Gifted Bulletin Board

Welcome to the Gifted Issues Discussion Forum.

We invite you to share your experiences and to post information about advocacy, research and other gifted education issues on this free public discussion forum.
CLICK HERE to Log In. Click here for the Board Rules.

Links


Learn about Davidson Academy Online - for profoundly gifted students living anywhere in the U.S. & Canada.

The Davidson Institute is a national nonprofit dedicated to supporting profoundly gifted students through the following programs:

  • Fellows Scholarship
  • Young Scholars
  • Davidson Academy
  • THINK Summer Institute

  • Subscribe to the Davidson Institute's eNews-Update Newsletter >

    Free Gifted Resources & Guides >

    Who's Online Now
    0 members (), 86 guests, and 12 robots.
    Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
    Newest Members
    Amelia Willson, jordanstephen, LucyCoffee, Wes, moldypodzol
    11,533 Registered Users
    October
    S M T W T F S
    1 2 3 4 5
    6 7 8 9 10 11 12
    13 14 15 16 17 18 19
    20 21 22 23 24 25 26
    27 28 29 30 31
    Previous Thread
    Next Thread
    Print Thread
    Page 1 of 3 1 2 3
    Joined: Apr 2013
    Posts: 5,259
    Likes: 8
    I
    indigo Offline OP
    Member
    OP Offline
    Member
    I
    Joined: Apr 2013
    Posts: 5,259
    Likes: 8
    April is National Autism Awareness Month.

    Some books which may help with the mission of raising awareness of Autism include:

    Ten Things Every Child with Autism Wishes You Knew

    Mikey

    Joined: Apr 2010
    Posts: 2,498
    D
    Member
    Offline
    Member
    D
    Joined: Apr 2010
    Posts: 2,498
    Actually, both of those books, especially the first one, are full of inappropriate stereotypes (such as visual learners, sensory dysfunction, literal thinking). These ideas may be especially inappropriate to understanding the 2E autistic, who may or many not have any of the traits listed. This is not an idle concern: we have found that people's reliance on these stereotypes makes it hard to get our child's needs met.

    I would instead recommend The Oasis Guide to Asperger Syndrome and Parenting Your Asperger Child. They're much more nuanced.


    Joined: Apr 2013
    Posts: 5,259
    Likes: 8
    I
    indigo Offline OP
    Member
    OP Offline
    Member
    I
    Joined: Apr 2013
    Posts: 5,259
    Likes: 8
    As always, thank you for sharing your perspective DeeDee. One person's list of ten characteristics that help illuminate—not define—children with autism may be another person's "stereotypes".

    The titles you recommend are both related to Asperger's specifically, which may be a subset of Autism.

    Joined: Apr 2010
    Posts: 2,498
    D
    Member
    Offline
    Member
    D
    Joined: Apr 2010
    Posts: 2,498
    A supportive way to learn about autism during Autism Acceptance Month is this website: http://www.autismacceptancemonth.com/


    Joined: Apr 2013
    Posts: 5,259
    Likes: 8
    I
    indigo Offline OP
    Member
    OP Offline
    Member
    I
    Joined: Apr 2013
    Posts: 5,259
    Likes: 8
    Autism Awareness has been around for decades and Autism Acceptance was created in 2011, some may say as a counter movement.

    The website of Dr. Temple Grandin may also be of interest.

    Joined: Apr 2010
    Posts: 2,498
    D
    Member
    Offline
    Member
    D
    Joined: Apr 2010
    Posts: 2,498
    Autism Acceptance Month takes Autism Awareness further, by saying that awareness is not enough. It is an Autistic-led movement (founded on the principle that having different neurology is okay, and that people should be accommodated rather than excluded).

    Joined: Apr 2013
    Posts: 5,259
    Likes: 8
    I
    indigo Offline OP
    Member
    OP Offline
    Member
    I
    Joined: Apr 2013
    Posts: 5,259
    Likes: 8
    Would you like to share more information, about needs which are commonly not met, and accommodations which are commonly not provided? Or ways in which "Autism Awareness" makes it hard or difficult to get your child's needs met?

    Upthread you mentioned sensory dysfunction as an inappropriate stereotype, meanwhile the Autism Awareness website which you shared mentions sensory-free rooms, and stims/stimming, which some may see as the same or virtually indistinguishable from sensory dysfunction. Can you illuminate the differences?

    I will also ask your opinion of this website: National Autism Resources

    Joined: Apr 2010
    Posts: 2,498
    D
    Member
    Offline
    Member
    D
    Joined: Apr 2010
    Posts: 2,498
    National Autism Resources is selling stuff-- it's really up to each individual and family to decide whether that stuff is useful to meet particular needs.

    I will note that the information on the language development page you linked to on that site is less than half true for my 2E autistic child (never echolalic, no problem with abstraction, interested in shared experience). Autistic people who are gifted in language may show radically different behaviors and capacities from those who are not, but even without the gifted/non-gifted distinction, there is a lot of variation among autistic people.

    The difference between the Autism Acceptance approach and the "Ten Things Every Child With Autism Wishes..." is one of perspective. The "Ten Things" book strongly suggests that "all autistic people have these traits." (They do not, in practice.) The folks at the Autism Acceptance site attempt to make sure that many voices and perspectives are heard, including those of autistic people themselves; they acknowledge that autism is manifest in many ways, that not everyone has all the traits on any given list, but that non-autistics should try to meet each individual where they are.

    (My opinion on the over-attribution of sensory issues as part of autism would require another thread.)


    Joined: Apr 2013
    Posts: 5,259
    Likes: 8
    I
    indigo Offline OP
    Member
    OP Offline
    Member
    I
    Joined: Apr 2013
    Posts: 5,259
    Likes: 8
    Originally Posted by DeeDee
    The difference between the Autism Acceptance approach and the "Ten Things Every Child With Autism Wishes..." is one of perspective. The "Ten Things" book strongly suggests that "all autistic people have these traits."
    Although the title is provocative and attention-getting (as blanket statements, superlatives, and words such as "Every", "Always", and "Never" tend to be), I did not see a suggestion that "all autistic people have these traits".

    Quote
    The folks at the Autism Acceptance site attempt to make sure that many voices and perspectives are heard, including those of autistic people themselves
    In doing so they include reference to sensory-free rooms, and stims/stimming, which some may see as the same or virtually indistinguishable from sensory dysfunction which you earlier dismissed as an inappropriate stereotype, and have not illuminated the differences or distinctions you perceive.

    Quote
    I will note that the information on the language development page you linked to on that site is less than half true for my 2E autistic child (never echolalic, no problem with abstraction, interested in shared experience).
    The DSM-5 diagnostic criteria may be of interest. There is a spectrum, your child may be on the spectrum but there is no expectation that a child on the spectrum would match every characteristic. Lists of characteristics generally provide a broad umbrella, or a wide net... they are meant to be inclusive. Similarly, lists of gifted characteristics do not imply or infer that a gifted child will exhibit ALL characteristics, or will exhibit characteristics to a particular degree.

    Quote
    ...there is a lot of variation among autistic people.
    Agreed! The diagnostic criteria may be a good resource for raising awareness of this.

    Possibly it's up to each individual and family to decide which autism resources are useful to meet particular needs, without discrediting any particular resource or author.

    Joined: Feb 2012
    Posts: 1,390
    E
    Member
    Offline
    Member
    E
    Joined: Feb 2012
    Posts: 1,390
    FYI, I sent you a PM, DeeDee.

    Page 1 of 3 1 2 3

    Moderated by  M-Moderator 

    Link Copied to Clipboard
    Recent Posts
    Help with WISC-V composite scores
    by aeh - 10/28/24 02:43 PM
    i Am genius and no one understands me!!!
    by Eagle Mum - 10/23/24 04:11 PM
    Classroom support for advanced reader
    by Heidi_Hunter - 10/14/24 03:50 AM
    2e Dyslexia/Dysgraphia schools
    by Jwack - 10/12/24 08:38 AM
    Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5