ASSEW's mission is to support people with autism spectrum disorders, their families, professionals, and others, by sharing information, supporting research, providing networking opportunities and promoting awareness through education and training.
Come for the donuts, the coffee, AND the supportive conversation and connection with other parents! Resuming after our summer hiatus, we will be meeting NEXT WEEK, the day after the kiddos are back at school! Join us at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, September 2nd, at the office (9733 W. St. Martins Road - on Highway 100 just south of Loomis). See you then!
Jennifer Aniston’s thoughtless throwaway remark on TV last Friday, and sadly the audience laughter that followed, show us that we still have a long way to go in our efforts to sensitize the general public to the hurtfulness of the term “retard.”
Dave Hingsberger has written a moving blog post about the use of the “R” word, The People who “R” in response. If you’re a teacher in Middle or High School, please consider assigning this essay to your students. If you are a person who is offended by the use of the “R” word, please distribute this to friends and others who give you a hard time if you ask them to stop using this offensive term.
Thanks, Dave, for being such an eloquent advocate!
AMC and the Autism Society are pleased to announce an additional location for Sensory Friendly Films in our area. In addition to the AMC at Mayfair Mall in Milwaukee, the AMC in Johnson Creek will also be offering monthly Sensory Friendly Films, beginning September 4th, at 10am, with Nanny McPhee Returns. Tickets are $5. For details on the Sensory Friendly Films program and a listing of showings, check out the Sensory Friendly Films webpage.
Sometimes it is a struggle raising a child with autism, yet many parents are reluctant to ask friends for help. Friends and extended families see the struggles, and aren’t sure what to do. Elaine Hall gives some great examples of helpful, thoughtful actions in an article on Huffington Post.
Another way you can help is to donate in someone’s honor to Dylan’s Run, which supports activities here in Wisconsin, helping local families, right here, right now.
Have you ever wondered how many boxes of t-shirts it takes to cover the backs of all our participants at Dylan’s Run? Or are you dying to know what this year’s shirt looks like? Here you go!
Unemployment for adults with Autism is a huge concern. Our national organization is advocating in Washington for policy that supports adults seeking meaningful work. Read about it here.
We’re hoping you’re busy getting your 2010 Dylan’s Run/Walk team together!
As you know, the Autism Society of Southeastern Wisconsin supports research and provides services, information, referrals, and programming- directly to local children, families, individuals on the spectrum, educators, professionals, and others RIGHT HERE IN SOUTHEASTERN WISCONSIN.
Be a team captain! Form a Team to walk with your family and friends. This is a great way to increase community Autism Awareness and your enjoyment of the Walk/Run. Team registration deadline is August 12th, 2010. Download the packet of information for teams for this year’s run/walk and submit completed team forms and payment before the deadline. Teams require a minimum of 10 participants, and have their shirts imprinted with the team name, a logo, or a photo. Call our office at 414-427-9345 for details on how to become a team captain or if you have any questions. We’ll be happy to talk you through the process.
The Autism Society of Southeastern Wisconsin is partnering with the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee School of Continuing Education to bring attention to the special needs of urban families.
Autism Knows No Boundaries
Supporting the Needs of Urban Communities
Nov. 3-4
Explore Topics Including:
Identifying Cultural Barriers
Communication
Challenging Behaviors
Life with an Autistic Sibling
Autism Research & Medication
Urban Access for Medical Diagnosis
Benefits of Attending:
Learn the basics about Autism and Asperger Syndrome how they present in an urban population
Become aware of the disparities in service availability and later age of diagnosis of autism in children of color
Learn strategies for supporting individuals with learning and communication differences to prevent behavioral outbursts
Connect with community resources to better support individuals with autism and co-morbid mental health issues.
Early bird registration ends September 1st! More info and registration details here.
One of the benefits of membership is checkout privileges from our extensive Lending Library. ALL THE AUTISM, PDD-NOS, ASPERGER, SENSORY, and SPECIAL ED information YOU WANT AND NEED is here, in our office. We have a wall of books, magazines, videos, and DVDs for our members to check out for one month. Not a member? You can join on the spot for only $25, which includes membership in the national Autism Society of America! We’ll see you on Saturday, July 24th, noon - 2:00pm! Our office is in Franklin at 9733 W. St. Martins Road (Highway 100, just southeast of Loomis).
Executive Director Emily Levine represented ASSEW at the 41st Annual Autism Society of America Conference in Dallas July 7th - 10th, along with immediate past-president Lynn Brusnahan. Lynn serves on the national Autism Society board, and was the emcee for the award ceremony Friday morning. Included among the honorees were Judy Endow, from Madison, who was honored for her video The Power of Words, and Sheila Wagner, who will be the featured speaker at our fall conference on October 7th, 2010. Sheila’s latest book on inclusive education for High School students was the 2010 ASA’s literary work of the year. Read the rest of this entry »