Archive

A Long Road Traveled for Rewarding Employment

July 26, 2011
By Shary Denes

David Rubin loves his job. He is on the front lines of drumming up business for a screen-printing company in Staten Island, N.Y. His research skills and computer knowledge help his boss ferret out potential customers and donors for the nonprofit company, Possibili-Tees. He is a valued employee and gets high praise from his supervisor, Tom Siniscalchi, who rates Rubin as “excellent at his job.”

But getting to this point in his career has been a long road traveled for Rubin, 54, who has Asperger’s syndrome. “It’s incredibly hard being autistic,” he said.

Rubin describes himself as being of “normal intellect,” and in fact he earned a bachelor’s degree in English literature from the College of Staten Island, but neither gave him an edge during his many futile attempts to find and hold a job. After graduating in 1986, he quickly found himself in an exasperating impasse.

“Either I was over-qualified as a college graduate or under-qualified because I’m autistic,” he said. “I graduated college and spent the next 10 years being miserable.”

Rubin said his first intent after graduation was to become a teacher, but that did not work out. “I could not handle a classroom of kids, no how,” he said. “I was bounced out as being mentally incompetent. After that, I kept trying [to find work] one way or another.”

Among his numerous jobs was that of a telemarketer. “I called people up to ask how they liked this show or that product,” he recalled. But conversing with people and meeting quotas proved to be too stressful, and he was let go. He also worked as a messenger for about a year: “I worked with an ex-con who was developmentally disabled and an immigrant who could barely speak English. I was bored and rather humiliated there.”

Tedious, monotonous jobs frustrated him, but his autism and physical disability kept him from jobs that better suited his intellectual capabilities. “It’s kind of a hidden disability. If you have a broken arm, people can see it. With us, it’s very subtle,” he said of people with high-functioning autism.

The stress of a decade-long, disheartening job search landed Rubin in the South Beach Psychiatric Center in Staten Island with a nervous breakdown. That distressing event, however, became the turning point in his quest for employment.

Rubin got a part-time job at the center’s second-hand store tallying the day’s sales. Although the job was unchallenging and dull, it led him to Tom Siniscalchi and a new enterprise called Special-Tees.

Siniscalchi launched the screen-printing company in 1995 as part of a New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene grant awarded to the psychiatric center to employ people with mental health disabilities. Rubin showed up for an interview, bearing butterscotch candy for good measure, and was one of the original five employees hired. He and his co-workers were instrumental in helping Siniscalchi build the fledgling company into what would become a $1.1 million business.

No one, including Siniscalchi, knew anything about screen printing. “We started printing our first shirts, half of which were ruined,” Rubin recalled. “A local organization for the homeless loved us. They were constantly getting our ruined shirts,” he said.

Rubin made decent money, but was unhappy with his assigned task. “I was cleaning tools-- the squeegees we used to apply ink to shirts. It bored me to tears. It was insulting. I constantly complained, ‘Why is a college graduate doing this?’”

Nevertheless, Rubin stayed with Special-Tees for 14 years, primarily because he knew all too well from past experience that he had few options in the workplace. But that changed when Siniscalchi left Special-Tees to start a similar screen-printing business, Possibili-Tees, as part of the Mission of the Immaculate Virgin’s work-training program, and asked Rubin to join the new company.

Before making the move, however, Rubin made one thing clear to Siniscalchi: “I told him no more squeegee cleaning.” Instead, he said he wanted to work with a computer. “I told him that I can use the computer and I’ve been using the computer for fun for 20 years or so,” Rubin remembered. Siniscalchi agreed and Rubin joined Possibili-Tees in 2009.

“It’s a great job,” Rubin said. “For the first time in my life, I have a job that honestly suits me.” Other than a desire for more hours and a bump in his minimum-wage pay, Rubin said he is finally content with his work life.

“I was miserable for 12 to 15 years, but finally I’m with Tom,” he said. “I’m doing what I’m doing and, thank God, I’m happy."

Shary Denes is a freelance writer and editor in Sugar Loaf, N.Y.

Puberty & Children on the Autism Spectrum

July 21, 2011
By Autism Society

Every adolescent must endure the trials of puberty. The physical and chemical changes of the teenage years take place in every person’s body, whether they have autism or not. Parents of children on the spectrum should be well prepared when these changes begin, however, as this stage of growing up is stressful for anyone, but especially for people with ASD who prefer predictability.

Learn how to help your adolescent with ASD through puberty with Puberty and Children on the Autism Spectrum, a free informational resource from the Autism Society’s Living With Autism series. This concise, informative guide has suggestions for preparing for and responding to the stages of puberty, including the development of secondary characteristics as well as the onset of menstruation or ejaculation.

Parents must be comfortable talking about body parts and actions using medical language, and sons and daughters need to know that their parents will answer any questions accurately and respectfully. Puberty is unnerving, but children will be more confident if they feel that their family is supportive and considerate of them.

Check out this free downloadable resource on the Autism Society's Resource Materials page. You must be registered and logged in to view the page.

Boys are taught that you are a sissy if you cry…

July 20, 2011
By Robert Naseef, Ph.D.

Times are changing, but most men have still been raised to hold in their emotions or risk ridicule. On Thursday, July 7, I had the privilege of moderating a panel on fatherhood at the 42nd annual Autism Society National Conference. The panel was made up of fathers with the courage to open up, along with autistic self-advocates and service providers.

As the fathers opened up, men and women in the audience listened intently. I shared how hard I had tried to change my son, Tariq, now 31. In the end, it was he who changed me and made me the father and man I needed to be.

Charles Jones shared his sadness and confusion about the diagnosis, his love for his son Malik and his joy in Malik’s progress. Charles is determined to make a difference in raising awareness about the needs of fathers. His voice came through with passion in the teaser for his documentary in production—“Autistic Like Me.”

Ven Squenzia is the father of a young woman with autism and president of the Florida chapter of the Autism Society. Ven cannot imagine who he would be today if his daughter, Amy, did not have autism. He is a tireless advocate for families, with countless friends and acquaintances in the autism community. He read a poem by his daughter expressing her love.

Dr. Stephen Shore, non-verbal until age 4, has fond remembrances of his father. Today, he is a professor of special education at Adelphi University and travels the world building autism awareness. He credits both of his parents for believing in him, although he wished his father had gotten more involved with his special interests in his youth. He also mentioned that when he was young, his father’s beard felt like needles and created what Stephen referred to as a sensory violation. Stephen’s web home is http://www.autismasperger.net/.

Alex Plank was diagnosed with Asperger’s at age 9. He is the creator of www.wrongplanet.net, a social networking site for people with Asperger’s, which has over 52,000 members. Alex shared some of his social struggles growing up with good humor. Like many young men on the spectrum I know, he wished his father had been more helpful to him about how to begin dating.

Craig Gibson spoke as a triple agent. He grew up with a learning disability, and openly shared how he was mercilessly bullied and how he relates to fathers’ worries about their children. He also has a son with a speech delay, and has served as the lead evaluator for a preschool program for children with special needs. Craig blogs regularly at www.autismspot.com and www.sensoryspot.com.

Dr. Diane Adreon has an adult son with autism and over 30 years’ experience working with children and adults with autism at CARD, the Center for Autism and Related Disabilities in Miami. She talked about the important leadership roles played by fathers in the autism community of south Florida. These men were open and comfortable speaking to her.

Speaking on behalf of the panel, I expressed gratitude for the opportunity for our voices to be heard. When fathers open up, everyone benefits. We will continue to express our vulnerable feelings and encourage others to do the same to help meet the needs of children and families.

Keeping Summer Safe & Enjoyable for Children with Autism

July 18, 2011
By Matthew Sharp, M.Ed.

Long days filled with activities. New smells and sounds, from the beach and boardwalk treats to fireworks and festive parades. Quality time with friends and relatives living outside the area. These may not seem like red flags to most people, but for children with autism the hallmarks of summer often invite unpredictability and stress, and impact not only them, but also their parents and siblings. However, with some simple planning, you can ensure that your child will not only be safe, but will also feel comfortable during the summer months.

VACATION

Plan Ahead
Create a packing list, taking your child’s sensory needs into consideration. Where will he/she be staying? Should you bring along a sound machine to facilitate sleep? Involve your child by watching a movie or reading a story about your destination.

Avoid Surprises
Create a schedule and review it daily with your child. Forecast any issues he/she may have and plan ahead so you can hopefully bypass them. For example, if you are going to have an unavoidably long day, pack something to entertain your child, depending on his/her functioning level. Also consider allowing your child to choose between two activities. Use a cell phone alarm clock to alert you to potty breaks and check-ins with your child.

VISITING RELATIVES

To Grandmother’s House We Go
Carol Gray trademarked the term “social story” to refer to stories drafted for individuals with autism to familiarize them with social behaviors relevant to a particular environment. Create a social story or picture book for your child about his/her relative. This will help the child learn who the relative is and be more comfortable around another family member, making the visit more enjoyable for both parties.

On this type of summer trip, you may be able to exert more control. Contact the relative your family is visiting in advance of your arrival and share any specific needs or environment-related requests, such as sleeping and play spaces, as well as sensitivities to smell, sound, touch, etc. Use this conversation to familiarize your relative with your child if the two have not interacted recently. Most important, remember to be tolerant and have a sense of humor, particularly if you are guests in your relative’s home.

OUTDOOR PLAYTIME

SPF + Schedules = Fun in the Sun
If your child will be enjoying outdoor activities like biking, swimming or summer camp, prepare him/her by practicing sunscreen application. Parents should seek an unscented, hypoallergenic variety that sprays on clear and should build time for applying sunscreen into the child’s schedule.

Smart Snacking
Ensure you have packed something your child will eat. If your child’s dietary needs permit purchasing food on-site, consider calling ahead to ask if the restaurant can accommodate food allergies and/or menu modifications. Then, practice selecting and ordering items, and use math skills to calculate the cost of the meal with your child.

Communication with Camp Counselors/Mentors is Key
While it’s beneficial for your child to have exposure to typical peers, make sure you have selected an inclusive, understanding summer program, staffed by camp instructors who are trained to work with children with autism. Share your contact information and ensure that the staff knows when—and when they don’t—need to check in with you. Provide camp leaders with a list of your child’s typical behaviors, as well as what they should and should not ignore.

Check if a mentor or buddy is available, typically an older child who can shadow your son/daughter and provide guidance when needed. Since children with autism often wander, pool safety is paramount. Make sure your child is supervised at all times when near water.

SUMMER HOLIDAYS

Create a Backup Plan
As holidays approach, develop two scenarios: Plan A if things go well and Plan B if issues arise. Consider an alternate activity for your other children, particularly if you need to act on Plan B.

Build Excitement
Similar to the social story to prepare your child for being around a new relative, talk about the upcoming holiday ahead of time, sharing details about what will be happening (and why) with your child. Though it may mean a disturbance in his/her normal routine, try to make the holiday something your child wants to take part in.

OTHER SUMMER ACTIVITIES

Seek Out Community Resources
Whenever possible, create visual schedules to share with your child, showing everything that’s going on in his/her day or week. Utilize the local library, YMCA, swim club or extended school program to get your child involved in activities that provide learning opportunities.

Keep Learning Opportunities in Mind
Work with your child’s teacher in May and June to develop learning packets and activities you can complete with your child over the summer. Remember the importance of unstructured time as well, and set up a safe play area where your child can relax while you take a break.

Planning ahead, creating and sticking to a schedule, building in breaks, allowing for choice and understanding/anticipating your child’s sensory needs will help ensure that summer is an enjoyable time for the entire family.

About the Author
Matthew D. Sharp, M.Ed., is the Principal of Early Education Programs at New Jersey-based Bancroft. Matthew has worked as a formally trained special education teacher and administrator for 15 years. He came to Bancroft in 2005, augmenting his previous experiences as a public school special education teacher and principal of a school he helped build from the ground up to serve at-risk children. Matthew is currently a second-year student at Rowan University, pursuing his doctorate in education. He can be reached at 856-354-2962 or msharp@bnh.org.

About Bancroft
Bancroft (www.bancroft.org) is a leading provider of programs and supports for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, autism and acquired brain injuries. Bancroft strives to ensure that every person is given opportunities for lifelong learning and fulfillment. The organization does this by altering perceptions and supporting people with neurological challenges in achieving their life goals. Programs and supports include early childhood, education, vocational and supported employment, structured day, rehabilitation, community living and behavioral treatment, as well as in-home and outpatient services.

Comments: 3

Oprah-Winfreying Crowds at the Autism Society National Conference

July 15, 2011
By Larry Bissonnette

It was a pleasing opportunity to kick our DVD release into the end zone of the Autism Society's popular annual conference last post-July Fourth weekend.

Willing to leave total work of leading presentation to planner, practiced Powerpointer, Gerry Wurzburg, Tracy and I mumbled our prepared, typed commentary to the entirely Oprah-Winfreying-our-every word, picture-popping audience at the gala-ready convention center in Orlando.

It was lots of opera-like applause that we milked, signing DVDs and posing for movie star, passing as old actors like Ted Danson of B-movie stardom, for pictures.

Larry Bissonnette is an advocate and artist who lives in Milton, Vermont and has had his work exhibited regularly both locally and nationally. In 1991, Larry learned to communicate through typing and began combining words with his art to express his thoughts and ideas. Over the past 15 years, he has been a featured presenter at many educational conferences and has written and spoken on the topics of autism, communication and art.

For more coverage of the Autism Society’s 42nd conference, click here! And if you’re a “Tracy and Larry groupie” that missed the stars of Wretches & Jabberers at the conference, don't fret! The keynote will be posted online soon on our Conference Page.

Topics:

Autism in Your Inbox

July 14, 2011
By Autism Society

Autism touches us all. According to the CDC, 1 in 110 or 1 percent of the U.S. population is diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder. So, regardless of whether you’re an individual with autism, a family member, a friend, a neighbor, a classmate, a coworker or a service provider, it’s important to understand autism.

That’s where the Autism Society’s bi-monthly e-newsletter, ASA-Net, comes in. We provide you the latest news and resources about autism, and updates on what the Autism Society is doing each day to improve lives. Sign up to receive ASA-Net, and find all the information you need in one place! The newsletter includes:

Advocacy opportunities: Learn about legislation currently being considered, like the Combating Autism Act (which needs to be reauthorized this year!) Help us to promote laws that benefit the autism community by responding to Action Alerts.

Notices for upcoming conferences and events: Don’t miss these opportunities to learn new things, get to know the autism community and have fun!

Upcoming Sensory Friendly Films: At these movies, shown at AMC theatres across the country, the sound is lowered and lights are left on so viewers with sensory issues aren’t overwhelmed. We include a link so you can find a participating theater near you.

Autism news: We compile breaking stories to keep you informed. Read about recent research, therapeutic advances and more.

Education: Find information about new teaching methods and products designed to help children with ASD succeed in the classroom.

Book and movie reviews: Learn about new and interesting autism-related media – for example, the groundbreaking documentary Wretches & Jabberers, which is now available for preorder from iTunes!

If you want to be informed or get involved, you need to receive this free publication! Click here to subscribe: http://support.autism-society.org/site/PageServer?pagename=fullreg_form

Topics:About Autism, Advocacy, Education, Environmental Health, Events, Living with Autism, News, Research, Resources, Treatment

Frustrated Professionals? Exhausted Parents? Stagnated Children? Not Anymore...

July 11, 2011
By Lynette Scotese-Wojtila OTR/L

When it comes to autism, the simple truth is “It doesn't need to be this hard...for anyone!” How can I say this with such conviction?

Because for 25 years as an OT in this field, I have seen and helped families who have felt like their child with autism was “un-helpable” and whose lives were falling apart around them, all due to the daily stress and perplexities of their child's condition. The S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Approach model has been what I have used to address each and every concern or struggle brought to my attention in my capacity as Founding Director of Integrations Treatment Center (ITC), an autism specialty center in Ohio and home of The S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Approach.

The model was created out of sheer need and has worked like no other model I have ever witnessed. Perhaps that is because The S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Approach, by design, is a transdisciplinary, yet synclectic, model that yields completely customized programming. According to AWEtism Productions a new autism media company, “Children with autism spectrum disorder/PDD are faced with many sensory, emotional, communication, social, self-care, behavioral and academic challenges.” The S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Approach is the single most effective model to address this vast array of challenges. Its efficacy presents itself both in the day-to-day clinical experience at ITC and in the recent center-based research conducted with the support of the Ohio Department of Education.

Learn more about The S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Approach by visiting the website of our sister company, www.awetismproductions.com.

Topics:Treatment

Living a Happy Life

July 5, 2011
By Autism Society

Regardless of where children or adults fall within the autism spectrum, their families’ greatest hope for their present and future is that they live a happy life. There are many barriers that may prevent individuals with autism and their families from having quality lives, and there is no question that families need new and different forms of support in order to remove these barriers.

I will be speaking at the Autism Society’s National Conference in Florida about promising new models for children and adults with severe autism. One of these models is Special Needs Life Quality Coaching™, an online program that trains individuals to work with families to ensure that they and their children or adults with special needs meet their goals for a quality life. I will also discuss the importance of a Special Needs Life Quality Plan, which maps out the minute details of what needs to be in place on a day-to-day basis in order for someone with autism or other developmental disabilities to maximize their personal comfort and happiness.

We know that the number one factor in leading a happy life across the lifespan is relationships. When it comes to leading a happy life 10, 20 or 30 years down the road, it really doesn’t matter that a person has a diagnosis of autism. What matters is who is in their life, that they have choices that fit their needs and wishes, that they have interesting ways to spend their time, that they live as independently as possible and that they are happy.

If you are unable to attend my session on Friday, July 8, at 3:15 p.m. (Miami Room), then please join us on LinkedIn (http://ow.ly/5mb19) after the conference for an ongoing discussion on life quality. It’s time to stop focusing on the disability and how to fix it, and start directing our attention to what we can do to make sure individuals with disabilities are leading safe, happy and fulfilling lives.

Dr. Krysti DeZonia
www.teriinc.org

Tips for Families and Friends: How to Have a Sensory-Friendly Fourth of July

We asked Autism Society board member Cathy Pratt, Ph.D., BCBA, for her holiday tips

July 3, 2011
By Autism Society

With crowds, barbecues and fireworks, the Fourth of July can be overwhelming for some individuals on the autism spectrum. However, the following information can help your loved one or friend with ASD have an enjoyable and comfortable holiday.

1. Use social stories or visuals to prepare him/her for a party. This is best done a few days in advance so he/she will be as comfortable as possible. It also helps to prepare a list of guests’ names and faces beforehand, so that he/she can become familiar with who is coming to the event.

2. Bright and loud, fireworks can be overwhelming for people with ASD. Provide him/her with a way to dampen the sound – headphones, for example. Note that not every person with ASD dislikes fireworks, but plan for the most difficult scenario.

3. A picnic or barbecue will present him/her with new sights, sounds and smells, so it may help if he/she is provided with familiar food and drink.

4. Make sure he/she has an item from home, such as a magazine or favorite toy, which can provide a distraction in stressful situations.

5. If the situation becomes too intense – during fireworks, for example – he/she may need to leave. Coordinate an escape route and make plans for possible contingencies.

6. Holding a small cookout the week before the real thing can be great practice for the Fourth.

7. Individuals with ASD can be fearless, and fire can be a hazard to them. Keep an eye on him/her in order to avoid accidents around grills, fireworks and campfires.

8. If he/she relies on sign language, typing or symbols to communicate, make sure he/she knows how to communicate about the food and events he/she may encounter.

Happy Fourth of July!