April 2025 ~ Autism Awareness / Acceptance Month

Hello Everyone,
 
This month’s BLOG will continue the opportunity to view my slideshow GALLERY of Books and focus on the offered Extended Book Reviews. The slideshow shows the book covers, divided into the following categories ~

     AMAZING ADVENTURES
     DIAGNOSIS, DOCTORS, DENIAL
     SAVVY SOLUTIONS
     SCHOOL ON THE SHORT BUS
 
Hopefully, these stories will help parents, clinicians, academics, and all people #Autism, in connecting with those who have gone before us on their Autism Journey. This April's 2025 BLOG will continue to give snippets of my Extended Book Reviews; find full Extended Book Reviews on the website MENU; along with a LINK to purchase the eBook. You will find each Autism story to be engaging, compelling, and as different as each family's Autism journey.

From the Category – AMAZING ADVENTURES. Read my full Extended Book Review, with < My Thoughts > by Sara Luker; plus, LINKs to eBooks, on this website, www.sarasautismsite.com.​

Spinning In Circles & Learning from Myself: A Collection of Stories that Slowly Grow Up by Tsara Shelton, eBook 2015 Edition; with < My Thoughts > by Sara Luker
 
Excerpts from the book – (11% indicates location in the Kindle version of the book, instead of page numbers).

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.”

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!” 

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.
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.

​Reference:

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.

Smith, R., & Sharp, J. (2013). Fascination & Isolation: A Grounded Therapy Exploration of USE in Adults with Asperger’s. Journal of Autism Developmental Disorders; Vol. 43:4, p.891-910.

​Steiner, N., Frenette, E., et al. (2014). A Pilot Feasibility Study of Neurofeedback for Children with Autism. Applied Psychophysiology & Biofeedback; Vol. 39, p99-107.

End of this excerpt from the eBook by Tsara Shelton. See the full Extended Book Review on this website.

Note: Miracles are Made by Lynette Louise BLOG Snippet was posted on 3/24/2025, in the MARCH 2025 Extended Book Review Excerpts; & appears in my website Gallery Slideshow under the Category – Savvy Solutions.

Thank you for reading and sharing my BLOGs. Comments are welcomed, to be viewed and answered privately. My goal is to assist families, clinicians, educators, and all people ‘autism’, to continue their journey on the Autism Highway. At the end of each website Extended Book Review, please find a source to have the whole book to read.

Regards,
Sara Luker


​Paid Link Disclosure -

These Extended Book Reviews have an Amazon Link for actual book purchases. Please read this Paid Link Disclosure AKA Affiliate Links Disclosure:
     Sometimes there are paid links, also known as affiliate links, used on this site. My website, www.sarasautismsite.com, is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. This is an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. 
     I may earn or receive a small paid commission from referrals for book purchases made through posts, pages, and links on this site. But I try to remain unbiased and I do not accept paid reviews. All opinions expressed here are my own. 
     There is no extra cost to you when purchases are made using the provided links. By using the links I provide you agree that you’ve read this paid link disclosure statement. 
Thank you! 
Sara Luker