Autism College Free Q & A with Visiting Professor Robert Naseef, PhD on November 20th

October 3, 2013

Join Visiting Professor Robert Naseef, PhD and moderator Chantal Sicile-Kira in a free interactive Q & A webinar on Tips for Enjoying the Holidays and Managing Stress. You can sign up  here.

Many of us seasoned parents joke that we get more religious during the holidays: we pray our child will not have a meltdown while doing the holiday shopping; we pray that he or she will stay regulated during celebrations with relatives; we pray that we will have the strength to politely ignore the judgments passed upon us and our ‘misbehaving’ child; we pray that our relatives will be more understanding and accepting than at prior holiday celebrations.

We’re happy to have as our Visiting Professor in November Dr. Robert Naseef, who is personally and professionally experienced with the struggles and rewards of raising a child with special needs. On Wednesday, November 20th, at 6:00 pm – 8:00pm PST (9:00 pm to 11pm EST), Dr. Naseef will join us and share Tips for Enjoying the Holidays and Managing Stress. Sign up here  to participate.

Robert NaseefRobert Naseef, PhD specializes in guiding families of children with disabilities at Alternative Choices in Philadelphia.. He is the author of Special Children, Challenged Parents: The Struggles and Rewards of Raising a Child With a Disability and Autism in the Family: Caring and Coping Together.

 

Autism College Free Q & A with Visiting Professor Lindsey Biel M.A. OTR/L on September 5th

July 31, 2013

Join Visiting Professor Lindsey Biel M

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, OTR/L  and moderator Chantal Sicile-Kira in a free interactive webinar  on Back to School Sensory Tips

 Register

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com/register/event?oeidk=a07e7xrekxj27cabd90&llr=pi7vyonab”> here to sign up for this free opportunity to get educated

And tell your friends!

 

The Story of Luke : A Young Man’s Search for a Real Life (and he has autism)

April 5, 2013

A few days ago I posted my thoughts on Huffington Post  in regards to World Autism Awareness Day and the need for more acceptance and shared connections. Today, I urge you to see The Story of Luke, a movie about a young man with autism who is searching for a job and a girlfriend.  Today it is having its theatrical release in over 18 cities in the US and Canada. You can find it as well as on iTunes and major Cable On-Demand platforms.  But hurry, they have a goal of breaking into the list of the top 25 most watched movies in iTunes on their first weekend. Breaking into this list is how they can take this movie to a wider audience.

I’d like to suggest that you all see The Story of Luke and share it with your friends for the following reasons:

  • It’s a great story and a wonderful movie. Here’s the trailer.
  •  The depiction of Luke, a young man with autism who wants what all young men want, is excellent.
  • If you don’t know much about autism, this is a good movie to raise your awareness of what happens when they grow up. And April is the month to raise your awareness.
  • If you are involved with autism as a parent or a professional, this story will make you feel positive and hopeful.
  • It’s funny and endearing.
  • You know you have nothing good to watch at home tonight.
  • The movie stars Lou Taylor Pucci, Seth Green, Cary Elwes and Kristin Bauer.
  • It has  participated in over 20 film festivals and won 4 Best Film Awards and 5 Audience Awards.
  • Seth Green likes my glasses. I know, because he told me. (Just checking to see if you are still with me here).
  • We all need to support these small wonderful independent movies or our viewing choices will be limited to more reality TV or web shows. Believe me, that’s where talented filmmakers end up if they don’t bring in the big bucks with their indie movies.
  • Did I say it was a great movie?

The-Story-of-Luke-Poster-v4-SMALL

Teaching the Skill of Waiting

March 21, 2013

 

Tired of  your child having temper tantrums when he or she doesn’t get instant gratification? Watch this video on how to teach your child the life skill of ‘waiting.’   This strategy was developed to teach children with autism, but you can try it with anyone. Impatience, be gone!

Can a teenager or adult with autism still benefit from treatments and therapies?

February 21, 2013

Often I get emails from people asking for advice. This is one I get often, so I’m posting it here.

Dear Chantal,

Can an adult or teenager still benefit from ABA therapy, music therapy, auditory integration therapy? How beneficial is vision therapy and auditory therapies? Are there research studies or evidence based studies supporting these therapies?

Sincerely,   Sheila in Jacksonville

Dear Sheila,

I know we often hear about that ‘window of opportunity’ being open during the early  years, and it is true that early intervention has been shown as being the most effective intervention to help children with autism acquire skills.  However, that window does not  shut after a certain age. One thing we also know is that there is such a thing as neuroplasticity, which means the brain can continue to change and improve, which is why an old dog can learn new tricks.

You are right to look at the research, but when looking at different therapies it is also important to look at the person you are trying to help, and see if he has the characteristics of the type of  person who has benefited from those therapies.  When looking up information in regards to treatments and therapies, as well as research findings, remember to look carefully at who is providing the information (some websites have information but do not tell you the source of the information),  how the research was carried out, and who is reporting it.  Also, adults on the spectrum may be able to tell you what their experiences have been with different therapies.

For  information on the effectiveness of  many treatments and therapies on adolescents, as well as reputable websites for current information,  see my book  Adolescents on the Autism Spectrum.

Chantal

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