tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7621801762921917469Thu, 16 Feb 2012 13:20:24 +0000jokescrowdsquirksmoviesdisability rightschildrens theaterdoctorsAMC theatersnatureartupdatessafetye-bookAutism Society of Americaanxietysummerassessmentstick removalmemesADHDTemple Grandintipsspringmovie reviewsrespitebowlingfamilysportssensory friendly filmsvideosmall groupsredirectswine flumean kidsMary and Maxblogsfocus buildingdifferencehumorsex edexerciseaffiliate linkssingingH1N1fine motor skillsproduct reviewsgeneticsreviewskittensocceraspievideo gamesstudiessensory issuesmistakesautismEEGcampingrobotsmedicationblog talk radioschooljoyToday showpreparationPokemonBright Hubnice kidsLRErelocationGus speaksneurologistnoise sensitivityholidaysobsessionslymesocial skillssummer schoolinsect repellentoutingsrandom acts of kindnessrelated service providersJuly 4thpaintingthankfulnesseducationdental hygienebook recommendationsdays offLeast Restrictive Environmentbeachbrain developmentannual reviewritualistic behaviorsloose teethBurt's Bees Apricot Oilspecial needssleepmeltdownshomeworktomato plantseizuresManic MondayplanningAsperger'sMonsters vs Alienscyclinghearingstandardized testingAdamstatewide examseditorial services for bloggersempathystimmingfriendssocial eventsCloudy with a Chance of Meatballsnew domainIDEAsummer vacationbirthdaystresssensory integration disordereczemaguest postssillinessstrategiesparentingpartymusiccommunicationcreative kidsIEPopinionsAspergianallergiestestssiblingstoy recommendationsplaygardeningawardsdentistindependenceTimevaccinesApril Fool's DayticksWorld Autism DayquestionsgrowingMother's DayInsights from a typical mom of two not-so-typical kids.http://myautisminsights.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com (Andrea)Blogger78125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7621801762921917469.post-8153199697164756980Thu, 01 Oct 2009 14:02:00 +00002009-10-01T07:10:26.655-07:00blogsthankfulnessredirectnew domainToday is Thursday, and thankfully, I actually remembered what day it is! Today I am thankful that I can now redirect you to the new My Autism Insights domain! Please, come follow along, subscribe and please continue to share your insights! New posts will begin appearing there after today. Thanks so much for your support!http://myautisminsights.blogspot.com/2009/10/thursday-thankfulness-come-follow-me.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Andrea)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7621801762921917469.post-5346345746608569542Mon, 28 Sep 2009 10:06:00 +00002009-09-28T03:24:39.698-07:00reviewsCloudy with a Chance of Meatballsmoviessensory integration disorderAsperger'ssensory friendly filmsnoise sensitivityjokesautismIt was only a few months ago that we started taking Gus to the AMC Sensory Friendly films geared toward kids with Sensory Integration Disorder. This past weekend, the rainy weather nudged us to try something new for the kids: a 3D movie without the sound modifications. I was a little nervous, especially at $42 for the 4 of us (Remember when a movie was a cheap family outing?) that we'd last 15 http://myautisminsights.blogspot.com/2009/09/movie-review-cloudy-with-chance-of.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Andrea)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7621801762921917469.post-3229653841421910913Thu, 24 Sep 2009 16:53:00 +00002009-09-24T09:59:09.511-07:00annual reviewstatewide examsschoolAsperger'sthankfulnessgrowingautismIsn't it amazing how fast the time goes once the school year starts? It becomes a cyclone of alarm clocks, homework, meetings, extracurricular activities….Then Friday rolls around and it still doesn't stop. Everything moves so fast, the next week sort of sneaks up on you to start the whole process again. Fortunately, Gus is adjusting pretty well.This week, I am thankful:That Gus, although he's http://myautisminsights.blogspot.com/2009/09/thankfulness-thursday.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Andrea)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7621801762921917469.post-5420701589111299922Mon, 21 Sep 2009 12:16:00 +00002009-09-21T07:09:33.748-07:00opinionsdoctorssoccervaccinesAsperger'ssafetyswine fluautismH1N1Good morning! Hope you had a lovely weekend as we prepare to enter into autumn. This past weekend we made some decisions about the swine flu (H1N1) vaccine and had soccer practice.SoccerGus had a crisp morning for his 2nd soccer practice & game of the season. The team has grown quite a bit and I've seen several new faces. Their workout is more geared toward teaching the game and giving the kidshttp://myautisminsights.blogspot.com/2009/09/weekend-update-swine-flu-soccer.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Andrea)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7621801762921917469.post-8113520647412360902Thu, 17 Sep 2009 12:37:00 +00002009-09-17T05:41:27.612-07:00kittenschoolfamilyAsperger'sthankfulnessautismHello, world! School's just about to wrap up its second week and we're finally starting to get into some sort of routine. Here's what I'm appreciating today:I am thankful:1. That Gus has had a really good first full week. At least half of every day, his teacher reports that he's been 'on.' One day this week, he even finished his independent work independently! This has been virtually unheard http://myautisminsights.blogspot.com/2009/09/thursday-thankfulness.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Andrea)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7621801762921917469.post-6805625877742520033Wed, 16 Sep 2009 16:52:00 +00002009-09-16T09:57:24.273-07:00focus buildingEEGeducationbrain developmentvideo gamesschoolADHDstandardized testingNow that Gus is on the cusp of his 'tween years, it seems more important than ever that he learns to manage himself without the need of constant adult prompting. Middle school is right around the corner, and state exams are at the end of this school year. While he'll get every accommodation available, it will be a major hurdle for him. I'd like to see him do well.I'm not a big fan of http://myautisminsights.blogspot.com/2009/09/focus-building-year.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Andrea)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7621801762921917469.post-6616855795263711814Thu, 10 Sep 2009 13:43:00 +00002009-09-10T06:57:22.958-07:00siblingseducationschoolfriendsAsperger'sthankfulnessautismI've been quite remiss lately with posting, but now that school is back in session, I can hear myself think again. It seems rather appropriate that Gus started school on a Thursday. Today I am thankful:1. That Gus not only started school again, but that he was eager to start school again. Yesterday he said that he had "art-room-sickness," similar to homesickness but for the art room at school.http://myautisminsights.blogspot.com/2009/09/return-of-thursday-thankfulness.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Andrea)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7621801762921917469.post-619160222632286324Thu, 27 Aug 2009 12:34:00 +00002009-08-27T05:47:20.517-07:00parentingAsperger'ssafetymistakesautismCrash!"Daddy!"Oh jeez, what now?DH goes downstairs to see what the heck this boy is up to now. I hear a shout and decide not to go down there. Daddy seems to have everything under control, and I have a leaky toilet to deal with. Gus slumps back to his room. DH pokes his head into the bathroom. "He put a light bulb in the microwave." Good thing I stayed put.I pass Gus's room on my way to http://myautisminsights.blogspot.com/2009/08/things-he-gets-into.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Andrea)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7621801762921917469.post-5636872032505465570Mon, 24 Aug 2009 12:05:00 +00002009-08-24T05:08:54.405-07:00natureeducationsex edparentingAsperger'sdifferencegrowingcampingquestionsautismHello readers! We've been out of contact for a little while for various reasons including a camping vacation. Life is starting to settle back into a routine as school approaches.Speaking of school, we all know that the time will come when our children will have questions about topics that I, for one, don't particularly want to have to answer. Death, sex, why am I so different from everyone http://myautisminsights.blogspot.com/2009/08/those-dreaded-questions.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Andrea)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7621801762921917469.post-8139800177624136453Wed, 12 Aug 2009 15:07:00 +00002009-08-12T08:13:13.416-07:00creative kidsplaysummer vacationAsperger'ssummerdays offautismIt's only the first day of Gus's true summer vacation. He could have slept in, but chose to get up at five instead – didn't want to waste the day! He and MM started playing on the GameCube first thing, but by eight it was clear that I needed to put a stop to that. He was getting extremely frustrated and agitated over the smallest things, near tears at one point. Then I could see him getting http://myautisminsights.blogspot.com/2009/08/what-happens-when-you-ban-video-games.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Andrea)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7621801762921917469.post-2334049490813888329Tue, 04 Aug 2009 20:59:00 +00002009-08-04T14:13:12.136-07:00moviesTemple GrandinAsperger'sMary and MaxAdamA friend forwarded me this New York Times article about 3 films dealing with the subject of Asperger's. Adam is a romance involving a man with Asperger's and a woman who moves upstairs from him. Mary and Max is an indie film about a 20 year pen-pal relationship. Temple Grandin's biopic will be released on HBO next year. Here's a link to the article & I encourage you to check out the films if http://myautisminsights.blogspot.com/2009/08/aspergers-in-theater.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Andrea)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7621801762921917469.post-4116310358616661976Tue, 28 Jul 2009 01:07:00 +00002009-07-27T18:59:13.059-07:00playsocial skillscrowdsschoolAsperger'ssummerautismThere was a slip-n-slide. Today was one of those hot, muggy days when the air feels like oatmeal in your lungs. The floors felt like they were coated with dew. Yuck! Gus came home from school completely exhausted, played on the computer for a while during the first rain storm of the day, and then watched his favorite show. In the interim, MM noticed that a couple of her friends were playing http://myautisminsights.blogspot.com/2009/07/joining-in.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Andrea)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7621801762921917469.post-7765419844165585066Mon, 27 Jul 2009 00:48:00 +00002009-07-26T18:07:33.706-07:00social eventssillinessPokemonbirthdaynice kidsAsperger'sthankfulnesssummercyclingoutingsautismI never tend to count Sundays as the start of a week, but rather as the end. So before my week is done, here is what I am thankful for:Gus had a good time at our friend's son's birthday party up in Albany. He didn't make any lifelong friends, but this was another pretty accepting environment. Gus played video games for much of the afternoon, but there were a couple of teenage relatives who http://myautisminsights.blogspot.com/2009/07/thankfulness.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Andrea)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7621801762921917469.post-90146385105335417Sat, 18 Jul 2009 21:25:00 +00002009-07-18T15:37:24.597-07:00doctorspreparationmeltdownsbeachparentingAsperger'ssummermistakesoutingsautismI generally avoid taking both kids out by myself (or letting anyone else do so) because it can be difficult to keep them from jetting off in different directions. Sometimes though it can't really be avoided. My husband had to be away for the day, and the kids had doctor appointments. Then it turned out to be a glorious day - how could I keep them cooped up? So after the appointments were donehttp://myautisminsights.blogspot.com/2009/07/solo-outings.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Andrea)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7621801762921917469.post-3569640708128633587Thu, 16 Jul 2009 11:32:00 +00002009-07-16T04:59:05.417-07:00allergiesaspieAsperger'sthankfulnesssummerADHDcampingautismUsually giving myself permission to not do something makes it a little easier to get it done. So it's Thursday and here we are. What am I thankful for this week?I am thankful that Gus is not allergic to bee stings. We just learned this because he got stung by a bee yesterday at school. He seems perfectly calm about the whole thing - gotta love that aspie rationale ("it happens") and the ADHD http://myautisminsights.blogspot.com/2009/07/thankfulness-thursdayon-thursday-even.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Andrea)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7621801762921917469.post-7049075745724232016Fri, 10 Jul 2009 11:38:00 +00002009-07-10T05:14:50.448-07:00lymeparentingAsperger'sfriendssummerthankfulnesscampingmean kidsinsect repellentpreparationbirthdayfamilyautismInstead of making excuses every week for why I keep missing Thursdays, let's just agree that I'll post a thankfulness list at some point every week. Really, I don't want to keep boring you with my memory issues.This week:I am thankful that although my husband contracted Lyme disease, he caught it very early and was being treated even before his blood work was back. It's nice when medical http://myautisminsights.blogspot.com/2009/07/thankfulnessday.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Andrea)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7621801762921917469.post-2566800782375009732Wed, 08 Jul 2009 16:03:00 +00002009-07-08T12:18:35.092-07:00preparationtipsdentistplanningAsperger'ssummerautismIf you recall about a month ago, I posted about Gus's trip to a new dentist. I was less than thrilled, but I decided to keep his appointment to get his 3 cavities taken care of. Instead of worrying about the dentist's behavior, I decided to focus on him and preparing him for today's visit. I'll also focus this post of that aspect to spare you a venomous tirade about the dental industry.I knew http://myautisminsights.blogspot.com/2009/07/getting-cavity-filled.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Andrea)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7621801762921917469.post-7881437031486124545Sun, 05 Jul 2009 09:30:00 +00002009-07-05T03:07:50.191-07:00social eventsJuly 4thsmall groupscrowdsnice kidsfriendsfamilyAsperger'ssummeroutingsholidaysautismEons ago, in another life when I taught high-school aged kids, I learned that children with certain learning styles (kinesthetic and tactile) tended to do much better in small group activities (groups of 2 or 3). I notice that this holds true for Gus. In large groups of peers, as when we are hanging out in the neighborhood, he gravitates away from the large number of kids, and it ends up being http://myautisminsights.blogspot.com/2009/07/small-groups.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Andrea)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7621801762921917469.post-8096214965306255494Fri, 03 Jul 2009 12:15:00 +00002009-07-03T05:56:29.896-07:00natureticksAsperger'sthankfulnesssummergrowingdays offcampingtick removalautismOur summer schedule, or rather lack of schedule, makes it very hard for me to keep track of days. Add in an early week camping trip instead of a weekend trip along with a holiday weekend - I'm all jumbled. I actually forgot that yesterday was Thursday!My thanks:I am thankful that I finally got the tick head from behind Gus's ear without having to drag him to the doctor. It's all healed up and http://myautisminsights.blogspot.com/2009/07/thursday-thankfulness-having-trouble.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Andrea)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7621801762921917469.post-3843010372129907497Mon, 29 Jun 2009 10:50:00 +00002009-06-29T04:48:19.184-07:00lymeparentingtipsAsperger'ssafetysummercampingmistakestick removalinsect repellentnaturetickssensory integration disordersensory issuesautismWhat's more fun than a barrel of rage-infected monkeys? Trying to remove a very large, very gross, very embedded, and very engorged tick from your very panicky autistic child. And for extra laughs, try doing it in a supermarket parking lot.Yesterday, my poor Gus found a huge tick behind his right ear. He seemed to feel it suddenly and started scratching at it as we were getting in the car to http://myautisminsights.blogspot.com/2009/06/its-duck-seasonno-its-wabbit-seasonno.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Andrea)5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7621801762921917469.post-8909310266267011867Fri, 26 Jun 2009 01:12:00 +00002009-06-25T18:24:17.030-07:00summer schoolschoolfriendsAsperger'sthankfulnesssummercyclingdays offautismThis week has gone by so fast, I didn't even realize it was Thursday! It's late and I just got back from a bike ride, so I'll have to be brief. This week I am thankful for:Finishing my first ride with the cycling club! I did the whole 17 miles and only had to walk halfway up one hill! I feel quite accomplished! And I made it home in time to say goodnight to the kidlings! Bonus!Having a few dayshttp://myautisminsights.blogspot.com/2009/06/thankfulness-thursday-almost-forgot.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Andrea)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7621801762921917469.post-4548113712325502572Tue, 23 Jun 2009 14:37:00 +00002009-06-23T08:02:06.430-07:00assessmentseducationtipsrelated service providersfine motor skillsschoolAsperger'sIEPBright HubautismI recently wrote an article on Understanding IEP Assessments for Bright Hub and thought I'd put some comments here as well. I've always found the assessment score portion of Gus's IEP to be more complicated than deciphering the Dead Sea Scrolls, but I've come to gain a little better understanding of them. They're not quite as complicated as I thought (very close, but not quite). The odd thing http://myautisminsights.blogspot.com/2009/06/iep-assessments.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Andrea)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7621801762921917469.post-4900147364970165730Thu, 18 Jun 2009 18:18:00 +00002009-06-18T11:55:22.489-07:00seizuresneurologistEEGAspergianAsperger'sthankfulnesstestsautismI am completely exhausted, but I couldn't let another Thursday go by without posting! My thankfulness today will have to be a little short & sweet:I am thankful that Gus's EEG results were all perfectly normal, meaning he is most likely not having seizures at this point. The neuro told me, which I was somehow unaware of, that about 10% of kids on the spectrum also have issues with seizures. http://myautisminsights.blogspot.com/2009/06/thursday-thankfulness.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Andrea)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7621801762921917469.post-2724380293246372022Wed, 17 Jun 2009 02:13:00 +00002009-06-16T19:18:43.611-07:00updatesDue to lots of year end activities, I haven't been able to get much posted lately, but things should settle down by the end of the week. I haven't abandoned my blog! I'm working on trying to do a podcast, but since I'm at the very beginning of the learning curve, it's taking a while. Gus has been doing well lately. His teacher reports that he's actually been much more social with his http://myautisminsights.blogspot.com/2009/06/still-here.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Andrea)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7621801762921917469.post-4015222786265315099Fri, 12 Jun 2009 18:09:00 +00002009-06-12T11:38:23.200-07:00special needsopinionsblogsdisability rightsIDEAschoolAsperger'sautismApparently, in Port St. Lucie, having a class vote an autistic child out of his kindergarten class is not an offense that bears permanent removal from the school system. That's the message that will be sent if Wendy Portillo, the teacher who committed this grievous act, is not only rehired, but given back her tenured position. Are they kidding? If he were my son, I would have wanted the http://myautisminsights.blogspot.com/2009/06/wendy-portillo-again.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Andrea)2