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.

I visited the offices of Senators Feingold and Kohl, and Representatives Gwen Moore, Jim Sensenbrenner, and Paul Ryan.

ASA would appreciate your support on the following 3 bills:
Preventing Harmful Restraint and Seclusion in the Schools Act (S.2860/H.R. 4247) is the first national effort to address this problem and ensure the safety of everyone involved - both students and school staff. Please note this would still require a state component. I was encouraged to keep working on our state bill as
well.

Autism Treatment Acceleration Act (S. 819/ H.R. 2413)
Focus is on adult issues, especially employment, housing, self-advocacy, transportation, personal safety, coordination of care.

Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) S493/H.R.1205
Allows families to save for the future of a child with a disability, similar to a 529 college savings account. Has lower start-up costs and tax advantages over a special needs trust. Money in this type of account could pay for medical and dental care, moving, assistive technology devices, housing and transportation expenses.
Money in this type of account would not prevent the individual from qualifying from SSI.

This bill is supported by  a broad coalition of disability groups.

Details about the 3 bills mentioned above are available on the ASA website, or click on the American flag Vote4Autism icon above.

Finally, ASA is supporting a platform to reform the Toxic Substances Control Act, which would serve as an updated comprehensive chemicals policy that would protect public health and the environment. A bill has not yet been introduced, but is being worked on in coalition with other health advocacy groups. Details here.

If you have a chance to visit with your Senator or Representatives when they are home in their districts, please consider asking for them to co-sponsor or support this legislation. More information on ways to get involved with advocacy are available through the Autism Society nationally or locally, contact 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.

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.

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!

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.

The session will be held on Saturday, January 9th, 2010, 9:30 - 11:30 am at Nicolet High School, 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.

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.

The National Resolution calls for schools to create positive climates for learning and adopt alternative approaches to discipline that protect the human rights of all young people.

School pushout is the result of policies and practices that disengage students from learning and remove them from instruction, including disciplinary practices such as suspensions, expulsions, and school arrests. The overuse of these practices is reaching crisis proportions. Historically disenfranchised youth, including students of color, students with disabilities, and students in poor communities, are impacted the most by these policies.

For more information on what you can do to participate, visit the Dignity in Schools website.