Editor’s Letter
W
hen I attended an autism-centered conference in the Carolinas a couple of years
ago, I met a woman who made quite an
impression on me — Laura Nadine. This
vivacious woman from Georgia defined
herself as a mother, author, public speaker, music teacher,
and filmmaker, as well as an individual with autism.
Laura, who had her two children in tow during her presentation, described her diagnosis as a gift. You see, Laura spent
most of her life struggling in school and with relationships;
she couldn’t read until she was 9 years old and couldn’t tie
her shoes until age 14. It wasn’t until Laura’s own son was
diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome several years ago that
Laura learned she, too, was on the spectrum. Finally, Laura
felt understood.
Feeling understood is extremely important for both people diagnosed on the spectrum as well as their neurotypical
counterparts when dealing with autism. So is perspective.
That’s why we are so excited to share an exclusive interview
with Laura Nadine on what it’s like to be on the spectrum
while parenting both a child with autism and a neurotypical child. We invite you to take a look at the piece Powerful
Insights on Parenting from a Mother on the Spectrum, provided by Certified Autism Specialist Stephanie C. Holmes, as her
interview reveals both the struggles of parenting as well as
the joy.
Since sharing perspectives is vital to understanding, we are
thrilled to share insight from a neurotypical young woman
who has both a mother and a brother diagnosed with autism. Please read Stephanie’s corresponding interview with
Laura’s college-aged daughter, Allana Loraine, in the piece
called Ways Growing Up in a Spectrum Home Helped Me Learn
to Effectively Communicate. Allana’s viewpoint is both poignant and inspirational.
We all know a strong sense of family is so important to children. As we head into the summer months, let’s make our
extended time together quality time. We are happy to share
some family activities you can easily do together provided
by Mark D. Peterson, who is dad to Cory, a young, nonverbal boy. Please take a look at Simple Family Activities to Share
with your Child with Autism as Mark shares a list of simple activities that have brought his family together.
We also have a piece written by Kelly Pilkie, B.A, B.Ed , a special needs preschool teacher, called Learning to Be Fun Again
- Easy Ways to Engage Preschoolers with Autism. Kelly believes
kids on the spectrum don’t need expensive, top-of-the-line
toys to be engaged. In fact, she says these kinds of toys can
have the opposite effect for some children. Instead, Kelly offers low-cost play strategies, from simple hula-hoop activities to incorporating sensory activities into play.
Finding activities to help calm a child with autism is equally
important during the summer, especially if he/she is prone
to sensory overload and meltdowns. Please read the piece
Advice on Understanding and Calming Sensory Overload in
Children by Kimberly Zissler Syers OTR/L, as the pediatric occupational therapist and mother explains sensory overload
and provides excellent options for calming.
Summer break also provides a valuable opportunity to work
on certain skills with your child. Please take a look at Kirt
Manecke’s piece called Top 5 Social Skills Tips for Teens with
Special Needs for advice on helping high-functioning teens
succeed in school, work, and daily life. And while you have
some extra time, work on another important skill: understanding the value of money. For great tips on how to educate a child with autism the value of money through working,
saving, and spending wisely, take a look at communication
expert Karen Kabaki-Sisto’s piece, The Benefits of Teaching
Your Child with ASD the Value of Money.
Wishing our readers a safe and relaxing summer.
Kind regards,
Amy KD Tobik
Editor-in-Chief
Disclaimer:
Autism Parenting Magazine tries its best to deliver honest, unbiased reviews, resources, and advice but please note that due to the variety of
capabilities of people on the spectrum that these are recommendations and are not guaranteed by Autism Parenting Magazine or its writers.
Medical information, including but not limited to, text, graphics, images and other material contained within Autism Parenting Magazine is
for informational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician with any questions you may have regarding a treatment.