Proposed ASHA Position Statement: Rapid Prompting Method (RPM)

For those interested, the following is my letter in response to the proposed position statement by the ASHA  American Speech-Language-Hearing Ad Hoc Committee on Facilitated Communication (FC) and Rapid Prompting Method (RPM).   The proposed policy can be read here.

 Dear  ASHA Board of Directors:

My name is Chantal Sicile-Kira and I am the author of  five books on autism, an International speaker,  and I am known for my practical advice to parents and educators. Many years ago, I worked for two years at Fairview State Hospital (now called Fairview Developmental Center) and taught  functional and community living skills to the first group of young adults in preparation for de-institutionalized following the passage of the Lanterman Act. I also worked for a short time at Orange County Regional Center as a case manager to families of children with developmental disabilities.

As well, I  have 25 years of experience in non-profit leadership roles related to autism, including two years as Co-Chair, South Counties Autism Regional Taskforce, reporting to the California Legislative Blue Ribbon Commission on Autism, and two years as Member, Taskforce on Transitional Services & Supports reporting to the California Legislative Blue Ribbon Commission on Autism. I am also the parent of Jeremy, a 29 year old who learned academics and  communication skills using RPM (The Rapid Prompting Method), and continues to do so as a fully-included productive individual with a number of trained communication partners.

I respectfully encourage ASHA to withdraw the proposed position statement in regards to RPM.   I am very concerned that The Ad Hoc Committee has refused to consider input or evidence from  users and ASHA members with experience in these methodologies. Such important policy decisions should involve a careful unbiased examination of different viewpoints.  I believe that more research is indeed needed. I also believe that a  professional or parent trained in the methodology is capable of making a decision on whether or not a method is worth trying with a certain  individual, and then verifying success or not on a case by case situation.

I share my experience below with my son’s permission. We hope this will enlighten you as to how for certain individuals, RPM can be an effective method of academic and communication skills.

While doing research on educational methodologies and medical interventions  to write my books, I read about the evidence- based practices that were considered effective. I also learned  about educational methodologies and medical interventions  that did not yet have research evidence, because no research had yet been done. However, some of these interventions were effective with some individuals.  As a parent and autism professional, I believe that there are practices that can be tried and validated on an individual basis. RPM is one of those.

I first heard of RPM when doing the research to write one of my books, Autism Spectrum Disorders (2004 Penguin, Autism Society of America, Book of the Year 2004; Revised-edition 2014 Penguin).  I decided to try it with my son, as it made sense for him and his challenges. Jeremy received direct instruction from Soma Mukhopadhyay (at the time living in LA) twice a month, and I practiced with him every day for half an hour. We did this for approximately two years.

When Jeremy was born he was hypotonic. He needed physical therapy to learn to sit straight, and to use his arms and legs. Every time he learned a new skill (ie eating with a spoon or fork) he needed hand over hand prompting. He had speech therapy as a toddler,  but it was not effective (again, muscle tone challenges).  When he was 5-6 years old he had a supervised home-based ABA Lovaas program. I did ten of the 40 hours of ABA therapy a week  myself, which meant I learned about how Jeremy learned – or didn’t learn.

Jeremy learned to identify and correctly label verbally over 100 pictures. However, if you put the pictures in front of him, he could not give you the correct picture requested at a 80-100% success rate. Since he could verbally identify the objects introduced to him one by one, we knew he had receptive language.  When he was 7 PECS was tried both at home and school. He communicated using a sentence for first time using the “I want… “ sentence strip plus icons in a binder (iPads did not exist till he was out of high school). He had a difficult time choosing the icon out of the binder books and putting it on the strip (vision processing and motor challenges). He never progressed past the “I want”  sentence. Professionals over the years described Jeremy as having challenges similar to a person with CP. He continues to have sensori-motor challenges and visual processing challenges, although these have improved over the years with exercise and therapy.

Therefore, when I heard about RPM, it sounded like something that was worth trying with Jeremy. Success was slow, but obvious. It was not a “magic pill” and it did not cure his autism – but that was not my goal. My goal was effective communication  with a variety of communication partners for use in daily life and with living skills, and to allow him to make choices and decisions,  to blossom as an individual, and have a productive life as an adult.

When Jeremy was in high school he began using RPM at school with a variety of communication partners  trained and supervised by a Speech and Language Pathologist trained in FC who understood the strategy of RPM.

Jeremy graduated from high school at age 21 with a full academic diploma. He auditioned for, and was chosen to give a commencement speech at graduation. During his high school years he was able to participate in general education classes, as well as a class in journalism. In his English classes  and  his journalism class, Jeremy learned effective writing skills and his love of writing to share his thoughts and opinions. He was asked to write a monthly column for the school newspaper.

More importantly,  Jeremy was able to communicate appropriately and effectively when he was sick or in pain. He was able to make choices and life impacting -decisions  and  tell us what he was feeling.   Thanks to learning communication skills via RPM, Jeremy  now has a full  and productive life, fully – included in his community. For more details in regards to his accomplishments since high school, please read his  attached resume. (For those reading this blog post, some of Jeremy’s accomplishments are listed on his website).

Without having a way to communicate, Jeremy would never have been able to tell us about his gift of synesthesia, and we would not have been able to encourage him to follow this path as a career. As you know, the unemployment rate for autistic adults is very high. We are grateful that we found out he has a gift that can help him be productive.

If ASHA’s mission is  “Making effective communication, a human right, accessible and achievable for all,” then why  are some in  ASHA suggesting withdrawing a system of communication that is obviously effective for some people? Clearly more research is needed. But if finalized, the proposed statements would severely restrict ASHA members’ discretion and ability to exercise professional judgment. It would also and would make ASHA’s assertions about wanting to respect “client preferences and values” untrue.

I hope that ASHA does the right thing and upholds the human rights of all, including those who communicate in the manner that my son does.

Sincerely and respectfully,

Chantal Sicile-Kira

 

Love, Sex, God, & Autism

LSGA1 Love Sex logo April Mitchell final web

For years, people have asked me, “How did Jeremy Sicile-Kira  become the person and painter he is today? What is your  your story? How did Jeremy’s Vision  come about?”  Well, here it is! I’ve created –  a 70-minute multimedia storytelling event appropriate for Keynotes, Fundraisers and Special Events.  This keynote can be adapted to your events needs: it can be accompanied by workshops with learning objectives, or  shortened for end-of-year-dinners and fundraisers. “Incredible … powerful… inspirational…” are comments offered by those who saw the premiere in San Diego this past July.

Love, Sex, God & Autism, is  a universal and inspirational story about resiliency and adapting to change. In my 70-minute storytelling event, I humorously and lovingly wrestle with the trials and tribulations of my family’s successful attempt to change the prognosis given to my child – life in an institution.  It’s the hysterical and heartbreaking personal account of a young man’s quest for love, and a family’s search for normalcy – or at least inclusion!  Along the way,  I explore how my upbringing  provided me with the grit and  resiliency  I would need as Jeremy’s mother. Life-changing gifts are discovered, affirming our family’s belief that being “not like the others” means being different, but not less.

For more information, or to book this presentation, please contact us at Autism College.

Free Webinar with Dr. Suzanne Goh: Getting the most out of brain-based treatments for autism

On Monday August 25th, at 6:00 pm PST  (9:00 pm EST) Dr. Suzanne Goh will be participating in a two hour webinar moderated by Chantal Sicile-Kira, hosted by MomsFightingAutism.  To participate in this free interactive webinar, please sign up here:  MomsFightingAutism.com.

Topic:  Getting the most out of brain-based treatments for autism

A wealth of therapies are now available for children with autism. Choosing among them, knowing which to prioritize, and understanding how they may interact can be a challenge for parents. This seminar will present some of the latest neurological research to help guide parents in these important decisions.

Topics that will be covered include:

–       Diagnosis and managment of mitochondrial dysfunction inautism

–       Neurologically-based approaches to behavior and language intervention

Guest Speaker:  Dr. Suzanne Goh

Headshot SuzanneDr. Suzanne Goh is a board-certified pediatric neurologist with expertise in the evaluation and treatment of children with neurological conditions that impact brain development, cognition, and behavior.

Dr. Goh received her Bachelors of Arts degree, summa cum laude, in History and Science from Harvard University (1993-1997). She went on to attend Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar (1997-1999). In 2004, she graduated from Harvard Medical School, cum laude. Dr. Goh completed her Pediatrics internship at Massachusetts General Hospital and her Pediatric Neurology residency at University of California San Francisco.

Following a postdoctoral fellowship in the Pediatric Brain Imaging Laboratory at Columbia University, she joined Columbia’s faculty as Assistant Professor of Clinical Neurology, with joint appointments in the Departments of Psychiatry and Neurology. At Columbia she also served as Co-Director of the Developmental Neuropsychiatry Clinic for Autism and Related Disorders where she oversaw a multi-disciplinary team of physicians and psychologists specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of children with autism.

Dr. Goh’s research has focused on mitochondrial and other metabolic disturbances in autism. She has also conducted brain imaging research to identify differences in brain circuits in children with autism. She has been affiliated as an author or reviewer with several leading neuroscience journals, including Neurology, Annals of Neurology, Pediatric Neurology, & Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology. She has taught at Harvard University, Columbia University, and the University of California San Francisco.

Dr. Goh is co-author of the book Spectacular Bond: Reaching the Child with Autism and ASD Unlocking Language: A Program to Teach Language and Communication

For more information go to  Dr. Suzanne Goh’s website.

Moderator: Chantal Sicile-Kira

Chantal-Sicile-Kira-homeChantal Sicile-Kira’s passion for empowering others, her love of writing and her personal interest in autism has led her to become an award-winning author of five books, speaker, and leader in the field of autism.  Her first award-winning book, Autism Spectrum Disorder, was updated and  published in January 2014. She has been involved with autism spectrum disorders for over 25 years as both a parent and a professional on both sides of the Atlantic. A tireless advocate for those on the autism spectrum, Chantal founded Autism College in order to provide practical information and training  online about autism.

Life with Autism: Mighty is the Fear

Two caregivers were arrested this past week in Valley Center (near San Diego, CA) for allegedly abusing a severely autistic non-verbal young man in his home. They had been in the family’s employ for over two years and were caught on videotape over a three week period.

This is a parent’s worst nightmare come true; and if it’s a nightmare for the parent imagine what it is like for the victim.

According to reports in the media, the mother, Kim Oakley,  saw changes in her son, Jamey, indicating he appeared to be unhappy on the days following the men’s shifts. Kim also realized Jamey was trying to communicate something to her. When she questioned the caregivers, “They blamed everything on his severe autism,” according to newspaper reports. Kim set up a surveillance camera after noticing that the wires to a baby monitor had been cut. Videos shot over a three week period led to the arrests.

My heart goes out to Kim and Jamey and the rest of the family. Unfortunately their story is not unique and it highlights the difficulties of all families requiring caregivers and support staff for their severely autistic loved one.

How often do we hear about a non-verbal person that “his behavior is due to his autism”? Bull! All behavior is communication and Kim, like most moms and dads, know this. Watch “Autistic Cases ‘Autism Experts’ Run From”    that Kim Oakley posted on YouTube. Jamey’s behaviors  in this video were particularly bad because he had a Urinary Tract infection and once it was diagnosed and treated, he was better. But is took five days to get it taken care of.

Recently my autistic son Jeremy was in so much pain that he became hyper and aggressive and kept trying to take showers as if that would help. Nothing could calm him down. We had never seen anything like it before. He was uncontrollable. We were lucky he could type and tell us he was in pain. But it also took five days to figure out why he was in pain, and a week to be able to do anything about it. Turns out is was due to a change in the generic brand of his medication for epilepsy – we were not warned that any changes in the brand could cause such reactions. You can read Jeremy’s comments about his experience here.

To top it off, the lack of understanding and caring from some of the people at the pharmacies we had to deal with was appalling. Seeing your child suffer and not being able to do anything about it is excruciating, and when those supposedly there to help are not treating the situation with the urgency it warrants is unbelievable. As parents, we try to remain calm and act ‘normal’ and polite so we won’t be taken for one of those ‘crazy  parents’.  We are not crazy.  But we have no patience for not being taken seriously and being dependent on people who just don’t get it. Believe us when we tell you our child is in pain and we need help NOW.

When you have a non-verbal child or a child dependent on caretakers, there is always the risk of abuse, and not just at home. The same risk exists in residential facilities, community living options and even in day programs, camps and community activities. To this day, my son Jeremy suffers PTSD due an abuse that occurred outside the home years ago. He still refuses  to participate in any activities that are not inclusive, that are intended for developmentally disabled participants. As he puts it, “They are grouping the victims.”

Although Jeremy received therapy with some help from the California Victim Compensation Program, he continues to have panic attacks which impact his ability to participate in all that he would like to do outside the home. Recently he had flashbacks and he would flail out and hit whomever was standing close, ‘seeing’ his aggressor. This adds another dimension to hiring and training staff.  As well, it leaves  Jeremy feeling terrible about his outbursts. Dealing with PTSD has become  important to him and recently he completed a painting about his PTSD entitled “Mighty is the Fear.”

Even without thinking about abuse, finding people who understand the importance they have to a person’s quality of life  and the willingness to make the commitment is not always easy when someone requires 24 hour supports. Recently, one person who was hired and trained as a support person and communication partner for Jeremy decided to extend their vacation from two weeks to four weeks, meaning the person would not be around to support Jeremy at either his college class or after school doing his homework at the beginning of the school year as  expected.  This was a big blow to Jeremy and to his ability to attend college successfully.

Most of our experiences with support staff, service providers, medical professionals and others have been extremely positive. Usually I focus on writing about  positive  experiences and strategies, but hearing  about Kim, Jamie and their family’s experience with the two caregivers hit a nerve and I couldn’t stay quiet.  I feel terrible for the family.  Stay strong, Kim!

Trying to learn from all our experiences and focusing on the positive relationships we have forged over the years due to Jeremy’s need for supports is how we continue to survive and thrive.  As Jeremy put it in A Full Life with Autism (Macmillan 2012), “I learned there were really bad people who could do things to your body, but I learned that you don’t have to let them in your soul.

Ain’t that the truth!

 

Back to School Tips for Educators and Parents: Free Autism College Q&A with Chantal Sicile-Kira and Dana Pulde

It’s almost the end of  summer and  most parents  are  looking forward to the routine the new school year will provide, and teachers are busy getting classrooms and lessons ready for the new school year.  The start of a new school year can also mean more stress  for all involved – the student, the educator and the parent.  But there are ways to keep stress to a minimum  for a new and hopefully successful new school year.

Autism College hopes to help this year by offering you a one hour free Q & A with Visiting Professor, Dana Pulde, a Special Education Teacher,  moderated by Chantal Sicile-Kira. Both Dana and Chantal are looking forward to answering your questions and giving  tips to educators on how  to prepare the classroom, and to parents on how to prepare yourself and your child for the start of a successful new school year! Whether your child is fully included or in a special day class there are ways to prepare and alleviate some of the stress of the transition from summer to school, especially when there are teachers new to your child or teenager.

Join  Chantal and Dana  for the free interactive Q & A on Thursday, August 16 from 6:00pm to 7:00pm PST (9:00pm to 10:00 EST).

To submit  your questions, go here.

Here is the information for the day of the event:
To attend online, go to:
http://InstantTeleseminar.com/?eventid=32195109
To call in:
Primary dial in number: (206) 402-0100
Secondary dial in number: (208) 272-9671
Guest pin code: 026332#

Dana Pulde Dana Pulde has been working in the field of special education for a little over a decade.  She began as a paraprofessional working in homes with families using Applied Behavior Analysis to help students with autism.  She resumed her studies to continue her professional growth receiving a moderate/severe teaching credential and masters in autism and she has completed her supervision hours to become a Board Certified Behavior Analyst.  She began her teaching career working at a non-public school serving students with IEPs where she was responsible for developing student programs, creating and implementing Behavior Intervention Plans, Collecting and analyzing data, and creating/modifying materials to meet student needs and support academic growth.  She has continued her career as a supervisor for families of children with special needs by developing home programs and providing ongoing staff and parent training; as a teacher in a public school; and is currently working with an advocate making sure students receive a quality life and education through optimum support and offers of FAPE.

Chantal Sicile-Kira is the founder of AutismCollege.com and the author  of five books on autism, the latest being A Full Life with Autism: From Learning to Forming Relationships to Achieving Independence (co-authored with her son, Jeremy). Chantal’s first practical experience with autism was at Fairview State Hospital, teaching self-help and community living skills to severely developmentally disabled and autistic adolescents in preparation for their de-institutionalization.  Chantal has served on  the California Senate Select Committee on Autism & Related Disorders, and was appointed to serve as  Co-Chair, South Counties Autism Regional Taskforce.  Her son, Jeremy,  graduated from high school at age 22 with a 3.78 GPA despite being severely impacted by autism.

Review of A Full Life with Autism by Dr. Joshua Feder

This marvelous book lays out in plain and readable language the challenges of transition to adulthood for persons with autism and offers practical advice from the inside perspective of a mom and her adult son teamed as partners in the enterprise of helping him achieve a meaningful life.

It is inspirational, almost a parable, in its effect of drawing you into their story and teaching important principles, and yet it is also comprehensive in the executive task of helping us think about our values, goals and objectives in our mission to give a real life to our adults with autism and related challenges.

Perhaps one of the most important messages: behavior is a form of communication, and it is incumbent on the people around the person with autism to work to understand what that behavior is communicating without merely consigning it to a category of something to be gotten rid of.  Jeremy states: “I have oftentimes been the victim of ignorance.”  We must not be party to what Jeremy has suffered.  We need to be humble and helpful, persistently curious and ever respectful.  We cannot presume to know what we do not.  We must take the time to get to know the hopes and dreams of people whom we do not yet understand.

I was also intrigued by the undercurrent discussion of relationships that runs through the book in sections on friendship, sex, love, and support staff, as they all revolve around the quality and character of relationships.  How can we support, for the person and people around him, the development of more meaningful communication, relating, and problem-solving.  To the many thoughts already included I would add that it is often very helpful to support the person and caregivers by carving out regular reflective time to think through how things are going  – what is working, what isn’t, and what to do to try next to understand the situation better and try something different.

In all, this is a compelling, thoughtful, comprehensive and inspiring bible that belongs on the shelf of everyone who strives to help people with autism build a life in a complex world.

Joshua Feder MD, Director of Research of the Interdisciplinary Council on Developmental and Learning Disorders

The Golden Hat : Q & A with Margret D. Ericsdottir moderated by Chantal Sicile-Kira

The Golden Hat

Why did  Kate Winslet ask  over 100 celebrity friends including  Oprah, George Clooney, Rosie O’Donnell, Tom Hanks, Kobe Bryant and Leonardo DiCaprio,  be photographed wearing a Golden Hat for a book that includes photos of eleven non-verbal youngsters with autism wearing the same hat?

What are the long term goals of the Golden Hat Foundation?  What goals do you have for your youth’s future? What are your child’s long term goals?

Join the conversation on May 14 about creating  A Full Life with Autism when  Margret Dagmar Ericsdottir, President & CEO of the Golden Hat Foundation joins Moderator Chantal Sicile-Kira  to discuss  these topics.  The  one hour Q & A  on Monday May  14, 2012 will take place from 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm PST  (9:00 pm to 10:00 pm EST). Sign up for the Autism College newsletter to receive instructions on how to participate and send in your questions. Instructions will be sent via newsletter before the Q & A  takes place. (Already registered? Hold tight, the participation link will arrive soon).

The Golden Hat Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to eliminating barriers for people with autism around the world, and creating an environment that holds these individuals as intellectually capable.

Kate Winslet and Margret D. Ericsdottir

Guest: Margret D. Ericsdottir is the President & CEO of the  The Golden Hat Foundation; Founder Frontier Filmworks; Co-Author, The Golden Hat: Talking Back to Autism; Advocate for Individuals with Autism; Mother of Keli, 14-year-old with nonverbal autism.  Margret Dagmar Ericsdottir, MBA, had a successful career in business and held various executive positions in Icelandic companies. Then, in 1997 Margret’s youngest son Keli was born and diagnosed as having severe autism at the age of four. The sudden and profound changes in her family prompted Margret to shift her focus from career-related pursuits to caring for Keli. In 2006 Margret founded Frontier Filmworks, and made the documentary, A Mother’s Courage: Talking Back to Autism, which describes her family’s journey.

The  award-winning actress, Kate Winslet, narrated the documentary, and subsequently co-authored The Golden Hat: Talking Back to Autism, in which celebrities and some non-verbal individuals with autism are photographed wearing a “golden” hat.

Moderator:  Chantal Sicile-Kira is the founder of Autism College, author of five books on autism. Her latest book A Full Life with Autism, was co-authored with her son, Jeremy Sicile-Kira whose photograph appears in The Golden Hat.

Kirkus Book Review: A Full Life with Autism

A Full Life with Autism: From Learning to Forming Relationships to Achieving Independence is my latest book co-authored with my son Jeremy (foreword by Temple Grandin) that was published on March 27 by Macmillan. The book has received many excellent reviews. Here is one by Kirkus Book Reviews, whose reviewers  are known as the world’s toughest book critics:

For readers already knowledgeable about autism and Asperger’s syndrome, a hands-on approach to transitioning into adulthood.

Sicile-Kira (41 Things to Know about Autism, 2010, etc.) and her autistic son, Jeremy, join forces in this guidebook to help parents and their autistic offspring move beyond childhood and evolve into an adult life. Although special-education services exist for children with autism spectrum disorder, once a child reaches adulthood the lack of adult services becomes apparent. As the mother of a severely autistic child, the author understands the needs of caregivers and children on the spectrum alike to shift to a quality of life that provides independence for all parties. “To create the future that you and your adult child envision will take perseverance and work,” she writes. “But good quality of life and peace of mind is worth it.” Based on her research, Sicile-Kira has compiled the majority of available resources into an accessible handbook that provides information on topics such as romantic and sexual relationships, finding appropriate living arrangements for true self-sufficiency and acquiring and keeping a job. The author breaks each large, seemingly overwhelming undertaking into small, doable tasks. Bulleted lists sum up each chapter and help readers remain focused and on-track. Equally as effective are the short essays and “top ten tips for parents,” written by Jeremy. His voice gives a personal, honest perspective on the daily life, expectations and hopes of someone with special needs who wants to become as integrated into adult society as possible. Additional resources include reading material and websites for care providers and people on the spectrum.

A proactive method for raising an adult child with special needs.

 -Kirkus  Book Review

Q & A Webinar: Temple Grandin, Chantal & Jeremy Sicile-Kira : A Full Life with Autism

Temple Grandin and Claire Danes

On Saturday, April 7 th from 8:00am PST to 9:30am PST (11:00am EST to 2:00am EST), Visiting Professor Temple Grandin will answer questions with Chantal Sicile-Kira  moderating. Then, for those who want to stick around,  from 9:45am PST to 11:15am PST (12:45pm EST to 2:15pm EST) Chantal and Jeremy Sicile-Kira will be answering questions in regards to their new book, A Full Life With Autism for which Temple wrote the foreword.

This is an opportunity to ask Temple Grandin questions, and get insight as to what is important for preparing our children for life as successful adults. Chantal and Jeremy will answer any questions you may have about raising a child with autism, and the transition to adulthood.  Register for our newsletter to sign up. (If you are already signed up, you will be receiving instructions shortly).

What questions do you have? Let us know, we’ll answer them!

Temple Grandin, PhD, is a doctor of animal science and professor at Colorado State University, bestselling author, and consultant to the livestock industry on animal behavior. As a person with high-functioning autism, Grandin is also noted for her work in autism advocacy and is the inventor of the squeeze machine designed to calm hypersensitive people.  Grandin is listed in the 2010 Time 100 list of the 100 most influential people in the world, and the subject of the Emmy award winning  HBO documentary, “Temple Grandin.” Temple is the author of many books including, The Way I See It, Developing Talents, and Animals in Translation.

Chantal and Jeremy Sicile-Kira

Jeremy Sicile-Kira was diagnosed severely autistic as well as mentally retarded when he was born in 1989. In 2010, he gave a commencement speech at his high school graduation.   Jeremy  co-authored a book A Full Life with Autism ( Macmillan, March 2012) as a  guide for parents and educators helping those on the autism spectrum transition  into meaningful and independent lives.  Jeremy writes for  autism magazines, and his new website, www.JeremySicileKira.com.  He is one of three national Youth Advocates of the Autistic Global Initiative, a project of the Autism Research Institute. In 2007, Jeremy was highlighted on MTV’s documentary series True Life in the episode, “I Have Autism,” which won a 2007 Voice Award. Follow him on Twitter.

Chantal Sicile-Kira is an award-winning author, columnist, and autism advocate, as well as the founder of of AutismCollege.com which provides practical training  to parents and educators. Her latest book, is  A Full Life With Autism, co-authored with her son, Jeremy.  Their  story has been covered by a wide variety of media, including NPR, PBS, MTV, The Chicago Tribune, Newsweek, and Fox News.

 

Replay: Autism Safety and Crisis Prevention Conference (free and online)

For those that missed the Autism Safety and Crisis Prevention interactive conference on AutismCollege.com, it is being replayed for free on Saturday, March 10th, from 8:00am to 5:00pm PST (11:00am to 8:00pm EST).

AutismCollege.com in partnership with the National Autism Association (NAA)  presented a series of free webinars on Autism Safety and Crisis Prevention. This online conference was sponsored in part by The Social Express. Due to requests from people who could not attend, it is being replayed. (Note that listeners will not be able to send in questions to be replied as for the live event).

Topics and presenters on Saturday March 10th, are as follows:

  •  8:00am – 9:30am PST, Dr. Nora Baladerian, Ph.D. – “How Can Parents Reduce the Risk of Sexual Abuse of Their Child or Young Adult?”
  • 9:45am – 11:15am PST, Dr. Lori Ernsperger – “The 3 R’s to Bullying Prevention for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Recognize, Respond, and Report”
  • 11:45am – 1:15pm PST, Dr. Joshua Feder – “The Problem of Depression and Suicidal Ideation in Autism and Related Disorders”
  • 1:30pm -3:00pm PST,  Wendy Fournier, NAA – “The Scope of Wandering, Prevention Strategies, and Resources”
  • 3:15pm to 5:00pm PST, Pat Amos, M.A. – “Preventing and Eliminating the Use of Restraints and Seclusion”
To register for free, go here. For a complete  description of the presentations, and bios of the presenters, go here.
Transcripts of the conference may be pre-ordered here.  A portion of the profits will be donated to the National Autism Association for their Safety Programs. Delivery may take up to three weeks. Thanks for your patience.