April is…

Join us in spreading love and acceptance for individuals with

Autism

Autism Awareness Month

Autism Awareness Month!

Although we are not able to be together, we can still spread awareness and acceptance for people with Autism. Here is how we will spread awareness throughout the month:

v In this packet, you will find puzzle pieces with a fact or a quote on it. Each day, read the puzzle piece and feel free to share it with your child if you want to. If you have access to a printer, print out the facts and as you read them, have your child color them in. By the end of the month, you will have a beautiful puzzle!

v Blue is the color designated to spread Autism

acceptance. We invite you to wear a blue shirt every Friday in April – send pictures in to your teacher J

v Also in this packet, you will find a variety of readings, activities, and video links to share together with your family.

WhatisAutism?

Imagineif…Youhadabeebuzzingaroundyourheadandsomeoneaskedyoutosaythealphabetbackwards.

Imagineif…Youwereinthemiddleofareallyloudrockconcertandsomeone

wantedyoutonameallyourauntsanduncles.

Imagineif…Youwerewearingthreepairsofgloves.Andsomeonetoldyoutoeataboxofraisinsonebyone.

Thisiswhatthingsarelikeforme,alotofthetime.IhaveAutism.

Yourbrainisliketheinsideofacomputer,fullofconnectionsandwireswith

messagestoyourbodywhizzingaroundtellingyouwhattodo.

Mybrainlooksthesameasyours,exceptsomeconnectionsworkreallywell,andsomeworkreallydifferently.

Andmybrainwirescangetcrossedreallyeasily.

So,ifI’mdoingsomethingabitfunnylooking…trynottolaughatme.It’sjustoneofmybrainconnectionsclearingitselfout.

AndifItellyousomethingoverandover…justaskmetostoprepeating.

It’sjustoneofmywirespluggedintothewrongsocket.

And,ifIfreakoutatsomesoundthatyouthinkisreallynormal…maybehelpmegetawayfromthesound.It’sjustbecausemyearshavetheirownuniquevolume

control.

And,ifyouthinkI’mignoringyou…I’mnot.I’mprobablyjustfocusedonsomethingelse,likeatinyspiderontheceilingontheothersideoftheroom.

Autismisadifferentwayofseeingtheworld.

AndseeingthingsthewayIseethemisawesome,butitmakesmereallytired

sometimes.

So,Imightnotalwaysunderstandwhat’sgoingon.And,Imightneedtimebymyselftothinkthingsthrough.

Or,Imightcrashorjumporswingforawhiletostraightenmyselfout.Don’tworryifIdon’talwaysdothingsthewayyoudo.

Trytoimaginewhatit’slikeinsidemyhead,thenyou’llsee…I’mnotbeingrude

I’mnotbeingnaughty...I’mnotsick...IhaveAutism…

...andI’mjustbeingme.

~ByValerieFoley

Autismexistedalongtimeago,buttherewasn’tanameforit.

Autismisaspectrum.IfyouknowonepersonwithAutism,youonlyknowone.EveryoneontheAutismspectrumis

different.

ThereisnocureforAutism.ifyoucouldremoveautismfromsomeone,itwould,inasense,completelyrewirethatperson–making

themunrecognizablefromwhotheywerebefore.

SomeonewithAutismmighthavetrouble

talkingandunderstandingthemeaningofwords.

Thereisnobloodtest,noscan,andnoimagethatcandetectautism.Diagnosisrelieson

behavioralobservationandscreening.

PeoplewithAutismtendtobereliableandloyalemployees.

IfEinstein,Newton,andMozartwerealivetoday,theywouldprobablyhavebeendiagnosed

withAutism.

PeoplewithAutismoftenneedtolearnattheirownpaceinordertosucceed.

“Autismoffersachanceforustoglimpseanawe-filledvisionoftheworldthat

mightotherwisepassusby.”-Dr.ColinZimbleman,Ph.D

Autismandintelligencearenotlinked.PeoplewithAutismjustlearnintheirownway.

Diagnosisratesareincreasingbecauseeveryday,wearelearningmorethingsaboutAutismthanweknow20,10,even5

yearsago.

AthleteswithAutism:GuyMartin(Motorbikeracer)

ClayMarzo(Surfer)TommyDisBrisay(Runner)JimEisenreich(MLBplayer)

Jessica-JaneApplegate(Swimmer)DavidCampion(Snowboarder)

SomepeoplewithAutismdon’thavetheabilitytohaveaconversation,buttheycanunderstandeverythingyousayandtheycanhearyoueveniftheyaren’tlookingat

you.

AccordingtotheCDC,1in6childrenintheUnitedStateshasbeendiagnosedwithanAutismSpectrumDisorder(ASD).Inthe1980s,autismprevalencewasreportedas1

in10,000.

Sometimes,peoplewithAutismhaveadifficulttimedealingwithchanges–liketryingnewfoods,havingasubstituteteacher,orhaving

toysmovedfromtheirnormalplaces.

SomepeoplewithAutismmayhavedifficultymaking

friends.

MusicianswithAutism:PhillipaMargaretBrown

SusanBoyleAdamYoungGaryNewmanJamesDurbinCraigNicholls

“Themostinterestingpeopleyou’llfindareonesthatdon’tfitintoyouraveragecardboardbox.They’llmakewhatthey

need,they’llmaketheirownboxes.”-Dr.TempleGrandin

Onecommonmythisthatindividualswithautismarenotinterestedinsocialinteraction.Whiletheyoftenstrugglewithknowinghowtomakeandkeepfriends,theydolikepeoplearoundandarecapableofinteractingsocially,butneedtobeexplicitlytaughtthehiddensocialrules.

BehaviorsthatoccurinpeoplewithAutismusuallycomefromaplaceoffear–theresultofbeingscaredwithouthavingastrategyto

feelcomfortable.

ActorswithAutism:DarylHannahPaddyConsidineDanAykroydKaylaCromer

SirAnthonyHopkins

WhenspeakingaboutindividualswithAutism,oranydisability,itisimportanttousepeoplefirstlanguage.PeopleFirstLanguageputstheperson

beforethedisability,anddescribeswhatapersonhas,

notwhoapersonis.

Onecommonmythisthatindividualswithautismarenotaffectionate.Thisisnottrue.Although,theymaybeoversensitivetotouch,theycananddoshowaffection.

“WearethedoorwayintoaNewWorldOrderthatisbasedonloveandheart.Wehavetheheartkey.Weonlyneedtherespectofotherstolearnhowtoservewiselyandkindly.”-Lyrica,nonverbal,fromthe

bookAwetizm

ModelswithAutism:HeatherKuzmichAlexisWineman

ChefswithAutism:JackMonroeChrisFischer

TVPersonalitieswithAutism:ChrisPackhamAnneHegerty

“Whatmakesachildgiftedandtalentedmaynot

alwaysbegoodgradesinschool,butadifferentwayoflookingattheworldand

learning.”–ChuckGrassley

ThewordAutisminMāori(thenativelanguageof

NewZealand)isTakiwātangameaning:‘apersoninhis/herown

timeandspace’.

“Ittakesavillagetoraiseachild.Ittakesachildwith

autismtoraisetheconsciousnessofthe

village.”–CoachElaineHall

Publichealthresearchershavecometothe

conclusionthatthereisnoassociationbetweenvaccinesandAutism.

ForpeoplewithAutism,onemonthof

awarenessisnotenough.Keepspreadingloveandacceptanceeverydayoftheyear!

BooksaboutAutismBorrowedfromTheAutismSocietyofArkon

ElementarySchoolStudents

AndyandHisYellowFrisbeebyMaryThompsonRussellisExtraSpecialbyCharlesAmenta,IIICaptainTommybyAbbyWardMessner

MyBestFriendWillbyJamieLowellandTaraTuchelIan'sWalk-AStoryaboutAutismbyLaurieLearsandKarenRitz

TheAutismAcceptanceBookbyEllenSabinTobinLearnstoMakeFriendsbyDianeMurrellTaco'sAnyonebyMarvieEllisandJennyLoehr

Keisha'sDoorsbyMarvieEllisNobodyKnewWhattoDo:AStoryaboutBullyingbyBeckyMcCainAisforAutismbyJenniferBloink

Middle-HighSchoolStudentsOfMiceandAliensbyKathyHoopman

BusterandtheAmazingDaisybyNancyOgazLisaandtheLaceMakerbyKathyHoopmanWishingontheMidnightStarbyNancyOgaz

CuriousIncidentoftheDogintheNightbyMarkHaddonASpotofBotherbyMarkHaddonClaybyColbyRodowsky

HazebyKathyHoopmanToOZandBack:ABonesandDuchessMysterybyAlexandraEden

AWizardAlone:TheSixthBookintheYoungWizardsSeriesbyDianeDuane

TipsforBeingaFriendtoaStudentwithAutism

BorrowedfromTheAutismSocietyofAkronUnderstandingAutismstartsatayoungage,andthereisnogreaterplacethantheclassroomtostart.UnderstandingAutismandhowtointeractwithpeoplewithAutismcomesfrombeingexposedtothem,andbeingtaughthowtotreatandtalktosomeonewithAutism.Childrennaturallywanttobehelpful.GivethemthatopportunitybyencouragingthemtobeabuddytosomeonewithAutism.Herearesomeideasonhowtogetstarted.• PeoplearebornwithAutismandwhiletheylookjustlikeyouandme,Autismchangesthewaytheirbrainworks.

• SomepeoplewithAutismtalkandothersdonot.Justbecausetheycannottalkdoesn’tmeantheydon’thaveanythingtosay.

• NobodyknowswhatcausesAutism,butwedoknowthatapersonwithAutismwillalwayshaveAutism.

• KidswithAutismarethesameasotherkidsinalotofways.Theylikebirthdays,swimming,andhavingfriends.

• BeingkindandcompassionateisoneofthebestthingsyoucandotohelpsomeonewithAutism.

• Hereareafewwaystobeafriend:

o Playinggamestheyliketoplay.o Talkingtothemlikeyouwouldanyotherkid.o Givingthemahighfivewhenyou’rehavingfun!o Sittingnexttotheminthelunchroom.o Visitingthemattheirhouse.o Invitingthemtoyourhouse.o Showthemwhattodosotheycanimitateyou.o Beingabuddytothemontheplayground.o Walkingwiththemtothenextclass.o Supportingthemwithkindnessandunderstanding.