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  • FREE ASD BOOK UNIT #1 How Will I Know If It Is Autism? Ch. 1 Checklists, Ch. 2 Red Flags, Ch. 3 CDC. APPENDIX A Informal Autism Checklist, APPENDIX B Red Flags APPENDIX C Developmental Screening
  • FREE ASD BOOK UNIT #2 Why Is It Autism? Ch. 1 Diagnosis & DSM-5, APPENDIX A ASD Screening Assessments, APPENDIX B PPD-NOS Pervasive Developmental Disorder.
  • FREE ASD BOOK UNIT #2 Why Is It Autism? Ch. 2 Denial & Misdiagnosis, Ch. 3 Doctors & Direction, APPENDIX C ASD Findings, APPENDIX D Developmental Screenings.
  • FREE ASD BOOK UNIT #3 What Is Most Concerning? Ch. 1 Gross & Fine Motor Skills; Part 1 Poor Eating, Part 2 Toilet Training. APPENDIX A Toileting APPENDIX B Wandering.
  • FREE ASD BOOK UNIT #3 What Is Most Concerning (Cont.), Ch. 2 Speech & Language Communication (Includes Nonverbal Assisted Communication, Tantrums & Meltdowns).
  • FREE ASD BOOK UNIT #3 What Is Most Concerning? (Cont.) Ch. 3 Cognition, Temperament & Personality .
  • FREE ASD BOOK UNIT #3C (Concerning & Challenging Behavior) Behavioral Support Ideas: 5Point Rating Scales, Power Cards, Social Stories, Visual Schedules What Is Most Concerning? Behavior Visual Support ideas, during challenging times.
  • FREE ASD BOOK UNIT #3C Behavior Support Five Point Rating Scale < My Thoughts > by Sara Luker
  • FREE ASD BOOK UNIT #3C Behavior Support Power Cards for Concerning ASD Behavior with < My Thoughts > by Sara Luker
  • FREE ASD BOOK UNIT #3C Behavior Support Social Stories for Concerning ASD Behaviors with < My Thoughts > by Sara Luker
  • FREE ASD BOOK UNIT #3C Behavior Support Visual Schedules for Concerning ASD Behaviors with < My Thoughts > by Sara Luker
  • FREE ASD BOOK UNIT #4 When is it Sensory? Ch. 1 Sensory Issues; APPENDIX A Sensory Checklist, APPENDIX B Sensory Profile
  • FREE ASD BOOK UNIT #4 When Is It Sensory? (Cont.) Ch. 2 Sensory Categories; Part 1. Hypo-Activity, Part 2. Hyper-Activity APPENDIX C (ADHD).
  • FREE ASD BOOK UNIT #4 When Is It Sensory? (Cont.), Ch. 2 Sensory Categories (Cont.), Part 3 SIRs, APPENDIX D Sensory Issue Assessments, APPENDIX E Stereotyped Behavior, Enhanced Perception.
  • FREE ASD BOOK UNIT #4 When Is It Sensory? (Cont.), Ch. 3 Sensory Integration. APPENDIX F Sensory Processing Scale (SPS), APPENDIX G Sample Sensory Diet.
  • FREE ASD BOOK UNIT #5, What To Do While You Wait? Ch. 1 Getting To Know Your Child, Ch. 2 Social & Personal Awareness APPENDIX A Transition Guide
  • FREE ASD BOOK UNIT #5 What To Do While You Wait? (Cont.) Ch. 3 Child's Thinking, Learning Strengths & Weaknesses, Ch. 4 Working on Independent Daily Living Skills, APPENDIX A 8 Types of VPD, APPENDIX B Some Hidden Facts About Special Students, APPENDIX C
  • FREE ASD BOOK UNIT #6 Where To Look for Resources? Ch. 1 Networking & Support a. Autism CARES B. Gov. Websites. APPENDIX A - Autism Network (AANE)
  • FREE ASD BOOK UNIT #6 Where To Look for Resources? (Cont.), Ch. 2 Insurance & Intervention. APPENDIX A Letter of Request for Services, APPENDIX B Insurance Information Link
  • FREE ASD BOOK UNIT #6 Where To Look for Resources? (Cont.), Ch. 3 Laws- Federal, State, Local, Ch. 4 Family Law, Autism Education, Bullying. APPENDIX A Due Process, APPENDIX B Section 504 Plan.
  • FREE BOOK UNIT #6 Where To Look for Resources? (Cont.) Ch. 5 Future Challenges; College, Career, Older Adult, Geriatrics. APPENDIX A Respite Resources, APPENDIX B Additional Resources, APPENDIX C 8 Nurse Tips, APPENDIX D Guardianship,
  • FREE BOOK UNIT #7-0 Who May Help? Ch. 1 Instructional Programs,, Ch. 2 Therapies, Ch. 3 Other Therapies. APPENDIX A Early Intervention, Ch. 2 Therapies, Ch. 3 Other Therapies
  • FREE BOOK UNIT #7-1 Who May Help? Other Therapies ABA, CBT, DIR, OT, PECS
  • FREE BOOK UNIT #7-2 Who May Help? Other Therapies: RDI, SPD, ST, TEAACH
  • FREE BOOK UNIT #7-3 Who May Help? Other Therapies ProgramsApproaches; Meds, Diet,
  • FREE BOOK UNIT #7-4 Who May Help? CAMs 1. Acupuncture 2. Animal Assisted Therapy
  • FREE BOOK UNIT #7-5 Who May Help? CAMs 3. Anti Inflammation Therapy 4. Auditory Integration Therapy
  • FREE BOOK UNIT #7-6 Who May Help? CAMs 5. Chelation Therapy 6. Chiropractic Therapy
  • FREE BOOK UNIT #7-7 Who May Help? CAMs 7. Creative Therapy 8. Facilitated Communication
  • FREE BOOK UNIT #7-8 Who May Help? CAMs 9. Hyperbaric Oxygen 10. Immunoglobulin Infusions
  • FREE BOOK UNIT #7-9 Who May Help? CAMs 11. Massage Therapy 12. Mindfulness Meditation
  • FREE BOOK UNIT #7-10 Who May Help? CAMs 13. Neuro-Therapy 14. Physical Activity Program
  • FREE BOOK UNIT #7-11 Who May Help? CAMs 15. Stem Cell Therapy 16. Vitamin Supplements
  • GALLERY SLIDESHOW
  • *PREVIEW Books in Gallery
    • AMAZING ADVENTURES Extended Book Reviews
    • DIAGNOSIS, DOCTORS, & DENIAL Extended Book Reviews
    • SAVVY SOLUTIONS Extended Book Reviews
    • SCHOOL ON THE SHORT BUS Extended Book Reviews
  • ExtendedBookReviews~
  • Rules for David
  • A Friend Like Henry & All Because of Henry
  • No You Don't
  • Twirling Naked
  • Autism Mom's Survival Guide
  • A Spot on the Wall
  • A Child's Journey Out of Autism
  • Paula's Journal
  • How Can I Talk
  • 101 & 1,001 Tips
  • Hello, My Name is Max
  • What Color is Monday?
  • Spinning in Circles
  • Miracles Are Made
  • Secondhand Autism
  • I Wish I Were Engulfed in Flames:
  • 3500: An Autistic Boy's
  • Ido in Autismland
  • The Journey to Normal
  • All I Can Handle
  • He's Not Autistic, But...
  • The Horse Boy
  • Building in Circles
  • Autism Goes to School
  • I Am In Here
  • The Aspie Parent, the First Two Years.
  • Seeing Ezra: A Mother's Story
  • Autism: Turning on the Light
  • I Know You're In There
  • Autism: Why I Love Kids
  • Autism: Triplet Twist
  • Someone I'm With Has Autism
  • Making Peace with Autism
  • The ABC's of Autism Acceptance
  • The Long Ride Home
  • Autism by Hand
  • Knowing Autism
  • Autism Belongs
  • A Real Boy
  • A Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night
  • Autism Alert Blog
  • Mobile Special
  • Home
  • About
  • Contact Us
  • Help Us Grow
  • Paid Link Disclosure
  • Privacy Policy
  • Know Autism, Know Your Child
  • New Information
  • Previous BLOGs Good Ideas
  • FREE ASD BOOK UNIT #1 How Will I Know If It Is Autism? Ch. 1 Checklists, Ch. 2 Red Flags, Ch. 3 CDC. APPENDIX A Informal Autism Checklist, APPENDIX B Red Flags APPENDIX C Developmental Screening
  • FREE ASD BOOK UNIT #2 Why Is It Autism? Ch. 1 Diagnosis & DSM-5, APPENDIX A ASD Screening Assessments, APPENDIX B PPD-NOS Pervasive Developmental Disorder.
  • FREE ASD BOOK UNIT #2 Why Is It Autism? Ch. 2 Denial & Misdiagnosis, Ch. 3 Doctors & Direction, APPENDIX C ASD Findings, APPENDIX D Developmental Screenings.
  • FREE ASD BOOK UNIT #3 What Is Most Concerning? Ch. 1 Gross & Fine Motor Skills; Part 1 Poor Eating, Part 2 Toilet Training. APPENDIX A Toileting APPENDIX B Wandering.
  • FREE ASD BOOK UNIT #3 What Is Most Concerning (Cont.), Ch. 2 Speech & Language Communication (Includes Nonverbal Assisted Communication, Tantrums & Meltdowns).
  • FREE ASD BOOK UNIT #3 What Is Most Concerning? (Cont.) Ch. 3 Cognition, Temperament & Personality .
  • FREE ASD BOOK UNIT #3C (Concerning & Challenging Behavior) Behavioral Support Ideas: 5Point Rating Scales, Power Cards, Social Stories, Visual Schedules What Is Most Concerning? Behavior Visual Support ideas, during challenging times.
  • FREE ASD BOOK UNIT #3C Behavior Support Five Point Rating Scale < My Thoughts > by Sara Luker
  • FREE ASD BOOK UNIT #3C Behavior Support Power Cards for Concerning ASD Behavior with < My Thoughts > by Sara Luker
  • FREE ASD BOOK UNIT #3C Behavior Support Social Stories for Concerning ASD Behaviors with < My Thoughts > by Sara Luker
  • FREE ASD BOOK UNIT #3C Behavior Support Visual Schedules for Concerning ASD Behaviors with < My Thoughts > by Sara Luker
  • FREE ASD BOOK UNIT #4 When is it Sensory? Ch. 1 Sensory Issues; APPENDIX A Sensory Checklist, APPENDIX B Sensory Profile
  • FREE ASD BOOK UNIT #4 When Is It Sensory? (Cont.) Ch. 2 Sensory Categories; Part 1. Hypo-Activity, Part 2. Hyper-Activity APPENDIX C (ADHD).
  • FREE ASD BOOK UNIT #4 When Is It Sensory? (Cont.), Ch. 2 Sensory Categories (Cont.), Part 3 SIRs, APPENDIX D Sensory Issue Assessments, APPENDIX E Stereotyped Behavior, Enhanced Perception.
  • FREE ASD BOOK UNIT #4 When Is It Sensory? (Cont.), Ch. 3 Sensory Integration. APPENDIX F Sensory Processing Scale (SPS), APPENDIX G Sample Sensory Diet.
  • FREE ASD BOOK UNIT #5, What To Do While You Wait? Ch. 1 Getting To Know Your Child, Ch. 2 Social & Personal Awareness APPENDIX A Transition Guide
  • FREE ASD BOOK UNIT #5 What To Do While You Wait? (Cont.) Ch. 3 Child's Thinking, Learning Strengths & Weaknesses, Ch. 4 Working on Independent Daily Living Skills, APPENDIX A 8 Types of VPD, APPENDIX B Some Hidden Facts About Special Students, APPENDIX C
  • FREE ASD BOOK UNIT #6 Where To Look for Resources? Ch. 1 Networking & Support a. Autism CARES B. Gov. Websites. APPENDIX A - Autism Network (AANE)
  • FREE ASD BOOK UNIT #6 Where To Look for Resources? (Cont.), Ch. 2 Insurance & Intervention. APPENDIX A Letter of Request for Services, APPENDIX B Insurance Information Link
  • FREE ASD BOOK UNIT #6 Where To Look for Resources? (Cont.), Ch. 3 Laws- Federal, State, Local, Ch. 4 Family Law, Autism Education, Bullying. APPENDIX A Due Process, APPENDIX B Section 504 Plan.
  • FREE BOOK UNIT #6 Where To Look for Resources? (Cont.) Ch. 5 Future Challenges; College, Career, Older Adult, Geriatrics. APPENDIX A Respite Resources, APPENDIX B Additional Resources, APPENDIX C 8 Nurse Tips, APPENDIX D Guardianship,
  • FREE BOOK UNIT #7-0 Who May Help? Ch. 1 Instructional Programs,, Ch. 2 Therapies, Ch. 3 Other Therapies. APPENDIX A Early Intervention, Ch. 2 Therapies, Ch. 3 Other Therapies
  • FREE BOOK UNIT #7-1 Who May Help? Other Therapies ABA, CBT, DIR, OT, PECS
  • FREE BOOK UNIT #7-2 Who May Help? Other Therapies: RDI, SPD, ST, TEAACH
  • FREE BOOK UNIT #7-3 Who May Help? Other Therapies ProgramsApproaches; Meds, Diet,
  • FREE BOOK UNIT #7-4 Who May Help? CAMs 1. Acupuncture 2. Animal Assisted Therapy
  • FREE BOOK UNIT #7-5 Who May Help? CAMs 3. Anti Inflammation Therapy 4. Auditory Integration Therapy
  • FREE BOOK UNIT #7-6 Who May Help? CAMs 5. Chelation Therapy 6. Chiropractic Therapy
  • FREE BOOK UNIT #7-7 Who May Help? CAMs 7. Creative Therapy 8. Facilitated Communication
  • FREE BOOK UNIT #7-8 Who May Help? CAMs 9. Hyperbaric Oxygen 10. Immunoglobulin Infusions
  • FREE BOOK UNIT #7-9 Who May Help? CAMs 11. Massage Therapy 12. Mindfulness Meditation
  • FREE BOOK UNIT #7-10 Who May Help? CAMs 13. Neuro-Therapy 14. Physical Activity Program
  • FREE BOOK UNIT #7-11 Who May Help? CAMs 15. Stem Cell Therapy 16. Vitamin Supplements
  • GALLERY SLIDESHOW
  • *PREVIEW Books in Gallery
    • AMAZING ADVENTURES Extended Book Reviews
    • DIAGNOSIS, DOCTORS, & DENIAL Extended Book Reviews
    • SAVVY SOLUTIONS Extended Book Reviews
    • SCHOOL ON THE SHORT BUS Extended Book Reviews
  • ExtendedBookReviews~
  • Rules for David
  • A Friend Like Henry & All Because of Henry
  • No You Don't
  • Twirling Naked
  • Autism Mom's Survival Guide
  • A Spot on the Wall
  • A Child's Journey Out of Autism
  • Paula's Journal
  • How Can I Talk
  • 101 & 1,001 Tips
  • Hello, My Name is Max
  • What Color is Monday?
  • Spinning in Circles
  • Miracles Are Made
  • Secondhand Autism
  • I Wish I Were Engulfed in Flames:
  • 3500: An Autistic Boy's
  • Ido in Autismland
  • The Journey to Normal
  • All I Can Handle
  • He's Not Autistic, But...
  • The Horse Boy
  • Building in Circles
  • Autism Goes to School
  • I Am In Here
  • The Aspie Parent, the First Two Years.
  • Seeing Ezra: A Mother's Story
  • Autism: Turning on the Light
  • I Know You're In There
  • Autism: Why I Love Kids
  • Autism: Triplet Twist
  • Someone I'm With Has Autism
  • Making Peace with Autism
  • The ABC's of Autism Acceptance
  • The Long Ride Home
  • Autism by Hand
  • Knowing Autism
  • Autism Belongs
  • A Real Boy
  • A Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night
WWW.SARASAUTISMSITE.COM

Spinning in Circles & Learning from Myself: A Collection of Stories that Slowly Grow Up
  by Tsara Shelton (
2015).
     Extended Book Review with
<My Thoughts>           by Sara Luker

Picture
   Spinning In Circles & Learning from Myself: A Collection of     Stories that Slowly Grow Up by Tsara Shelton (2015).     
   Extended Book Review with < My Thoughts > by Sara Luker.


​   Excerpts from the book – (10% indicates location in the Kindle       version of the book, instead of page numbers).










​10%     When we teach our children and ourselves this is right and this is wrong we start seeing it and feeling it where before we hadn’t. Stimming, rocking, flapping, jumping, flicking, poking, clucking – and more – are common with our autistic loved ones, and there is nothing wrong with them. Until we say that there is.
 
Then we begin an unfortunate feedback loop where we see it as wrong, they see it as wrong, and what used to feel good (or else why would they do it?) becomes something they dislike about themselves. Social rules exist for a reason… they are helpful.
 
Feel free to show your family why flicking a stranger’s hair won’t help them make friends and might make the stranger nervous.
 
11%     One morning not too long ago, my youngest son got up at six am, made himself some breakfast, got dressed, brushed his teeth, deodorized and combed his hair. Then he stepped outside to play with the dogs. That was when I knew he was struggling with going to school.
 
Declyn is not for sure autistic, but he struggles intensely with social transitions. He brings home report cards with all A’s; he is popular with his peers as well as with his teachers. Everyone just loves him!
 
But very often the stress of being that guy surrounds him like a fog, and he just can’t see his way out.
 
Each new doorway of social interaction exhausting him emotionally. Playlands and parties are also anxiety builders and, success wise, hit or miss.
 
< My Thoughts >     "...exhaust them emotionally."

We don’t want to change them, but neither do we want to exhaust them emotionally.

 
Smith, R. S., & Sharp, J. (2013), in a study they found that when interviewing a young woman with Asperger’s she thought… “It would have saved a lot of the wondering ‘what’s wrong with me’ and I could have learnt to cope with things better   sooner.”      They also found that many persons with Asperger syndrome had heightened senses, sensory stress, stress avalanches. That they also had difficulties with allowing for moderating factors, and coping strategies, other people, self-acceptance, fascination, and isolation.                                                                          
 
11%     This day, when Declyn came in after playing with the dogs he looked at me and said, “I just can’t go to school today. I have low self-esteem, and my elbow hurts.” Yea, so he stayed home.
 
< My Thoughts >  “…I have low self-esteem, and my elbow hurts.” 
 
How endearing is that statement! As a parent, my response to this child being so in touch with his feelings would make me very happy.  As a teacher, my response to a student would be to try to distract them, in order to get them back on task. 

Meyers, J., Ladner, J., et al. (2011) tell us that when a child feels clumsy or not feeling popular that day, they tend to socially isolate themselves. This in turn leaves the child facing bullying and further social exclusion by their peers. We don’t want to ‘fix’ them, but we do want to reduce the likelihood for later depression, anxiety and other uncomfortable states.
 
12%     Parenting, autism, happiness – these have become things about which people tend to come to me for advice, and I gladly give it. Some days I feel confident that my ideas are quite useful.
 
< My Thoughts >  “Parenting, autism, happiness…”
 
Someone once said, “Parents are only as happy as their unhappiest child.”
 
12%     On Autism:  I was the worst with my autistic brothers. I’m the oldest of eight kids and many of my brothers were on the spectrum of autism. Watching the way my sisters could comfortably play with them and believe in them made me both green with envy and angry at myself.
 
It took me years to believe in my brothers. Does that sound like someone to ask autism advice from? On Happiness: Passersby like to ask, “Why are you always so happy??”, and my stock response is a chirpy, “Caffeine!”
 
< My Thoughts >      “It took me years to believe in my brothers.”

In the best circumstances, sibling relationships tend to be complicated.

 
Tozer, R., Atkin, K. (2015) caution that, “Relationships (with siblings with autism or severe learning disabilities) are not without ambivalence, because of the changing demands of persons with autism.”  Some of their article’s examples are given here:
 
            “”You love them to bits, but a lot of the time you are thinking –  this just isn’t rewarding, this is just hard.”
 
            “She’s my sister, I love her, but she cannot understand the way I think  –  and I can’t understand the way she thinks.”
 
            “I decided I was an adult by the time I was twelve because I was parenting the whole family.  Sleepless nights, worrying what was going to happen…”
 
            “I was the one who had to adapt to ‘autism-friendly’ routines. Many days, he’d be running around, pulling the curtains down, scribbling on the walls… flooding the bathroom… chaotic, yeah.”
 
Tozer, R., Atkin, K. (2015) say that siblings described the long-term impact of autism on family life.  They talk about staying constantly on the alert as to what was going on… continual hyper-vigilance. Most siblings expressed “sadness and frustration at the limited reciprocity in the relationship with their sibling.”  Plus the siblings trying to balance the demands of family time with their personal time.
 
18%     I am a Canadian white woman with a tree hugging granola crunching soul, married to an older black man who has never gone camping and thinks orange soda is healthy. We both hate guns, don’t drink and chose not to spank our kids. Our home is a very comfortable place where passionate arguments are sometimes learned from and always respected.
 
I try to create a culture of thinking for ourselves, learning from others and ourselves, and sharing what we learn without apology or assumption. I appreciate all the triggers that have helped me change my mind…
 
13%     Also, I am the sister of brother who were on the spectrum and for years I’ve been mom’s right hand man. Though I didn’t always understand or believe in my brothers the way mom did, I learned to.
 
19%     My mom was special needs and saw things differently… there was no doubt that she was different. So when she adopted four boys from abused homes, with different challenges and needs, and insisted the world not pity them but rather believe in them and adore them while having expectations, the culture in my home clashed noisily with the culture outside of it.
 
Siegel, D. (2013) specifies that “Family support gives teens a good sense of who they are.” That it is important to have strong relationships with parents, extended family, and their families’ friends. Then even though the child may have a “disorganized narrative” in their model of attachment, they have a better chance of interpreting the world as a balanced one.”
 
19%     For years I took turns being angry or embarrassed by my mom, and then angry and unhappy with the world. But because I love my brothers – and because my mom was right – I was eventually able to see.
  
“It took me until I was in my 20’s to realize what was going on. Until then I had run around trying to not upset her (my mother), and my siblings and father did this too. It took a lot of effort and brain space! The whole family believed we were selfish and that we needed to protect her! When I did eventually speak up, my family tried to shush me and told me I was ‘upsetting mum’.”
 
19%     My mom taught us never to allow our beliefs and limitations to come from others.
 
27%     Perhaps in learning to trust and be ourselves we can actually make safer choices. Ones that come from what we truly want, and not from a place of fear. Fear of being hurt or judged. The energy we put out is most often the same energy we call to ourselves. That’s what I believe.
 
< My Thoughts >      “…not from a place of fear.”
 
Somewhere I read that children may develop emotional difficulties or a sense of ‘self-distrust’ when making choices based on what is seen as their limitations. This makes perfect sense to me.  Fortunately, Tsara’s mother Lynette taught her family to see beyond a world with few choices and Tsara has carried that wisdom along to her family.
 
27%     So I will continue to smile at strangers and sing to myself while walking down the street. That is who I feel good being. That is being me!
 
32%     Autism is a funny thing. You can’t see it. It’s very much the same symptoms in individuals (communication difficulties, social disorder, repetitious behaviors and sensory sensitivities) manifesting vastly differently in each. Something people are choosing to take advantage of ‘autism’ as an excuse. 
 
< My Thoughts >    “...‘autism’ as an excuse. “
 
Outsiders may see ‘Autism’ as an excuse for creating what they see as a ‘spoiled’ child… or for poor parenting… or just for not putting forth the effort to change the child's behavior. I say at the top of my voice, “Define a spoiled child!”  Define “poor parenting!” 
 
34%     Sometimes my mom would stand up in the middle of a conversation at a coffee shop and exclaim, “It’s too cold. I have to go now.” No gradual easing into it. Just, “Gotta go now.” What we didn’t know at the time was that up until that point she had been dealing with a myriad of sensory overload. She couldn’t tell us because as far as she knew the world she was experiencing was the same as ours.
 
< My Thoughts > “…as far as she knew..."

...the world she was experiencing was the same as ours.” Possibly two things happening here, 'Sensory' overload, and yet to be fully developed Theory of Mind.


Note: For further information on ‘Sensory Issues’, go to MENU for – Know Autism, Know Your Child with < My Thoughts > by Sara Luker. Read online here, under – UNIT 4 – When Is It Sensory? CHAPTER 1 Sensory Issues.
 
‘Theory of mind’ (ToM), which is not yet fully developed, lets the person believe that others think, understand, and perceive the world exactly as they do. They do not realize that different persons have different thoughts, desires, beliefs and attitudes by which they make sense of the world they live in. This is common in persons with Asperger’s.

Note: For further information on ‘Theory of Mind’ (ToM), go to MENU for –Know Autism, Know Your Child with < My Thoughts > by Sara Luker. Read online here, under – UNIT 3 What Is Most Concerning? CHAPTER 3 – Cognition, Theory of Mind, & Temperament/Personality, APPENDIX B Theory of Mind (ToM)

32%     My mom was recently diagnosed as historically Asperger’s, one of the manifestations of autism. But she doesn’t have it anymore.
 
34%     Having an undiagnosed autistic mom taught me to be fair, kind, and unassuming.  It taught me to see outside the box, because a box is no place for a person. Facebook Motto: Autism asks challenging questions, begs us to think outside the box and then, autism answers.
 
86%     I grew up the oldest of eight children. My mom adopted six wild and wonderful, abused and challenged kids.  My four adopted brothers had labels that ranged from autistic to angry.
 
I rolled my eyes when my mom would insist that the boys were able to feel the same feelings as me but that their challenges meant the feelings would show up in different places and would probably looked different.
 
In the study described by Shalom, B., Mostofsky, S., et al. (2006), the participants with autism who could express themselves about feelings stated the following – “They mostly only had ‘conscious’ feelings about things which were ‘pleasant’ versus ‘unpleasant’ or, ‘interesting’ versus ‘boring’.
 
86%     What I say was (autism is) one brother rocking, stimming, growling and hitting himself, another staring blankly in whatever direction he was facing, forever needing to pull up his socks, another threatening to beat up whoever was nearest, avoiding eye contact like the plague, and the little one repeating whatever you said while climbing the walls and putting his lips on heaters.
 
Even the professionals in our world kept trying to tell my mom to stop getting her hopes up with these kids…
 
< My Thoughts >  “…stop getting her hopes up…”
 
The best advice I’ve seen out there states that parents should remain hopeful, educate themselves in order to become empowered. That parents should strive to find professionals who are willing to ‘partner’ with them in the planning and interventions ahead. While most parents tend to seek out others who have had successes, vigilantly researching of services, programs, and interventions is not to be ignored, in my opinion.
 
90%     Funnily, I used to wonder if there was something wrong with me. People who knew me growing up, as well as people who know me today, use words like ‘satisfied’, ‘happy’, ‘sweet’, positive’, and ‘bubbly’ to describe me. But as it turns out, I’ve got a pretty balanced brain.
 
Eventually, in search of a tool that could help Dar, my most severely autistic brother, my mom discovered neurofeedback. A tool that would, essentially, save all of us from a life of floating and wondering and searching. Neurofeedback is truly wonderful. Putting nothing in the body but information, and offering feedback (in the form of beeps) that helps balance the brain nearly the instant the brain behaves in the way it’s encouraged to.

< My Thoughts >     “…Neurofeedback..."

Neurofeedback just reads brain waves… it doesn’t judge. "My mom adopted six wild and wonderful, abused and challenged kids. "  Tsara's 'Mom' is Lynette Louise. She is a twice certified (BCIA, NTCB) neurofeedback Specialist; commonly referred to as the 'Brain Broad'. You can find her online – lynettelouise.com.   
 
90%     Both mom and Dar benefited so quickly, and in such surprising ways, it became a passion project for mom. To help the family, to certify and educate, and to help families around the world. 
 
I got to have a turn with her brain reading and balancing buddy. I’ll admit it, I was nervous. I was being silly because all it does is just read delta, theta, and beta brain waves. It doesn’t judge at all. Well, my mom found my brain to be kind of boring! Turns out, it’s rather balanced.
 
Steiner, N., Frenette, E., et al. (2014), found that Neurofeedback (NFB) was an emerging treatment for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This pilot study examined the feasibility of NFB for children with ASD. Students were rewarded for careful concentration instead of pursuing active behaviors and vocalizations as frequent off-task behaviors. Neurofeedback improved children's attention. It was reported that they had constant and immediate auditory and visual feedback, and success in paying attention.
 
93%     'We' – myself, my mom, and my son – have always had a pretty clear picture of who we wanted to be. And it’s been fascinating and fun to see clearly that our dreams have come true. Even if they look different that when we once dreamed them.
 
34%     I am proud that my mom has been able to turn her passion for autism and fairness into an international autism/brain expert career, one woman musical comedy show, books, and internet reality show (on the Autism Channel).

99%     In my articles and essays I mention autism – a lot.  If you are interested in more information… please visit www.brainbody.net. Or, Lynette Louise aka the Brain Broad on the autism channel. 

Note: Please go to Miracles Are Made for my Extended Book Review; plus, a LINK to (Tsara's Mom) Lynette Louise authored book.
 
References:

Grace, A. (2016). Parents Aren’t Victims of Their Kids; Respectfully Connected. Retrieved online from – https://awnnetwork.org › uploads › 2023/11 ›

Meyers, J., Ladner, J., et al. (2011). More than a Passing Grade: Fostering Positive Psychological Outcomes for Mainstreamed Students with Autism; Journal of Physical Disabilities; Vol. 23, p515-526.

Shalom, B., Mostofsky, S., et al. (2006). Normal Physiological Emotions but Differences in Expression of Conscious Feelings in Children with High-Functioning Autism. Journal of Autism & Developmental Disorders; Vol. 36:3, p395-400.

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