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Inspiring Speech About Learning Differently (2.51 mins)

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Inspiring Speech About Learning Differently - Temple Grandin On Autism

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Axel in the inclusion setting

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This short film (16:39) focuses on Axel Cortes and the staff at Idelhurst Elementary School in Somersworth, NH.  Axel is a fifth grader with autism who is non-verbal and exhibited significant behavioral challenges when he arrived at school.  Axel came to Idelhurst during his 5th grade year from another school where he was exclusively in self-contained settings and was being taught preschool/kindergarten level.  Through effective implementation of supports  – including AAC, UDL, RtI, social stories, visual schedules and positive behavioral supports  –  Axel was able to learn 5th grade general education curriculum in a general education classroom within a few months.  His challenging behaviors also decreased, and he thrived through interaction and engagement with ‘typical’ peers. Once Axel had an effective means of communication, the staff found that Axel was was bilingual and bi-literate (his family speaks Spanish at home). 

This film illustrates the potential for students with significant cognitive disabilities to achieve high academic outcomes.  The film has received support from the National Center and State Collaborative (NCSC).


CRITICAL MESSAGES/TAKEAWAYS:

•	Danger of low expectations
•	Power of presuming competence
•	Effective implementation of MTSS/RtI and UDL is critical
•	Importance of school leadership and vision at the school and district level
•	Prioritizing inclusive education for social/emotional development and access to high level academic instruction
•	Parent partnership and engagement are essential
•	Interrelationship between communication and behavior
•	Critical importance of effective AAC supports
•	All students at the school are considered general education students
•	Potential to manage complex sensory needs in a general education environment.
•	Potential for accurately assessing students with complex communication and cognitive disabilities through effective accommodations and universally designed assessments.

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What It's Like to Have High Functioning Autism
(2.5 mins)

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Imagine What It's Like To Live With High-Functioning Autism

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Dec 27, 2014 - http://www.MyAspergersChild.com ...Many children with high-functioning autism (or Aspergers) want to have friends, but they simply don't know how to go about...

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10 things as explained by a young man with Autism (5 mins)

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Autism "Awareness" - Ten Things You Should Know

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Great Article

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ASD Facts and Figures

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Good Article

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(Image credit: <a href="http://www.shutterstock.com/gallery-386239p1.html">Zurijeta</a> | <a href="http://www.shutterstock.com">Shutterstock</a>)

Children with autism often have difficulty making eye contact, and now a new study suggests this may be due in part to how their brains process visual information, rather than being purely a social deficit.

In the study, children with autism showed activity over a larger area of the brain's cortex when an image was placed in the periphery of their visual field, compared with when the image was placed in the center of their visual field. The opposite was true in children who did not have the disorder.

When a child with autism avoids eye contact, "we are very much inclined to interpret this as a social deficit," said study researcher John Foxe, a neuroscientist at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York. "But it may be a much more fundamental issue," stemming from a reduced ability early in life to control the muscles that govern eye movements, he said.

In the study, the researchers looked at 22 children with autism, and 31 kids without the disorder. A checkerboard pattern was flashed in front of the children on a screen, while electrodes were used to measure their brain activity. The researchers tried to determine how much of the cortex's area was dedicated to processing the checkerboard's location.

For most people, a much larger area of the cortex is dedicated to the center of the visual field, as opposed to the periphery. "If you put your thumb up, out in front of you at an arm's length, it takes up about 1 degree of visual space, and your brain has about 4 square centimeters of cortex devoted to it. If you move your thumb six or eight inches to right, now only 1.5 square millimeters of cortex is devoted," Foxe explained.

In the study, "what we found was that indeed, at peripheral locations, children with autism spectrum disorders showed larger responses in the cortex," he said.

The "map" of the cortex, in which the space allotted to each visual field is set, develops early in life. The new finding suggests that "children with autism have a basic difference in how their visual cortex is mapped," Foxe said. "More neurons were being devoted to process information in the periphery."

It's known that children with autism often have deficits in their motor skills, and it may be that during infancy, this extends to a reduced ability to control eye movements, which prevents the cortex from being mapped as it is in people without the condition, Foxe said.

The inability to control eye movements certainly doesn't cause autism, but may work"like gasoline on a fire," Foxe said. An infant with autism may be unable to direct their eyes to exactly where they want, and people in the child's life react to not having eye contact with the child. People think the child is disengaged from social interactions, so they disengage, and it becomes a cycle, he said.

However, much more research is needed to confirm whether this is true, the new study provides only the first evidence of this idea, he said.

Further research should also test younger children, he said. The youngest children in the new study were 7, but autism can reliably be diagnosed as early as age 3 or 4, and may even be detected during the first months of a child's life, he said.
Follow Karen Rowan @karenjrowan. Follow LiveScience @livescience, Facebook &Google+. Original article on LiveScience.com.

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Why Kids With Autism May Avoid Eye Contact

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(Image credit: Zurijeta | Shutterstock ) Children with autism often have difficulty making eye contact, and now a new study suggests this may be due in part to how their brains process visual information, rather than being purely a social deficit.

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Providing daily standards-based instruction for learners with complex and multiple disabilities, such as autism and deaf-blindness, requires a variety of materials, strategies, and differentiation. Quality instruction cannot be provided without detailed, collaborative pre-planning . Planning is essential to the delivery of high quality instruction. Plans should include the identification of learning targets based on both academic standards and transition skills and concepts such as social emotional skills and life applied skills. Planning should include the integration of Universal Design, differentiation and individualized instructional strategies, tools and interventions. This section of the website provides guidance and resources as you plan to meet the needs of diverse learners across all learning environments (LRE's). Discussion will include unit planning, collaborative tiered planning (MTSS tiers of support), and daily planning. Co-planning is also addressed in further detail as it aligns with the Ohio Improvement Process (OIP) and State Professional Development Grant (SPDG) work around equity and inclusivity.

Important Concepts:

Planning for ALL students means that "tiers of supports" and instructional methods will be needed

Pre-planning directly aligns learning targets and standards to instruction and assessment

Planning should address and include both pre and post assessments, ensuring they are universally designed and tiered so all students can show what they know

Student specific accommodations, assistive technology (AT), and scaffolds should be included in tiered plans to ensure that individualized education program (IEP) requirements are met

Look to Science and Social Studies standards as they contain concepts that can guide unit themes at each grade level or grade band

Identify tools and materials for each lesson in advance so that they can be gathered and/or created ahead of time

Self-Check:

Are pre and post assessments accessible to all students so that they can each show what they know?

Are materials used in teaching each lesson individualized or adapted to meet the learner's needs/challenges and strengths?

Is the activity aligned to learning standards that are an age/grade match for all learners in the class?

Does the assessment measure student knowledge of the pre-determined learning target/standard?

How might having a plan change the outcomes for one or more students in the class?

Why are some students not participating or engaged in class activities? Could access to prepared materials change their ability to participate?

Planning Self-Assessment Checklist

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ohio center for autism and low incidence

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Ohio Center for Autism and Low Incidence

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Planning to Meet the Needs of Diverse Learners

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Providing daily standards-based instruction for learners with complex and multiple disabilities, such as autism and deaf-blindness, requires a variety of materials, strategies, and differentiation. Quality instruction cannot be provided without detailed, collaborative pre-planning . Planning is essential to the delivery of high quality instruction.

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Outsmarting Explosive Behavior of Individuals with Aspberger Syndrome

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Meltdown behavior is quite common for those with Autism Spectrum Disorders. And, indeed, the most frequently asked question by parents and educators is: "What do I do when my child has meltdowns?"

When the meltdown is occurring, the best reaction is to ensure the safety of all concerned. Know that explosive behavior is not planned but instead is most often caused by subtle and perplexing triggers. When the behavior happens, everyone in its path feels pain, especially the child.
Stages of Explosive Behavior
So, what exactly is explosive behavior? In my book Outsmarting Explosive Behavior: A Visual System of Support and Intervention for Individuals with Autism Spectrum (Endow, 2009), explosive behavior is defined as having four distinct stages, followed by a clearly defined recovery period. In addition, the physiological fight/flight mechanism is triggered immediately prior to the explosion.

In this model, the four stages of explosive behavior are the same for all experiencing explosive behavior and are depicted by four train cars called Starting Out, Picking Up Steam, Point of No Return, and Explosion. The idea is to try to prevent the train cars from hooking up because when they do we have a runaway train that ends in explosion.

Working backwards, the Explosion is the stage where the meltdown behavior is evident. Immediately prior to this is the Point of No Return, which is exactly what it implies - there is no going back from the meltdown because this stage is where the fight/flight response is triggered. The pupils dilate, and breathing and heart rates increase. Physiologically, our bodies respond as if our very lives are at stake, and we automatically behave accordingly: We fight for our lives. It is entirely impossible to reason with anyone in this survival mode. As soon as you see the child's identified Point of No Return behavior you can know the Explosion is coming and need to do your best to quickly create and maintain a safe environment.

The place to impact explosive behavior is ahead of when it occurs. In the Starting Out phase, whispers of behaviors are evident. The Picking Up Steam phase is just that-the whispers become louder. Though you can learn to successfully intervene at these stages, the most effective way to manage explosive behavior is proactively, before the whispers even start.
Strategies to Prevent Meltdowns Before They Start
An individual mix of three major supports and interventions is usually most effective in preventing the first stage of meltdown behavior from starting. These three major supports include proactive use of a sensory diet to maintain optimal sensory regulation, visual supports, and managing emotions that are too big (Endow, 2011).

People with AS usually do not have sensory systems that automatically regulate; instead, they must discover how to keep themselves regulated. This is most often accomplished by employing a sensory diet. A sensory diet for a person with autism is like insulin for a person with diabetes. It is easy to understand that a person with diabetes has a pancreas that is unable to regulate insulin effectively. We can measure blood sugar and know the exact state of affairs, and from there figure out how much insulin the person needs.

Sensory Diet: Unfortunately, medical science does not allow us to take a blood sample to measure sensory dysregulation. However, we can figure out and employ a sensory diet to prevent dysregulation, and just like insulin prevents serious consequences for a diabetic, a sensory diet prevents serious troubles for an individual with ASD. As an adult with autism, I spend time every day on sensory integration activities in order to be able to function well in my everyday life. A sensory diet employed proactively goes a long way in preventing the Starting Out stage of explosive behavior from ever occurring (Brack, 2004).

Visual Supports: Another crucial area of support to put in place proactively is that of visual supports. As an autistic, I can tell you the saying "A picture is worth a thousand words" is the monumental truth. Although each person with ASD has a unique experience, processing written and spoken words is not considered by most of us to be our "first language." For me, the meaning I get from spoken words can drop out entirely when I am under stress, my sensory system is dysregulated or my felt emotions are too big. Visual supports can be anything that shows rather than tells. Visual schedules are very commonly used successfully with many individuals with ASD. Having a clear way to show beginnings and endings to the activities depicted on the visual schedule can support smooth transitions, thus keeping a meltdown at bay. For maximum effectiveness, visual supports need to be in place proactively rather than waiting until behavior unravels to pull them out.

Managing Felt Emotions: A third area in which many with ASD need proactive support is in managing felt emotions. Most often, felt feelings are way too big for the situation. An example in my life is when I discover the grocery store is out of a specific item; I get a visceral reaction very similar to the horror I felt when first hearing about the 9/11 tragedy. I know cognitively the two events have no comparison and, yet, my visceral reaction is present and I need to consciously bring my too big feelings down to something more workable in the immediate situation. Managing felt emotions does not come automatically, but can be learned over time with systematic instruction and visual supports such as The Incredible 5-Point Scale (Buron & Curtis, 2004).

The good news is that explosive behavior can be positively impacted. With proactive supports, explosive behavior can be outsmarted so individuals with ASD can move on to living purposeful and self-fulfilling lives.

BOOKS BY JUDY ENDOW

Endow, J. (2019).  Autistically Thriving: Reading Comprehension, Conversational Engagement, and Living a Self-Determined Life Based on Autistic Neurology.  Lancaster, PA: Judy Endow.

Endow, J. (2012). Learning the Hidden Curriculum: The Odyssey of One Autistic Adult. Shawnee Mission, KS: AAPC Publishing.

Endow, J. (2006).  Making Lemonade: Hints for Autism's Helpers. Cambridge, WI: CBR Press.

Endow, J. (2013).  Painted Words: Aspects of Autism Translated. Cambridge, WI: CBR Press.

Endow, J. (2009).  Paper Words: Discovering and Living With My Autism. Shawnee Mission, KS: AAPC Publishing.

Endow, J. (2009).  Outsmarting Explosive Behavior: A Visual System of Support and Intervention for Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorders. Shawnee Mission, KS: AAPC Publishing.

Endow, J. (2010).  Practical Solutions for Stabilizing Students With Classic Autism to Be Ready to Learn: Getting to Go. Shawnee Mission, KS: AAPC Publishing.

Myles, B. S., Endow, J., & Mayfield, M. (2013).  The Hidden Curriculum of Getting and Keeping a Job: Navigating the Social Landscape of Employment. Shawnee Mission, KS: AAPC Publishing.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Brack, J.C. (2004). Learn to Move, Move to Learn! Sensorimotor Early Childhood Activity Themes. Shawnee Mission, KS: AAPC Publishing. Buron, K.D., & Curtis, M. (2004). The Incredible 5-Point Scale. Shawnee Mission, KS: AAPC Publishing. First printed on Education.com with permission of the Autism Society. http://www.education.com/reference/article/explosive-behavior-asperger-syndrome

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Preventing Meltdowns: Outsmarting the Explosive Behavior of Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders

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Meltdown behavior is quite common for those with Autism Spectrum Disorders. And, indeed, the most frequently asked question by parents and educators is: "What do I do when my child has meltdowns?" When the meltdown is occurring, the best reaction is to ensure the safety of all concerned.

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Excerpt from: Practical Magic (Behavior Modification Help)

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Preventing Meltdowns

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Managing Severe Behavi

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The Aggressive Child

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What are the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for autism?

In 2013, the American Psychiatric Association released the fifth edition of its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5).

The DSM-5 is now the standard reference that healthcare providers use to diagnose mental and behavioral conditions, including autism.

By special permission of the American Psychiatric Association, you can read the full-text of the new diagnostic criteria for autism spectrum disorder and the related diagnosis of social communication disorder below.
Also see: Answers to frequently asked questions about DSM-5 criteria for autism A. Persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction across multiple contexts, as manifested by the following, currently or by history (examples are illustrative, not exhaustive, see text):
DSM-5 Autism Diagnostic Criteria

1. Deficits in social-emotional reciprocity, ranging, for example, from abnormal social approach and failure of normal back-and-forth conversation; to reduced sharing of interests, emotions, or affect; to failure to initiate or respond to social interactions.

2. Deficits in nonverbal communicative behaviors used for social interaction, ranging, for example, from poorly integrated verbal and nonverbal communication; to abnormalities in eye contact and body language or deficits in understanding and use of gestures; to a total lack of facial expressions and nonverbal communication.

3. Deficits in developing, maintaining, and understanding relationships, ranging, for example, from difficulties adjusting behavior to suit various social contexts; to difficulties in sharing imaginative play or in making friends; to absence of interest in peers.

B. Restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities, as manifested by at least two of the following, currently or by history (examples are illustrative, not exhaustive; see text):
Specify current severity: Severity is based on social communication impairments and restricted repetitive patterns of behavior. (See table below.)

1. Stereotyped or repetitive motor movements, use of objects, or speech (e.g., simple motor stereotypies, lining up toys or flipping objects, echolalia, idiosyncratic phrases).

2. Insistence on sameness, inflexible adherence to routines, or ritualized patterns or verbal nonverbal behavior (e.g., extreme distress at small changes, difficulties with transitions, rigid thinking patterns, greeting rituals, need to take same route or eat food every day).

3. Highly restricted, fixated interests that are abnormal in intensity or focus (e.g, strong attachment to or preoccupation with unusual objects, excessively circumscribed or perseverative interest).

4. Hyper- or hyporeactivity to sensory input or unusual interests in sensory aspects of the environment (e.g., apparent indifference to pain/temperature, adverse response to specific sounds or textures, excessive smelling or touching of objects, visual fascination with lights or movement).

C. Symptoms must be present in the early developmental period (but may not become fully manifest until social demands exceed limited capacities or may be masked by learned strategies in later life). D. Symptoms cause clinically significant impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of current functioning. E. These disturbances are not better explained by intellectual disability (intellectual developmental disorder) or global developmental delay. Intellectual disability and autism spectrum disorder frequently co-occur; to make comorbid diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability, social communication should be below that expected for general developmental level.
Specify current severity: Severity is based on social communication impairments and restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior. (See table below.)

Note: Individuals with a well-established DSM-IV diagnosis of autistic disorder, Asperger's disorder, or pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified should be given the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. Individuals who have marked deficits in social communication, but whose symptoms do not otherwise meet criteria for autism spectrum disorder, should be evaluated for social (pragmatic) communication disorder.

Specify if:

With or without accompanying intellectual impairment

With or without accompanying language impairment
(Coding note: Use additional code to identify the associated medical or genetic condition.)

Associated with another neurodevelopmental, mental, or behavioral disorder
(Coding note: Use additional code[s] to identify the associated neurodevelopmental, mental, or behavioral disorder[s].)

With catatonia

Associated with a known medical or genetic condition or environmental factor

Table: Severity levels for autism spectrum disorder

Level 3
"Requiring very substantial support"

Severe deficits in verbal and nonverbal social communication skills cause severe impairments in functioning, very limited initiation of social interactions, and minimal response to social overtures from others. For example, a person with few words of intelligible speech who rarely initiates interaction and, when he or she does, makes unusual approaches to meet needs only and responds to only very direct social approaches

Inflexibility of behavior, extreme difficulty coping with change, or other restricted/repetitive behaviors markedly interfere with functioning in all spheres. Great distress/difficulty changing focus or action.

Level 2
"Requiring substantial support"

Marked deficits in verbal and nonverbal social communication skills; social impairments apparent even with supports in place; limited initiation of social interactions; and reduced or abnormal responses to social overtures from others. For example, a person who speaks simple sentences, whose interaction is limited to narrow special interests, and how has markedly odd nonverbal communication.

Inflexibility of behavior, difficulty coping with change, or other restricted/repetitive behaviors appear frequently enough to be obvious to the casual observer and interfere with functioning in a variety of contexts. Distress and/or difficulty changing focus or action.

Level 1
"Requiring support"

Without supports in place, deficits in social communication cause noticeable impairments. Difficulty initiating social interactions, and clear examples of atypical or unsuccessful response to social overtures of others. May appear to have decreased interest in social interactions. For example, a person who is able to speak in full sentences and engages in communication but whose to- and-fro conversation with others fails, and whose attempts to make friends are odd and typically unsuccessful.

Inflexibility of behavior causes significant interference with functioning in one or more contexts. Difficulty switching between activities. Problems of organization and planning hamper inde

Social (Pragmatic) Communication Disorder
A. Persistent difficulties in the social use of verbal and nonverbal communication as manifested by all of the following:
Diagnostic Criteria
B. The deficits result in functional limitations in effective communication, social participation, social relationships, academic achievement, or occupational performance, individually or in combination. C. The onset of the symptoms is in the early developmental period (but deficits may not become fully manifest until social communication demands exceed limited capacities). D. The symptoms are not attributable to another medical or neurological condition or to low abilities in the domains or word structure and grammar, and are not better explained by autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disability (intellectual developmental disorder), global developmental delay, or another mental disorder.

1. Deficits in using communication for social purposes, such as greeting and sharing information, in a manner that is appropriate for the social context.

2. Impairment of the ability to change communication to match context or the needs of the listener, such as speaking differently in a classroom than on the playground, talking differently to a child than to an adult, and avoiding use of overly formal language.

3. Difficulties following rules for conversation and storytelling, such as taking turns in conversation, rephrasing when misunderstood, and knowing how to use verbal and nonverbal signals to regulate interaction.

4. Difficulties understanding what is not explicitly stated (e.g., making inferences) and nonliteral or ambiguous meanings of language (e.g., idioms, humor, metaphors, multiple meanings that depend on the context for interpretation).

DSM-5 and Autism: Frequently Asked Questions
For more information

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Autism Diagnosis Criteria: DSM-5 | Autism Speaks

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In 2013, the American Psychiatric Association released the fifth edition of its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). The DSM-5 is now the standard reference that healthcare providers use to diagnose mental and behavioral conditions, including autism.

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VISUAL SUPPORTS

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Student Reinforcement Survey

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Respond to behavior

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for students to complete

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Asperger's Syndrome, which is now included under the broader Autism Spectrum Disorder diagnosis, is one of the most misunderstood developmental disorders on the autism spectrum, largely because it remains shrouded in stereotypes and prejudices. We need to confront these misconceptions which do more harm than good. They put children in boxes, reducing them to a meaningless check-list of symptoms and antisocial behavior. And it's only by educating people and confronting the myths and misconceptions head-on that people will learn to stop putting special children in these boxes.

While Asperger's Syndrome is on the autism spectrum, children with the disorder don't have cognitive or speech difficulties. Typically, these children struggle in social situations which require interaction with others. They also have a hard time expressing emotion and reading social cues. However, what many people don't realize is that most children with Asperger's grow up to be high functioning adults who lead independent lives.

With a better understanding of this condition, more people will understand that Asperger's Syndrome is a unique way of seeing the world that comes with its own set of strengths. To challenge the way people see Asperger's Syndrome, we've put together some of the most common myths about the disorder.

1. It's something you outgrow

It's not uncommon for people to dismiss the behavior of a child with Asperger's Syndrome as nothing more than antisocial tendencies which will be outgrown. While a child may develop skills to cope, Asperger's is a lifelong condition. Of course with the right support, children with this condition can learn to use their unique traits to accomplish goals others would struggle to achieve. These children also tend to have unique abilities including impressive attention to detail, dedicated work ethic, excellent verbal skills and high intelligence.

Why is this so damaging?

Many children with Asperger's Syndrome go undiagnosed mainly because the symptoms are dismissed as a behavioral problem that can be outgrown. In fact, recent research suggests that as many as 50% of the children with this disorder go undiagnosed. By not taking it seriously enough, we're preventing children who need help and support from leading fulfilling lives.

2. Being antisocial is a choice

Children with Asperger's Syndrome tend to suffer from social anxiety and lack the skills needed in social interactions. For them, being antisocial is not a choice. These children rarely know what's appropriate to say in social interactions, and have difficulty understanding body language, facial expressions and other social cues. This makes every interaction stressful and overwhelming. Children with Asperger's Syndrome simply aren't wired to be social. The sad thing is that often these children want to interact and build relationships with others. They simply don't know how.

Why is this so damaging?

Children with this condition can learn to behave appropriately in social situations and make friends with the right help. But for this to happen, parents, teachers and other children need to look beyond the stereotypes, and be understanding of the child's unique social difficulties.

3. They lack empathy

Most researchers refer to two different types of empathy: cognitive empathy and emotional empathy. People with Asperger's Syndrome tend to struggle with cognitive empathy, but are fine when it comes to emotional empathy. This means it takes them time to understand the emotional significance of a situation. A child with Asperger's is unlikely to react to bad news immediately, but once they've had the time to process the event they'll respond more intensely than other kids. Rather than lacking empathy, children with Asperger's express feeling in an unconventional way.

Why is this so damaging?

Swiss researchers have found that rather than feeling too little, people with Asperger's feel too much. Because these children are hypersensitive to new feelings and experiences, they can easily feel overwhelmed which can cause them to withdraw. By dismissing a child as lacking empathy, we're depriving them of the social interaction that could make it easier for them to process their emotions.

4. They are violent

The media has done a lot to perpetuate the link between Asperger's Syndrome and violence. Much of the conversation around the Sandy Hook Elementary School mass shooting, for example, centered around the fact that the shooter had been diagnosed with Asperger's. There is, however, no scientific basis for this damaging misconception. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders clearly states that there is no connection between violent behavior and Asperger's.

It's important to distinguish between violence and aggression. Children with Asperger's tend to exhibit more aggressive behavior including pushing, shoving and angry outbursts. But this behavior is almost always reactive rather than intentionally violent behavior intended to cause harm.

Why is this so damaging?

This misconception makes it less likely that other children will want to befriend a child with Asperger's. For a child that already struggles with social interaction, being ostracised is damaging and will further hamper their emotional development.

5. Children with Asperger's Syndrome aren't normal

Sometimes when people hear that a child has Asperger's their first response will be something along the lines of: "But you look so normal." This is hurtful and ignorant because there is nothing abnormal or atypical about a child with Asperger's. These kids may struggle interacting and have other sensory processing issues, but in many ways are just like any other child. They just need someone to show them the way, and help them fit in.

Why is this so damaging?

The idea that children with Asperger's are not normal is very damaging. It's perhaps one of the biggest misconceptions about the disorder. It can result in these special children being excluded and treated differently, when all they need is to be shown love.
Do you or someone you know have children with Asperger's Syndrome? What's the one thing you wish people knew about your special child? Share your thoughts in the comments below and help us challenge the stereotypes.
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AngelSense is committed to creating a safer world for those with special needs and providing peace of mind to their families.

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This Is What Children with Asperger's Syndrome Wish You Knew - AngelSense

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Asperger's Syndrome, which is now included under the broader Autism Spectrum Disorder diagnosis, is one of the most misunderstood developmental disorders on the autism spectrum, largely because it remains shrouded in stereotypes and prejudices. We need to confront these misconceptions which do more harm than good.

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Pin by Aninejay Mandaday on Aspy | Autism symptoms, Understanding autism, Aspergers autism

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Apr 1, 2015 - This Pin was discovered by Aninejay Mandaday. Discover (and save!) your own Pins on Pinterest

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Explained

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Stimming, or self-stimulatory behaviors, are behaviors people with autism may exhibit to counteract an overwhelming sensory environment or alleviate the high levels of internal anxiety, according to Temple Grandin's post in Autism Digest. Some examples of stimming are rocking, spinning, pacing, repeating words or flapping of arms or hands.

Autistic people aren't the only ones who stim, although occasionally people on the spectrum stim in more obvious ways and may attract attention. Many people have a hard time grasping why someone would stim.

We asked our readers with autism how they explain what stimming is like.
This is what they had to say:
1. "It helps my body regulate the sensory information of the world." - Laura Ivanova Smith

2. "You know how when you're cooking something on a stove, you sometimes move the lid slightly off the pot to let the steam out? How you put pressure on a bleeding wound to get the blood flow to stop, or at least lessen? For me, stimming is that relief and release - the preventing of inward things from exploding or running out by doing things outwardly to soothe the inward." - Paula Gomez

3. "Stimming is like turning down the radio when you think you smell something burning. It's a way of turning off the other senses so you can make sure nothings burning." - Lamar Hardwick told The Mighty in an email

4. "Sometimes when I feel overwhelmed, upset or angry, I need to let it out. I feel antsy when I'm overstimulated, so I need to move around and let out some noise. It's the only way I know how to cope. It calms me down. A common one for me is humming loudly to myself (sometimes with my ears plugged or covered) and most commonly, I'll bounce my leg. It's involuntary, so I don't always realize I'm bouncing my leg. It bothers some people, but I can't help it."- Sydney Brown

5. "What's it like to stim? You tell me. Most non-autistic people impulsively tap their feet, drum their fingers or let out exasperated sighs. They're all natural forms of self-expression. The theory behind autistic stimming is the same - we're just the ones who get called out for expressing ourselves more visibly than you!" - Chris Bonnello from Autistic Not Weird, told The Mighty in an email.

6. "Sometimes the sensory input gets too much, and I feel like I might explode. Stimming releases the tension and makes me feel a lot calmer." - Lucy Clapham

7. "It's the ability and opportunity to shut out external effects. I can tune into myself, reign in my energy and feel completely wrapped and enveloped in my own bubble of comfort and total relaxation. It helps ground me to reality, breathe, slow down and soothes my nervous system that is overtaxed. At best, I feel like there is no one else around and I am completely calm, free and one with the world." - Laura Spoerl

8. "It's a comforting thing to do. Neurotypical people probably understand and do similar things, but the difference is that autism stims feel more necessary, and trying to stop them causes unpleasantness for us. It makes me feel uncomfortable when [it] cannot be done." - Elizabeth Alford

9. "It's a combination of habit and releasing build-up of stress or internal energy in the body. It isn't something you do only when you have anxiety or negative feelings, it feels good. It's kind of necessary." - Planet Autism

10. "When I'm stressed and overstimulated, I quietly hum or groan. When I'm extremely happy, I smile a 'Cheshire Cat' grin, rock back and forth and voice a little. Stimming is comforting, and it lets off pressure from good and bad emotions. I don't necessarily think 'I need to stim,' I just do." -

11. "Stimming is like breathing... just as natural, just as important." -
*Answers have been edited and shortened.

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11 People With Autism Explain What Stimming Feels Like

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Stimming, or self-stimulatory behaviors, are behaviors people with autism may exhibit to counteract an overwhelming sensory environment or alleviate the high levels of internal anxiety, according to Temple Grandin's post in Autism Digest. Some examples of stimming are rocking, spinning, pacing, repeating words or flapping of arms or hands.

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Minimizing Disruptive Behavior in the Classroom

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Minimizing Disruptive Behavior in the Classroom

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From page 6 of the Teaching Professor

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The National Education Association (NEA), the nation's largest professional employee organization, is committed to advancing the cause of public education. NEA's 3 million members work at every level of education-from pre-school to university graduate programs. NEA has affiliate organizations in every state and in more than 14,000 communities across the United States.

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We know educators are taking care of our children's future, and we believe they deserve someone to look after theirs. We provide auto, home and life insurance to protect what teachers and school employees have today, and retirement and financial solutions to help them secure their future.

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Horace Mann Educators Corporation | Auto, Home, Rent, Life Insurance and Retirement Annuities

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We know educators are taking care of our children's future, and we believe they deserve someone to look after theirs. We provide auto, home and life insurance to protect what teachers and school employees have today, and retirement and financial solutions to help them secure their future.

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supporting students with Autism

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Positive Reinforcement Defined

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Great reading!