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.
Top Related