Is Autism Important to You?

"Fixing" Autism

25 Words Every 2 Year Old Should Know

25 'MUST HAVE' WORDS FOR TODDLERS

heidi.evans@nydailynews.com

Researchers have identified 25 “must have” words that every child should be saying when they turn 2.

Kids who haven’t mastered them might not just be late talkers — they could be showing signs of autism, developmental delays or hearing problems .

The 25 words — including Mommy, Daddy, baby, hot and hat — were the most commonly said of a list of 310 words that kids master when they first start to speak.

Parents who are worried that their kids aren’t chatty enough should consider turning off the TV. A growing body of research also found that kids develop language more quickly if they are engaged in conversation instead of parked in front of kids’ programs .

Professor Nan Bernstein Ratner, who moderated the panel at the American Association for the Advancement on Science where the findings were presented last weekend, said the 25 words are like the “canary in the coal mine.”

“When a child doesn’t have enough words at the age of 2, that is not only a problem in its own right, but it’s a signal of a variety of other problems,” she said.

The 25 words are just the baseline for toddler talkers. There is a wide range of language abilities in toddlers, and 2-year-olds’ normal range is from 75-225 words. Children who are late talkers usually have an average vocabulary of 25 words.

Leslie Rescorla, director of the Child Study Institute at Bryn Mawr College who developed the checklist, said most kids have many more.

“The bottom line is this: Children should have 50 words by the time they are 2 and they should begin to combine words into phrases,” Rescorla said. “

If they are not doing that, it’s worth evaluating them because they might have a problem you can start helping them with early.”

Mommy
Daddy
baby
milk
juice
hello
bye-bye
yes
no
dog
cat
ball
nose
eye
banana
cookie
car
hot
thank-you
bath
shoe
hat
book
more
all gone

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/2-year-old-25-words-researchers-article-1.1025968#ixzz1nF8Od9XN

Repeating Phrases

How many times is this button reloaded at your house?

I think we have a broken button here, 

it doesn't stop reloading the same phrases and sounds.

It may be time to invest in a pair of these.

Horse Therapy Coming Soon to Bountiful

There is a great possibility that Hoofbeats to Healing, Therapeutic Horse Riding Center, will be opening a second location in Bountiful, UT this summer. They are looking into the details now. We wanted to let those of you who live in the Davis, Weber, and Salt Lake Counties get the heads up.





These horses have been a tremendous help for our boys over the last 3 years improving their neurological functions; communication skills, interactions with others, speech, sensory processing, and significantly reducing their meltdowns or blowups.


You can find more information at Hoofbeats.us or contact Tami Tanner directly at  801-836-4325.

Light It Up Blue 2012

The Fifth Annual Autism Awareness Day will be on Monday, April 2, 2012. The goal is to light the world blue all throughout April — city by city, town by town — by taking action to raise autism awareness in our communities. Please email LIUB@autismspeaks.org for more information and tools!

Temple Grandin the Movie

If you haven't seen this movie yet, Go Watch It!

Idioms and Autism

Our son is currently working with his speech teacher to understand idioms. He isn't quite grasping the concept and viewing the phrases literally. This comes as no surprise, because those with autism have difficulty understanding idioms, sarcasm, or puns.
This morning I called to my son to give him instructions to get ready for school.
He didn't respond.
Not being able to go look for him I called louder.
He answered and said he was just in the next room.
Then I asked, "why didn't you respond the first time I called?"
To which his reply was,
"It went in one ear and out the other."

I laughed at his literal interpretation of the phrase. Still laughing.

Receiving the Diagnosis of Autism, What Now?

I have just been told
my child has autism.
Is there any hope?

YES, THERE IS HOPE!

(Autism Understanding the Puzzle)

          While reading results of our son's reevaluation yesterday, it brought back memories of the emotions each time our four boys were diagnosed. Like most parents I didn't want to believe that there was anything to be concerned about, I wanted my son to be "normal", but I couldn't deny that there were challenges that were getting worse and couldn't be ignored. I thought others were crazy to suggest that autism could be a possibility. I would fight against my gut instincts. 

My husband and I had so many questions and concerns. . .

 What would a diagnosis of autism mean for our son?

How would it effect him now and later in life?

Would he always have autism?

Could it be something else?

What support and resources are out there?

What would others think?

How would others act towards our son or our family?

          A diagnosis of autism felt like I was a failure as a mother. I knew very little about autism, Asperger syndrome, sensory processing, and everything else connected to the spectrum. I know now just how great of a mother I am, and how much I have grown and learned about parenting a child with special needs. I now stand in awe and respect when I meet a parent of a child with special needs. I know their experiences are unique, but still challenging like ours, and they rise every morning to meet those challenges.

            “It is hard to process all the thoughts and emotions you feel after your child is diagnosed. It’s overwhelming. The acceptance process after a diagnosis is much like going through the stages of grief: denial, guilt, anger, blaming, bargaining, depression, and finally acceptance. You have suffered a loss. You have lost the dream of who you thought your child would be." (Autism Understanding the Puzzle)

              

Remember your child is

still the same amazing and lovable self

as (s)he was before (s)he was diagnosed.
 Autism is not who (s)he is;

it is merely a descriptive word 
that explains (her)his unique qualities.

(Autism Understanding the Puzzle)

"Don’t see autism as a label that defines your child; instead, view it as an explanation of his challenges and strengths. If you had a child with a major health or medical issue, such as cancer, you would not hesitate to get him help. Take the opportunity to educate yourself and get a correct diagnosis." 

“Accepting what autism meant for our boys took a lot of time. Even now, whenever new challenges arise, I cycle through the grieving process and its emotions again and again. I find comfort in writing down our journey in my journal. Writing helps me see where my boys began and the progress they are making now. Once I had accepted my boys’ diagnoses and gotten all the self blame out of the way, I was able to search for help and find services and therapy that would benefit them and improve their development.” (Autism Understanding the Puzzle)

What to do at 22?

 Autism:  Coming of Age
Film Screening and Discussion 

Who:  Parents, Self-Advocates, Teachers and other community Autism advocates

What:  Film Screening and Discussion

Utah Education Network (UEN) and the Autism Council of Utah (ACU) have partnered, in part, with the Utah Parent Center serving families in the Davis School District, to bring this important film to our community.  Following the film, parents and advocates will share their experiences with coming of age decisions.

MassMutual sponsored this documentary which was produced by public television station WGBY (Springfield, MA) to help raise awareness of the challenges faced by individuals with autism and their families as their students “age out” of the public education system.    

Topics addressed in the film include:

·        Financial well-being

·        Quality of life

·        Employment

·        Housing needs

·        Education

·        Health

·        The child’s longevity

Date:  Saturday, February 25, 2012

Time:  6:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Where: Vista Education Campus, 97 South 200 East, Farmington

This presentation is provided for you free of charge but registration is appreciated.  
Please click here to register to attend this event.

 Or visit:  www.utahparentcenter.org/autism_coming_of_age

Parking: South of the building – excuse the dust, our new school is under construction.

Please direct questions about this presentation or one of the other Autism: Coming of Age, events to:  Kimra Paul, ACU Adult Services:  KP-Autism20s@q.com

To see other scheduled events, visit:  www.uen.org/autism
For more information and a printable flyer, please visit: www.utahparentcenter.org/autism_coming_of_age

Special thanks to the Vista Education Campus administration for support with community outreach and venue.

Temple Grandin's New Book, Different...Not Less

Temple Grandin's new book, Different...Not Less, 

scheduled to be released in April.

Agencies Ease Way for Parents of Disabled

 Agencies ease way for parents of disabled ...
is an article in the Davis Clipper talks about how agencies like Utah Parent Center and Family to Family Network are helping Utah parents of children with disabilities.