Autism Society of Southeastern Wisconsin, Inc.

If you are the parent of a small child with an autism spectrum disorder, you’ve probably noticed that your child does not play in the same ways typically developing children do. Perhaps your child obsessively spins wheels on toy cars, instead of pretending the cars are driving somewhere; perhaps he or she lines up blocks in rows, instead of building towers with them.

Have you been frustrated watching your child do these things, and wished you could get your child to break their attention away from the odd play to interact with you and others? What if you could use their playtime to help your child learn to communicate?

Dr. Rick Clark, Associate Clinical Professor at Wisconsin School of Professional Psychology will present “Using Play to Increase Communication.” Besides supervising students of psychology at the University and teaching there and at Cardinal Strich, Dr. Clark been in private practice at St. Francis Children’s Center in Glendale since 1994, providing a range of mental health services to children and their families from infancy through adolescence. His primary interests are Pervasive Developmental Disorders, ADHD, Anxiety Disorders, pediatric mental health, and learning disabilities.

This session will be held Saturday, March 13th, 9:30—11:30a.m. at Nicolet High School in Glendale.

Register by sending an email with your name and contact number to info@assew.org or by calling 414-427-9345. All Parenting Series sessions are free and open to parents, relatives, educators and professionals. Refreshments are served. Child care is not provided.

Read Tim Shriver’s editorial about the bigotry behind the R-word, and urge your friends to visit this site and take the pledge!

February 24-25 I attended the Autism Society of America’s Day on the Hill in Washington DC, with 55 Chapter Leaders from around the country, representing 18 states. Wednesday, we met as a group to get an overview of legislation that ASA is working on, and Thursday we visited our Senators and Representatives offices to meet with staff who are responsible for health and education issues.

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Words matter.   The names we call others and the way we think about them can be degrading or they can be respectful. The choice is up to us.

The use of the R-word is hurtful to many.  The recent publicity over Rahm Emanual’s unthinking use of this word can be turned into a teaching moment for the communities we live in.  Special Olympics and Best Buddies used it as a springboard for a campaign to End the R-Word.  View the CNN story and then visit the website where you can learn more and decide if you are ready to pledge to end the use of the R-word.

CNN Coverage of the story

“Our language frames how we think about others. Help eliminate the use of the R-word in everyday speech.”

Website were you can pledge to stop using the R-word

Another family open swim has been set up for our members at the Southeast YMCA in Greenfield on Sunday, February 28th, from 11:30 - 1:30. We’ll again be using the therapeutic pool, which is smaller and warmer than a typical pool. The depth is about 4—4 1/2 feet deep. There will be a lifeguard on duty and “noodles” are available and allowed.

The cost is $5 per person with a maximum of $15 for families. Please bring the fees at that time and also bring your own towels.

We need to give the YMCA a head count, so please RSVP to this event before Monday, February 22nd by emailing info@assew.org or by calling us at (414) 427-9345.

Have you heard about the intervention called RDI?  This relatively new intervention uses a consultant model to train families in techniques developed by Dr. Steven Gutstein, author of Autism Aspergers: Solving the Relationship Puzzle and My Baby Can Dance: Stories of Autism, Asperger’s and Success through the Relationship Development Intervention (RDI) Program.

RDI is intended to target the core deficits areas seen in individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders, and works on communication, relationship building, and flexible thinking.

Certified RDI consultant Deborah Berrang of Milwaukee will present an introductory workshop for families, educators, and interested community members.

When:  Saturday, 2/13/10 from 9:30 to 11:30 am

Where: Nicolet High School - D-wing Library.  6701 N Jean Nicolet Rd., Glendale

Registration:  Free but we appreciate preregistration so we have enough hand-outs and refreshments. To register, email info@assew.org or call us at 414-427-9345.

Child care is not provided at this event.

The Autism Society of America and AMC movie theaters have been working together to bring special movie screenings to families of children with autism. First-run movies are shown - usually on the opening weekend - with no advertisements or trailers. Even better, the lights and sound are adjusted to be less overwhelming, attendees are welcome to move around if they wish, and children on special diets are allowed to bring their own snacks. This wonderful monthly event is available locally at the AMC Theatre at Mayfair Mall in Wauwatosa. Movies are shown at 10 am on the dates given below. Tickets are only $5 for both adults and children! The concession for all the usual movie goodies is open as usual. Keep checking here for updates on the upcoming shows!

UPCOMING MOVIES:

March 20th: Diary of a Wimpy Kid

April 10: Dreamworks’ (the studio that made Shrek, Madagascar, and Kung Fu Panda) “How to Train Your Dragon”

More about the national Autism Society of America and Sensory Friendly Films here.

We are now part of the eBay Giving Works program. You can support our mission while you sell on eBay! Plus eBay gives back to you too, with a fee credit on your basic selling fees.

Did you know that charity listings often get more bids and higher prices than regular eBay listings? Boost your sales and support our critical work while you’re at it!

Just designate our organization to receive 10-100% of your final sale price the next time you list something. It’s that simple! The Ebay Giving Works option is right there on the page where you set up your listing. Be sure to enter our name correctly (Autism Society of Southeastern Wisconsin) the first time, and the next time you list an item it will automatically come up as an option.

If you have any questions, feel free to call us (414) 427-9345 or email us at info@assew.org. Thank you!

School and life aren’t just ABCs and 1-2-3s. There are all sorts of unwritten social rules and expectations of behavior that we all seem to learn as we grow up, without being taught them.

For example, most students know that it’s not a great idea to tell an off-color joke in front of a teacher, even if the joke was funny in the locker room, or that it’s not a smart idea to argue with a policeman – even if he is wrong.

No one ever explains these things, yet most of us readily adjust our behavior, knowing what the consequences are for breaking these invisible, “hidden” rules. Individuals who have ASD do not come equipped with the natural ability to understand the “hidden curriculum” beyond ABCs and 1-2-3s. As a result, they break a lot of social and behavioral rules without intent or even knowledge that they are doing so. Further, difficulty in generalizing information from one situation to another leads them to making the same mistakes over and over again at a tremendous social cost.

Autism consultant and former special education teacher Mary Graczyk-McMullen will explain the “hidden curriculum” and how parents and educators can help children learn to adapt to what most of us take for granted in order to get along in the world. Read the rest of this entry »

National Resolution for Ending School Pushout

December 3, 2009 - Today over 180 organizations and individuals have signed on to support the Dignity in Schools Campaign National Resolution for Ending School Pushout, a call to action for our school systems to end the harsh disciplinary policies and law enforcement tactics that push too many young people out of school. Read the rest of this entry »