Another Chapter in the Controversy Over Vaccines

While there seems to be some compelling anecdotal evidence linking vaccines to some forms of autism, this study may put a different slant on the controversy. But the issue is far from closed.
So far, I haven’t taken a position on the autism/vaccine debate; I just listen. But this does raise interesting questions.
I find it interesting [...]

Dynamic Thinking and the Autism Spectrum — Part 1

One of the books I loved growing up was Understood Betsy by Dorothy Canfield Fisher. The author of this children’s novel had some thought-provoking things to say about education and learning. The young protagonist, Betsy, goes to stay with relatives. One of the first things her uncle does is give her the chance to drive [...]

Random Learning Notes & Thoughts About Aspergian Development

Marie and I are reading To Kill a Mockingbird. I am loving it even more the second time around. (Literature, History) She is still spending time on her movie reviews. (Writing, Film Studies) The other day, I suddenly became aware that this avocation is not just about writing and film studies. It is actually a [...]

Asperger’s and Aloneness

I found this article by John Elder Robinson (Look Me in the Eye: My Life With Asperger’s ) quite moving. Here is a excerpt:
All kids suffer social setbacks, but for those of us with neurological differences like Asperger’s, social failure often proves to be the norm. Through it all, I paid close attention in an [...]

Unique Presentation on Asperger’s

Check out this short animated film on Asperger’s Syndrome.
I like the way it used music and imagery demonstrating things like sensory overload in an intuitive, visual way. Very cool!
Hat Tip to my friend Kelly at Learning Aspergian.

Marie’s Research Project — Includes Various Thoughts About Writing Development, Asperger’s, RDI & Whatever Else Pops Into My Cluttered Mind

This post promises to be long and a bit dry, but if anyone can wade through it, I’d love to hear your thoughts and feedback.
As I’ve mentioned before, my 14-year-old daughter, Marie, is a prolific writer — she likes journaling, fiction writing, and writing short book and movie reviews. She also loves list-writing. You know [...]

Are People With Asperger’s Rude?

Check out this article by John Elder Robison on the Psychology Today blog. I enjoy the way he interprets Aspergian for the neurotypical set . And he helps non-autistic people get past the myth that people “on the spectrum” don’t experience empathy. This is an important step toward overcoming prejudice and bridging the communication [...]

Another RDI Post — The Bare Beginnings of Joint Attention (Part 1)

We are nearing the end of our Relationship Development Assessment (RDA), a comprehensive family assessment that will enable us to officially begin our RDI journey. As I discussed before, I have started working on a parent goal, mastering the fine art of co-regulation.
We are close to working on our first child goal with Marie. The [...]

Starting RDI With a Teenager With Asperger’s

I am a novice with RDI (Relationship Development Intervention) with my 14-year-old Aspergian daughter. We started the RDA, and working on my first parent objective with our coach, this summer. We are now 2/3s of the way through the RDA: the initial assessment and goal-setting process. I expect that this will be the first in [...]

The Unschooled Life of John Elder Robison

Most readers know Marie and I are fans of Look Me in The Eye: My Life with Asperger’s by John Elder Robison. This is a presentation he gave at Google’s office in Boulder, CO.

Even if you’re not a geek — like Marie and Me — who finds the autism spectrum fascinating [...]