What You Know Best

By Peggy | April 21, 2011 |

Today there was lots of chatter today in the public radio and television sphere about autism. Diane Rehm hosted a segment in the second hour of her show, based in large part on the piece that’s running on public television right now.

As I was listening today, I thought a lot about how much the world has changed for youngsters with autism and their families in the past 20 years. One of the guests even helped bridge that gap in discussing her 16-year-old with autism a little.

Her son was diagnosed when he was 2. That seemed like such a luxury to me. Two years of anguish we would have been spared if we’d gotten a diagnosis that much sooner.

And as I was listening, I thought about how I’d made a pitch to her shows producers — let us talk about early intervention and behavioral treatments, let us show you that they work. Then, like most people might feel, I wasn’t surprised my pitch was passed by, possibly even ignored. Who am I to think I had something to offer this greater conversation, with these incredibly smart knowledgeable people on air right now? Every once in a while they bring up something I didn’t know — proof I’m an imposter.

Then, they’ll blow right by a topic — the upcoming cohort of adults with autism and how are we to support them in having full, productive lives — just open the door and say, “see, we’ve got a problem coming,” without articulating that problem in any sort of way.

I have an inkling of how to articulate that. That has been part of this blog from the beginning … just feeling my way through the darkness. We weren’t completely driven off the cliff, but it was close.

I’ll try to keep that in mind with the upcoming training I’m giving May 7 in Richardson at the Region 10 Education Service Center. I’m not an expert on what’s new and great for the young set. But I can tell you what you will need in the future — and how to make the best use of your precious time and resources on the way to the future.

And I hope the national conversation goes a little further — and real soon — about articulating what we need to do for this cohort.

Posted in adults with autism, hope

The Best Accommodation

By Peggy | April 19, 2011 |

I asked Sam tonight about a test he’ll be taking tomorrow in his computer tech security class. When he first started at North Central Texas College in 2006, he would often retreat to their student success office to take any test. He needed the quiet room, free of distractions, and the extra time, to get it done.

But the past few years, I’ve noticed Sam working diligently through test study guides. Now, these guides are often long — perhaps 50 questions or more, clearly pulled from past tests, possibly on the upcoming test.

Sam works through them all methodically. He looks up the answer in the book or his notes and types it out in complete sentences on a virtual piece of paper. He puts in several hours each time he prepares. And he rarely does poorly on any test he takes any more.

I was curious whether he was going back to the student success center to take the test and Sam said no, he doesn’t need that accommodation much any more, especially if a professor can accommodate him another way.

I was a little sketchy on what that detail might be, but Sam has learned to advocate for himself and the professors there at NCTC have come to understand him, too.

I asked him whether he thought those study guides were a good thing. He said they were the best accommodation of all. Once he answered something from the guide, it was “in my head for good,” he said.

I wondered about all those students who might see a 50-question guide, skim it, and say to themselves, “oh, I know all these answers.” I know I was one of those kind of students in my day. I got away with not going fully into the corners as I learned things, something I do not do anymore. I got bit one too many times in my life by not quite knowing what I should know.

Most of the time, all that is required is a full, careful reading of the material. And then it’s in my brain for good, too — or at least enough that I know it exists and where to find it again.

He said the funniest thing at the end of our little exchange.

“I don’t need many accommodations any more. I feel I’m fully grown up now.”

Posted in hope, problem-solving, self-advocacy, What Sam says

High Fives for the Local Guys

By Peggy | April 14, 2011 |

Our sister paper, The Dallas Morning News, ran a nice piece about nonPareil today. (Yes, there’s a pay wall. We journalists have to make a living, too.)

When Sam saw the photo, he said, “when I see that, its just amazing.”

Today was his first day to be a trainer. He said it went well, but he has to train a lot more to be a good trainer.

Posted in adults with autism, hope, What Sam says

Overheard in the Wolfe House #91

By Peggy | April 12, 2011 |

Sam: I was getting ready to play some midi-files of Nintendo tunes.
Peggy: That sounds fun.
Sam: I thought you didn’t like those songs.
Peggy: I don’t like that they repeat.
Sam: Well, you can’t repeat a midi file. They have to play through to the final note.

Posted in What Sam says

Getting a promotion

By Peggy | April 9, 2011 |

I got word today that Sam has built two computers now, and has been asked to train another student there at nonPareil how to do it.

His first promotion.

I asked Sam yesterday whether he would want to take any more computer classes at NCTC after graduation. They probably would let him, I said. “I don’t think I’ll be doing any more of that,” he said.

The cap and gown are hanging in the closet. Instructions for the ceremonies arrived in the mail this week. We are rapidly coming to the edge of the cliff. I have no idea what’s in store, but we will do what we’ve always done before.

Leap, and the net will appear.

Posted in hope