are ‘labeled’, teachers may misunderstand or even question their diagnosis. This greater capacity to compensate for their difficulties, often leads to misdiagnosis and missed interventions. For example, girls don’t receive services but are instead treated for moodiness,  anxiety, depression, and/or personality disorder.
 
< My Thoughts >   “…teachers may misunderstand…”
 
When teaching Special Education in middle school, a ‘very put together’ young girl was transferred to our school from another district. Her Individualized Education Program (IEP) paperwork was delayed.

Hmmm, where do I start with her? I wondered if there was some mistake. No, the office said, she belongs with you. She had so many ways to convince the world that she was ‘neurotypical’, that it was truly amazing.
 
Mandy (2013) states that he is hopeful, however, that the DSM-V will now provide a new and improved picture of ‘females’, especially those with Asperger's, previously missed by professionals. That meeting this new diagnosis criteria will result in reducing the ‘gender-based inequities’ the DSM-IV couldn’t.
 
References:

Gupta, A. (2020). Researchers Find Sex Differences in Autism: Retrieved online from – https://news.yale.edu/2021/04/16/yale-researchers-find-clues-sex-differences-autism
 
Mandy, W. (2013). Senior Lecturer, University College London. DSM-5 may better serve girls with autism; SPECTRUM: OPINION / VIEWPOINT; May (2013) Issue.

Nordahl, C., (2020). Girls with Autism; Retrieved online from – girls w/autism https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/gender-differences-autistic-brain

Youth4Climate Summit 2021

By Greta Thunberg’s side at the Italian hosted Youth4Climate Summit 2021, was Vanessa Nakate from Uganda. Other friends and youth climate protesters from ‘almost 100 countries’ took to the streets in support of her words to drown out undelivered pledges of ‘big-polluting’ countries. Words such as ~ ‘science doesn’t lie’ and ‘a lack of action is a betrayal towards present and future generations’.

< My Thoughts > are that Greta Thunberg is an ‘Asperger’s advocate inspired and driven about climate change. ‘Climate change’ which is occurring and ‘Climate change’ causes, which need to be corrected. Greta’s ability to focus, find and engage friends to help her shine a light on the environment remains amazing.

As an ‘Aspie’, Greta seems to show distinctive strengths in having remarkable focus and persistence to show attention to detail, and an aptitude for recognizing patterns. In this case, she is devoted to new ways to ‘create climate change’. While friendship struggles are part of being an Aspie, Greta gains friends, wherever she goes.

REFERENCE:

Carrington, D. (2021). “Blah, Blah, Blah”: Greta Thunberg Lambasts Leaders over Climate Crisis; retrieved online from – https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/sep/28/blah-greta-thunberg-leaders-climate-crisis-co2-emissions/

Go outdoors and explore! 

Rudy (2010) gives us a plan, “Get out, explore the community & have fun!” She tells us that individuals and families with autism are often too busy with therapies and doctors to think about physical fitness. Also, that Adaptive Physical Education programs at school start to fade away as students become teens and young adults. 

< My Thoughts >                   “Get out, explore, have fun…”
 
Families are sometimes too focused on what it will be like when/after the ‘therapy’ is successful. Goals and priorities are necessary, but try to have ‘happy’ moments each and every day. Our Sonny likes to walk outdoors on a little pathway that we have created in our yard. He finds the interesting things which we have along the way. Things that we see we name, and stop to chat about.

There are flowers to smell, plants to touch, birdhouses with occupants to watch. And of course, we just enjoy feeling the wind and seeing it blowing the colored ribbons and wind chimes which we have tied in the trees. These things can be labeled for those with higher learning abilities. Always, observe all necessary health and safety precautions when exploring the outdoors.

Menear, et al. (2006) tell us that their informal observations have shown that many students with autism who have low motor skills and few fitness abilities will initially have difficulty traversing typical school or park playground equipment without assistance. Poor eye-hand coordination, trouble combining multiple motor skills into one task, and any structured balance related physical activities, as well as participating in group activities can be difficult.
 
< My Thoughts >             “…trouble combining multiple motor skills into one task.”
 
Such as, combining walking with stopping to look at interesting shapes, or listening to new sounds. Try taking along colored glasses, a magnifying glass, music, favorite toys and/or books. Take time to stop to explore and investigate, and don’t forget to bring music, snacks and drinks. Have frequent breaks, with opportunities for clarification and allowing choices. Have fun and take time to smell the roses.  

A study done by Ghaziuddin & Butler (1998) included 8 subtests for different parts of the anatomy. They were gross motor tests for running speed and agility, balance, bilateral coordination, upper-limb coordination, and strength. There were tests for fine motor skills, for response speed, visual-motor control, and upper-limb speed and dexterity. So, this doesn’t exactly answer the question of why clumsiness is often observed in persons with autism, but it does give one an idea of the many variables involved.
 
< My Thoughts >              “…an idea of the many variables involved.”
 
Accomplishing ‘motor-mind’ activities is extremely complex and complicated. Even the simplest of activities involve both ‘fine’ and ‘gross’ motor skills, a sophisticated ‘sensory system’; plus, both external and internal bodily communication, to say the least.
 
According to Zhao & Chen (2018) providing children with ASD the opportunity to participate in physical activities improves their physical condition, their self-esteem, social skills, and their behavior. Often the child does not know how to interact with others in order to have that physical activity experience, but can be taught. And eventually children will exercise ‘spontaneously’, recognizing the need for that activity. Participants in the study had also shown improvement in parent/child interaction; plus, the child’s interest in ‘otherworldly’ activities.
 
< My Thoughts >               “…recognizing the need…”
 
Figuring out what your child can or cannot do physically, shouldn’t be a stressful activity but one of enjoyment. And, if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. Unless the activity is just too difficult or stressful, the child should begin to show interest.
 
Sonny often uses his peripheral vision to check out what we are doing. If we start bouncing a ball in the living room, he’ll stroll by several times, acting uninterested, but taking a peek. Then, he goes in his room for a while, listening to the sound of the bouncing ball. Soon, he comes out and wants to hold the ball. That could be ‘it’ for the day, but we leave the ball out where he can access it.
 
The next day, he may go over, pick up the ball, and bring it to me. He much prefers to have us do the activity while he watches, easily laughing when you miss the bounce, making the ball roll across the room. When that happens, we invite him to sit on the floor near us, rolling the ball back and forth between us. He begins participating in the ball rolling activity without realizing it. When he catches on to our plan, he gives us a ‘look’, gets up and goes back to his room. And so, it goes.
 
Jean (2006) Figuring out the appropriate, safe and comfortable exercise for your child is important for lifelong fitness. The right exercise can also improve brain function, coordination and even memory. ‘Cross-center-line’ training means you’re using both sides of the brain. ‘Cross-lateral’ movements are those in which arms and legs cross over from one side of the body to the other. An example would be to bend over at waist and tap right hand to left foot. Stand back up and then bend and tap left hand to right foot. This ‘unsticks’ the brain and energizes learning.
 
< My Thoughts >              “…energizes learning.”
 
Look for different ways to ‘energize learning’. Sonny enjoys attending an outdoor aquatic program, sponsored by the City Parks & Recreation. He has ‘somewhat’ participated in a “T” ball group that we found at a nearby park. Both programs allow us to participate with him, so it goes surprisingly well. We even ‘practice’ ‘T’ ball at home in the backyard, a ‘natural setting’ for him where he feels most comfortable. Look for 'Challenger' or 'Adaptive' programs near you. This is a great way to involve siblings, too.
 
Hall (2011) had to worry about going to 9th grade at Windward. But first, I had to worry about going to a new summer camp; Gold Arrow Camp. It was disheartening to plummet into yet another unfamiliar situation where I had no friends or comfort and consequently felt alone and out-of-place. I guess I still came across as ‘different’, even with all the progress I had made.
 
That hike was one of the most beautiful experiences of my life. I had never seen natural running water before or the open-air splendor of the mountains. Along with members of the group, I carried a seventy-pound backpack for five days, a major accomplishment for me.
 
But, when we got back from that hike, I wanted to crawl under a rock by myself whenever somebody tried to talk to me. I stayed in the cabin a little longer. When I did go out, I chose solitary activities – sailing, horseback riding, bike riding – and I avoided the group activities as much as I could.
 
< My Thoughts >              “…crawl under a rock…”
 
Zero interest in group or ‘new’ activities for many children and young adults may be due to ‘anxiety’ about new things, and/or fear of failure. Perhaps carrying a backpack, or wearing a weighted vest could help with anxiety. Learn about your child, know him/her; know their autism, while you explore the outdoors, and their abilities.

REFERENCES:

Ghaziuddin, M. & Butler, E. (1998). Clumsiness in Autism & Asperger Syndrome: A Further Report; Journal of Intellectual Disability Research; V42:1, p43-48.
 
Hall, J. (2011). Am I Still Autistic: How a Low-Functioning, Slightly Retarded Toddler Became the CEO of a Multi-Million Dollar Corporation; eBook Edition.  
 
Jean, D. (2006). Brain Exercises; Retrieved online from –http://drjean.org/html/monthly_act/act_2006/03_Mar/pg04.html/

Menear, K., Smith, S., et al. (2006). A Multipurpose Fitness Playground for Individuals with Autism; Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance; V77:9, p20-25.

Rudy, L. (2010). Get Out, Explore & Have Fun: How Families of Children with Autism or Asperger Syndrome Can Get the Most Out of Community Activities; eBook Edition.
 
Zhao, M. & Chen, S. (2018). The Effects of Structured Physical Activity Program on Social Interaction & Communication for Children with Autism; BioMed Research International, V2018, Art.ID 1825046.

​Autism

• A complex disorder traversing a developmental spectrum.
• Life within 2 or more contained mirrored worlds.
• Repeated stereotypical patterns of behavior responses.
• Disorder evolves with unexpected changes in development.
• Sensory environment, tilted at an angle.
• Constantly shifting continuous sequence of fractious events.
• Mysterious mosaics of abilities and behaviors.

Stay SAFE and enjoy your 4th of July INDEPENDENCE DAY!

Just a note of CAUTION on this July 4th Independence Day 2021. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), by its very nature, may have parents striving for their child’s ‘INDEPENDENCE’ while keeping them ‘SAFE’. Keeping all children safe is important. But, keeping children with autism safe becomes even more of a priority because of their social, sensory, communication, and behavioral challenges. Hopefully, this BLOG will start the process of thinking about PERSONAL & HOME & FIREWORKS SAFETY for the whole family.
 
FIREWORKS can brighten celebrations, but can frighten those with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Noise from fireworks can be startling, triggering a startle response, or even a Post Traumatic Stress Disorder-like (PTSD) response. The unpredictability of the sudden explosion(s) can set off an individual’s ‘arousal’, and/or ‘fight or flight’ response.
 
Brodie (2013) – Laurie said I remember how someone was always on ‘Scott duty’ when the family went out. It usually meant actually holding on to him so he wouldn’t just run off.
 
< My Thoughts >                   “… holding on to him so he wouldn’t just run off.” 
 
Children with autism often feel compelled to flee from their environment. The situation or setting doesn’t seem to matter; they just take off to parts unknown. Any and all of these events may also cause an epileptic seizure event.
 
If your child is known to wander, you may want door alarms to prevent your child from leaving your home without your knowledge. Or, there are several types of child locators available, as another possible option.
 
Naoki Higashida, a 13-year-old-boy with nonverbal autism, through facilitated communication, answered questions concerning his elopement activity.

Question: Why did you wander off?

Answer: My body was lured there by ‘something’ outside. As I was getting farther from home, I didn’t feel any fear or anxiety. I had to keep walking on and on. Turning back was not permitted, because roads never come to an end. Roads speak to us, people with autism, and invite us onward. Until someone brings us back home, we don’t know what we’ve done and then we’re as shocked as anyone.
 
Sparklers burn as hot and as bright as a blowtorch at 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit! Persons with ‘light and sound sensitivities’ may be vulnerable for PTSD-like responses. Those with maladaptive coping strategies and/or reduced help-seeking behaviors may have a unique perception of what is going on within their social sphere.
 
Dr. Todd Favorite (2019), director of the University of Michigan Psychological Clinic suggests that symptoms of PTSD may include:

• Extreme vigilance and arousal
• Nightmares or insomnia
• Negative changes in mood
• Intrusive thoughts of the trauma
• Avoidance or social isolation

 
People with PTSD typically are highly alert to any movement or change that could signal danger.
 
< My Thoughts >                   “…signal danger.”
 
Persons with autism often have ‘sensory issues’. Senses may be distorted or exaggerated to be interpreted as a ‘signal of danger’, especially when it is unexpected or unusual. The smell of smoke and flashes from fireworks could be that kind of trigger, along with the unfamiliar sounds and emotional excitement of the surroundings. Ear plugs, or earphones playing soft music is often suggested. But for our Sonny, that is just added stress. His ‘supersonic hearing’ sense cannot be dissuaded that everything is ‘okay’. We even tried driving to a remote area to view the city’s fireworks display through the car windows, with his favorite music playing. Nope, he began to engage in a long extinguished ‘SIB’ behavior.
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Sicile-Kira  (2014) thinks that some children with autism participate in self-aggressive behavior (SIBs) because they could be in pain and don’t have any other way of communication this. She also has seen ASD persons self-injuring in the throes of a PTSD flashback. She defines SIBs as hitting, biting, head banging, flicking fingers, or slapping oneself as a possible method of sensory seeking stimulation to relieve anxiety, pain, or frustration.
 
Celebrations, such as barbequing around the backyard swimming pool. Swimming pool and water safety lessons are crucial for children with autism. The attraction to the water and no fear of danger, a symptom of autism, becomes a critical safety issue. If you own a pool, fence it in and make sure your gates are self-closing and latch above your child’s reach. Keep all pool toys and other interesting items out of the pool area when they are not being used. Ask your neighbors with swimming pools to follow these safety tips and make them aware of your child’s potential for wandering. Swimming pool and water safety lessons are crucial for children with autism. Knowing Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) is crucial for all family members.
 
Stay SAFE and enjoy your 4th of July INDEPENDENCE DAY!
 
REFERENCES:
 
Brodie, P. (2013). Secondhand Autism; eBook.
 
Favorite, T. (2019). Symptoms of PTSD; Retrieved online from – https://mari.umich.edu/mari-news/psychological-clinic-director-presents-new-research
 
Sicile-Kira, C. (2014). Autism Spectrum Disorder (revised): The Complete Guide to Understanding Autism; Penguin Random House Company; New York, N. Y.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
with < My Thoughts > by Sara Luker  
    
Previously, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) was sometimes an ‘alternative autism diagnosis’. A person with ADHD may or may not have eventually received an autism diagnosis. But an autism diagnosis doesn’t automatically mean they have ADHD.

HYPER-ACTIVITY (over active sensory response), is defined by an exaggerated or avoidant response to sensory stimuli.

Bogdashina & Casanova (2016) describe HYPER-Activity response as caused by a sensory channel that may stay ’wide open’, resulting in more stimulation than the brain can handle. Continuing to explain that children with HYPER-activity often engage in unwanted behavior. Their response is an acute, heightened, or excessive sensitivity to what is happening in the environment.

Phelan (2015) further explains the circumstances of one’s heightened perception. She says that upon hearing a dog bark, most of us pay attention briefly, and then carry on. But a child heightened perception, having a negative experience with dogs, may respond with a ‘startle’ response or feelings of anxiety until s/he feels they are out of harm’s way. For some with sensory issues, that keen state of alertness will stay with them throughout the day.
 
< My Thoughts >                       “…often engage in unwanted behavior.”
 
Persons with ADHD are always in motion, never paying attention, and typically thought of as a ‘wild child’. But sometimes the body is making that response, not because of HYPER-Activity but HYPO-Activity.
 
HYPO-ACTIVITY (under active sensory response), is considered a lack of or delayed response to sensory input, or even lack of orienting to loud sounds, and slow to react to pain.

Ausderau (2015) believes that HYPO-activity results when the brain is deprived because ‘too little’ stimulation gets in when the ‘channel’ does not open wide enough. The sensory system is under-responsive. Or, the normal processing of smells, sights, sounds, touch, and movement is dulled, under-developed, or processing the stimuli incorrectly.
 
These persons are always on the move, with no safety awareness. They jump off furniture & high places; and they especially love the trampoline. These things make them happy, because when engaging and thinking in movements, it is possible for them to shut out the normal world.
 
Sabatos-DeVito, et al. (2016) explain that hypo-responsive behaviors when particularly associated with autism, have been reported as early as 9-12 months of age. Also, it is pointed out that hypo-responsive children may be less sensitive to novelty, thus taking longer to notice and process something new in the environment.

< My Thoughts >       “…taking longer to notice and process ‘novelty’ in the environment.”
 
As you can see, the hypo-responsive child doesn’t recognize the new ‘novelty’ in their environment. Without being able to gain the child’s interest, the parent, teacher, or clinician will have difficulty finding that ‘teachable moment’ which can bring the child closer to learning. Sonny can become so busy in his own world that he refuses to disengage long enough to see a new toy or puzzle in his room. Then when he finally does respond, which maybe hours later, he will make two or three passes, looking at it out of the corner of his eye as he strolls by.

Siri & Lyons (2014) believe a HYPO-responsive tactile system (sensory seeking) is generally associated with a low level of arousal. This child may typically appear ‘tuned out’ and therefore also less available to stimuli. In order to raise arousal level, they may gravitate to messy and unfamiliar textures, in an effort to better process things. Or, they can be excessively rough without ill intent. You will find them fidgeting or leaving their seat often, in order to provide alerting input and better body awareness.
 
Hypo-sensitivity, hyper-sensitivity, or ‘mixed’ sensitivity occurs when the brain does not efficiently process information coming from the body or the environment. Children with hypo-sensitivity require increased intensity in taste, texture and/or temperature in order to process sensations. These children tend to prefer crunchy textures, and strong flavors.
 
< My Thoughts >                       “…‘mixed’ sensitivity…”
 
Some research suggests that certain patterns of HYPO & HYPER Activity can co-occur simultaneously, as individuals react to a sudden sensory stimulus from the environment.

Donkers, et al. (2015) talk about ‘mismatched’ reactions to environmental stimulus. They say that when the brain responses to stimuli triggering a memory of something painful, it causes them to react in an unusual way.
 
< My Thoughts >                       “…react in an unusual way.”
 
Our Sonny sometimes expresses sadness when he is in fact very happy. And conversely, may express happiness when he is sad or disappointed. Some children start showing signs of anxiety, when they are really just happy and excited. This may or may not be the result of a ‘mismatched’ reaction, but it is an ‘unusual response’.
 
Neil, et al. (2017) remind us that it is important to choose which behaviors are HYPO and which are HYPER responses, because measuring, diagnosing, and labeling is important to provide funds for various services from providers and insurance companies.

REFERENCES:

​Ausderau, K., Sideris, J., et al. (2014). National Survey of Sensory Features in Children with ASD: Factor Structure of the Sensory Experience Questionnaire; Journal of Autism Developmental Disorders; V44, p915–925.
 
Bogdashina, O., & Casanova, M. (2016). Sensory Perceptual Issues in Autism & Asperger Syndrome; 2nd Edition, eBook.
 
Donkers, F., Schiput, S., et al. (2015). Attenuated Auditory Event-Related Potentials & Associations with Atypical Sensory Response Patterns in Children with Autism; Journal of Autism Developmental Disorders; V45, p506–523.
 
Neil, L., Green, D., et al. (2017). The Psychometric Properties of a New Measure of Sensory Behavior in Autistic Children; Journal of Autism & Developmental Discord; V47:4, p1261-1268.
 
Phelan, S. (2015). Understanding the Subtypes of Sensory Processing Disorder; Retrieved online from –nspt4kids.com › Resources › Occupational Therapy.
 
Sabatos-DeVito, et al. (2016). Eye Tracking Reveals Impaired Attentional Disengagement Associated with Sensory Response Patterns in Children with Autism; Journal of Autism Developmental Disorders; V46, p1319–1333.
 
Siri, K. & Lyons, T. (2014). Cutting-Edge Therapies for Autism; 4th Edition; Skyhorse Publishing, New York, N.Y.

One out of every 88 military children is diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Also known simply as autism – a group of complex brain development disorders characterized by difficulties in social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication, and repetitive behaviors. The most obvious signs and symptoms of autism typically emerge around age 2 or 3, and, unfortunately, the number of diagnosed autism cases is steadily increasing in the U.S.
 
An Overview of Veteran's Benefits / Special Needs Alliance; Retrieved online from –  https://www.specialneedsalliance.org/the-voice/veterans-benefits//, says...
 
“As our nation commemorates Veterans Day, honoring and remembering those who have served and sacrificed, it is an appropriate time to consider the financial, medical, and other assistance available to veterans, their families and survivors.”
 
You might find this, and similar VA websites helpful to explore. There are VA Aid & Alliance benefits which can provide monies for veterans who need assistance with basic activities of living.
 
A VA pension also benefits dependents and survivors, with like compensation for minor children and adult children who became disabled before age 18 can be eligible for pension benefits. 
​
< My Thoughts >    "...disabled before age 18..."
 Autism is a 'disorder' which classifies as a 'disability' when qualifying for 'benefits' in the insurance world.

The VA also has a program called CHAMPVA, which shares the cost of health care services and supplies with eligible beneficiaries. Spouses and minor children, and in some cases disabled adult children, are eligible for this benefit. Just so you know.

Thank you for your service, to all Veterans and their families.

Greta Thunberg - ASD 'Superpower', with < My Thoughts > by Sara Luker

Greta Thunberg’s “A Year to Change the World” on PBS through BBC was worth watching, according to Brinlee (2021). Greta believes it is her moral duty as a human being to do everything she can to help the world understand about the urgency of climate change.
​
Years earlier from her home in Sweden, Thunberg had no idea, when she began skipping school to strike for climate change awareness, that she would spark a huge global climate change movement.

Now, the 21-year-old states that, "There are people everywhere, screaming in protest. It’s quite exhausting, especially when you have Asperger’s.” Greta, the youthful face of global climate change, shared that she was diagnosed with autism, as an adolescent.

Because of her autism, Fletcher (2021) states that Thunberg found regular school ‘overstimulating’ so she switched to a special school with a 5-student classroom. Then after her school strikes became so successful, she took a year off to begin a more extensive climate change campaign. But, her international travel would be cut short with the rise of the COVID-19 pandemic.

While hoping to inspire people everywhere, DeSantis (2019) says that Greta found that many people were still listening to her words of determination. In spite of, or perhaps because of her Asperger’s, the passion and unending focus on her mission grew. She felt that it was to her advantage having the ability to ‘think outside the box’. And while viewing the world in ‘stark terms’, to be swept away by focusing on a global pattern was to her benefit.

Acknowledging that Greta Thunberg considers her Asperger’s may make her look at things differently, but it’s okay, because she considers that her ‘superpower’.

< My Thoughts >          “…considers that her ‘superpower’.”
​
Wielding her ‘superpower’, Greta has been known to ask “Where are the adults?” I’m not certain what she means by that, but as adults go about their daily lives, it seems that they might want to consider their children and the future global world they will inherit.

REFERENCES –

Brinlee, M. (2021). Greta Thunberg On Attending Protests with Asperger’s: “It’s Quite Exhausting”; Retrieved online from – https://www.romper.com/entertainment/exclusive-greta-thunberg-pbs-series-aspergers-syndrome/

DeSantis, R. (2019). Now the Youngest ‘TIME’ Person of the Year: Destroys Asperger’s Stigma; Retrieved online from – https://people.com/human -interest/how- greta-thunberg-destroys-aspergers-stigma/

Fletcher, H. (2019). Climate Change Marches are Hard with Asperger’s Syndrome; Retrieved online from – https://metro.co.uk/2021/04/06greta-thunberg-climate-change-marches-are-very-hard-with-aspergers/