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  1. A possible early glimpse of autism's impact on older siblings

    Previous research projects have netted mixed findings, but many suggest that families dealing with autism -- especially brothers and sisters of an autistic child -- also experience symptoms similar to autism: widespread abnormalities of social interactions, communication and behavior.

    Posted on 3/8/2010 2:22:43 PM

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  2. Report reveals that one percent of US children, and growing, have autism

    The report, published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report illustrates a 57-percent increase in autism cases between 2002 and 2006. A staggering 600-percent increase in the disease has occurred over the past two decades, plaguing boys more often than girls. Roughly one out of every 70 boys currently has some form of autism.

    Posted on 3/7/2010 3:07:16 PM

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  3. Report reveals that one percent of US children, and growing, have autism

    The report, published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report illustrates a 57-percent increase in autism cases between 2002 and 2006. A staggering 600-percent increase in the disease has occurred over the past two decades, plaguing boys more often than girls. Roughly one out of every 70 boys currently has some form of autism.

    Posted on 3/7/2010 3:07:15 PM

    View Full Story


  4. Autistic musicians play with perfect pitch; gigs in San Jose, Santa Clara

    "These guys can sing and play at a really high level,'' said Anderson, who is also a wildly popular music teacher at Buchser School in Santa Clara, where he started a dancing group for kids with special needs 10 years ago. "The singers have perfect pitch. The musicians give 100 percent effort even if they don't look or talk to each other much.''

    Posted on 3/7/2010 3:06:04 PM

    View Full Story


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The 100th Monkey

A story about social change.

 

Today, you are monkey number 21.

 

 

 

By Ken Keyes Jr.

 

The Japanese monkey, Macaca Fuscata, had been observed in the wild for a period of over 30 years.

 

In 1952, on the island of Koshima, scientists were providing monkeys with sweet potatoes dropped in the sand. The monkey liked the taste of the raw sweet potatoes, but they found the dirt unpleasant.

 

An 18-month-old female named Imo found she could solve the problem by washing the potatoes in a nearby stream. She taught this trick to her mother. Her playmates also learned this new way and they taught their mothers too.

 

This cultural innovation was gradually picked up by various monkeys before the eyes of the scientists. Between 1952 and 1958 all the young monkeys learned to wash the sandy sweet potatoes to make them more palatable. Only the adults who imitated their children learned this social improvement. Other adults kept eating the dirty sweet potatoes.

 

Then something startling took place. In the autumn of 1958, a certain number of Koshima monkeys were washing sweet potatoes -- the exact number is not known. Let us suppose that when the sun rose one morning there were 99 monkeys on Koshima Island who had learned to wash their sweet potatoes. Let's further suppose that later that morning, the hundredth monkey learned to wash potatoes.

 

THEN IT HAPPENED!

 

By that evening almost everyone in the tribe was washing sweet potatoes before eating them. The added energy of this hundredth monkey somehow created an ideological breakthrough!

 

But notice: A most surprising thing observed by these scientists was that the habit of washing sweet potatoes then jumped over the sea...Colonies of monkeys on other islands and the mainland troop of monkeys at Takasakiyama began washing their sweet potatoes.

 

Thus, when a certain critical number achieves an awareness, this new awareness may be communicated from mind to mind.

 

Although the exact number may vary, this Hundredth Monkey Phenomenon means that when only a limited number of people know of a new way, it may remain the conscious property of these people.

 

But there is a point at which if only one more person tunes-in to a new awareness, a field is strengthened so that this awareness is picked up by almost everyone!

 

From the book "The Hundredth Monkey" by Ken Keyes, Jr.    


What's New at Autism Hangout!

 

"Libraries and Autism: We're Connected!" A Program Making Libraries Autism-friendly... and more.

Here is one more GREAT Program opening doors to our special kids!

Meet Dan Weiss and Meg Kolaya, directors at Fanwood Memorial Library and Scotch Planes Public Library (respectively). These folks have assembled a remarkable Program and video that assists libraries in better serving this special population of patrons.

In the process, the Program also educates the public AND offers opportunities for the library to facilitate social groups of people on the spectrum (including their parents). It's extraordinary! The best news is, libraries all across the world are signing up. Thank you Meg and Dan! Learn more at www.thejointlibrary.org/autism

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"Breathe. 52 Oxygen Rich Tools for Loving and Living Well with Autism." A Book by Gayle Nobel

 

Gayle is back with a new book filled with attitude-lifting tools and inspirations for loving and living well with autism.

Take it from one that knows (Gayle is an experienced parent of one on the spectrum). Her advice is priceless... for all those living with the daily challenges of autism.

For more information or to order a book, go to: www.autismwithattitude.com

 

-------------------------

"Make Friends with Autism" (dotorg) - A Community Education Initiative

Meet Adrienne Robertiello, Community Autism Educator for Children's Specialized Hospital in New Brunswick, NJ. Thanks to a generous grant and partnership with Kohl's the Hospital has now launched www.makefriendswithautism.org - a community education initiative about autism.

"It's the first and only program designed to educate businesses about autism and provide tools to support positive community interactions." All the materials are free and downloadable and soon will be available in both English and Spanish.

See more at: www.makefriendswithautism.org

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"Islands of Genius: The Bountiful Mind of the Autistic, Acquired, and Sudden Savant" - Dr. Darold A. Treffert

Dr. Darold Treffert has spent almost 50 years studying the extraordinary mind of the savant. In this candid discussion, he provides insight, encouragement and techniques to help parents of autistic children develop their child's possible, savant tendencies.

Dr. Treffert is every bit as excited about his research today as he was 50 years ago. The brain has such potential... as do our special kids!

More information at: www.savantsyndrome.com

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"Getting an Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE) at Public Expense" - Attorney David Tollner

 In this Autism Hangout Special Report, Special Education Legal Services attorney David Tollner addresses the 6-rules necessary to get an Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE) at Public Expense.

David's advice is based on years of his legal experience dealing with families of special needs kids.

His resume reads:
Special Education legal services for parents struggling to receive the appropriate education for their child with disabilities. David is the former Executive Director of Pacific Autism Center for Education in Sunnyvale and Rebekah Children's Services in Gilroy, as well as a civil litigator in San Jose for 13 years.

David's 6 rules for "Getting an Independent Educational Evaluation at Public Expense" are summarized at the end of the video.

----------------------

Educational Technique: Learning Forward

L. Mae Wilkinson of Autism Is Not The Boss returns with more excellent advice to help our special kids excel in school! This installment is called "Learning Forward."

Exposing your child to educational material a semester or two early can help lessen anxiety and build confidence. The technique, called Learning Forward, is easy to do...and it doesn't have to be perfect

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"Unique Kids, Unique Surroundings" - Meet author/ designer Lauren Henry

It's always a delight to welcome back someone making new, positive contributions to the lives of our special kids. In this interview, Lauren Henry, founder of With A Brush Of Love returns to discuss her new book "Unique Kids, Unique Surroundings: Creative, 'Green', Budget-Conscious Ways to Design the Ideal Environment for Children with Autism and Special Needs."

Parents, caregivers, teachers and more can benefit from Lauren's insights on colors, textures and - most importantly - meeting the needs of the child and the space.

For more on Lauren or to order a book, visit: www.brushoflove.com

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Donna Williams Comments on the Autism Hangout Education Library

Author, singer/songwriter, screenwriter and sculptor Donna Williams returns to talk about her contributions to the Autism Hangout Education Library. She also offers an invitation for others on the spectrum to use this tool to describe their learnings about autism (and possibly profit from it).

In this interview, Donna describes her last 3 contributions to the Educational Library: Meaning Deafness, Meaning Blindness, Body Disconnectedness; Agnosias in the Context of Autism, Navigating Involuntary and Managing Voluntary Behaviours on the Autism Spectrum and Battling With Books.

-------------------

"Movin' Out!" Successful housing for people on the spectrum.  In this Webinar, Specialized Housing Consultant George Braddock describes the importance of "person-centered environments." 

I'm always THRILLED to discover competent business people that share our compassion for people with autism. George Braddock is a prime example. George is working with ARCHway to design and build housing that helps adults with autism live fuller, richer, independent lives.  

More on George and ARCHway here.  

--------------------

Mitra Ahani's "Let's Cook" Update: Free Viewing! - An Autism Hangout Special Report

Mitra Ahani of route2language (dotcom) and co-creator of "Let's Cook" announces free viewing of the entire "Lets Cook" series!

Mywire (dotcom) has generously donated the program to parents, caregivers and educators to use to involve kids on the spectrum with the skills, socialization and fun offered though the preparation of meals.

The series is available at www.mywire.com under "Featured Publications."

-----------------------

Meet Author Mary Calhoun Brown - An Autism Hangout Special Report

Author Mary Calhoun Brown's latest book - "There Are No Words" - explores the world through the eyes and thoughts of a young, non-speaking girl with autism. It's a charming, delightful, hopeful read.

In this interview, Mary talks about her inspiration for the book, her motives for writing, and her plans for helping others understand more about the challenges disabled people face. Through her "creative writing" classroom work, Mary also is excited to inspire a new generation of writers. 

Click here for more on Mary Calhoun Brown.


"Never doubt that a small group of committed people can change the world."

 

Margaret Mead

--------------------------

A Call For Social Stories!! Let's Put Them To Music!

Teachers, aids, caregivers and parents, if you've a great Social Story, here's a chance to put it to music and share it with others.

It's been proven time and again that music helps open up our kids. So why not put together "the best of" our community-prepared Social Stories with music so that all our special kids can benefit?  Read more here.

 ---------------------------

Autism Hangout Webinar Schedule

Broadcast live from:  http://www.autismhangout.com/webinars/live.asp

COMING UP!
 ----------------------------------------------------------------------
Series: WAKE UP!
An invitation has been issued to Seeds of Deception author and blogger Jeffrey Smith to join us for a discussion about Genetically Modified Organisms (gmos), autism and the future of mankind.

 

 

  DAILY HIGHS  

3/2/10              11/1/09

Visitors Page Views
3,673 5,967


Most Popular Reports:

Webinar: "Rachel Rosenman from ALUT talks about autism in israel." 14,000 views (as of 1/7/10)

Feature Program: "Can the World Afford Autistic Spectrum Disorder?" Approaching 28,000 views (as of 1/7/10)

Special Report:  "Aspergers On the Job" - A Conversation with Author Rudy Simone.  15,800 views as of 1/7/10)

--------------------------

New in the Autism Hangout Educational Library!

 

With a Brush of Love Presents - The Effective Use of Color

Lauren S. Henry, color expert and designer of environments for special needs and autistic children, presents the first in a series of on-line seminars. "The Effective Use of Color" addresses the importance of color in one's environment, the typical emotional impacts of a variety of colors, and how to determine which color will have the most beneficial effect in your child's environment.

-------------------

Asperger's On the Job - A two part video + Powerpoint series.

In Part ONE of this two-part program on finding and keeping employment with Asperger's Syndrome, author Rudy Simone gives tips for those on the spectrum, as well as advocates, parents and employers. Topics include:

- exploiting the natural strengths of AS,
- education pitfalls to avoid,
- how to handle an interview, and
- how to use the "Personal Job Map" to select the ideal career for the spectrum individual, taking into consideration both the Areas of Obsessive Interest and the natural aversions of the person with Aspergers or HFA.

Part TWO includes:
- Managing social skills at work
- Control issues
- Sensory issues
- communication issues
- sleep and health management
- psychometric tests
- Formula for thriving with Aspergers

Worksheets are included.  Click here for more

This TWO video Program series is introductory priced at $15.  

----------------------

The New Shape of Learning at Autism Hangout!

It’s been a dream of mine... to develop a VISUAL format where researchers, teachers, authors, autism professionals, even parents and caregivers can immediately post videos of their presentations, complete with Powerpoint slides. Well that dream has come true!

This ground-breaking technology now resides in the Autism Hangout Education Section. Watch what this means to all of us about immediately getting helpful, practical information on thriving with autism. And see how easy it is to prepare an Online Program for the Autism Hangout Education Section!!

----------------------

"Frailin with Friends!"  Happy music to brighten your day!

Autism Hangout founder Craig Evans talks about his recently released "Frailin' with Friends" CD. "This CD of happy music was assembled as a day-brightener for those living with the daily challenges of autism. I'm also using all the proceeds from sales to fund Autism Hangout."

Sample cuts from "Frailin' with Friends" can be heard at: www.autismhangout.com/directory/store.asp. Orders can be placed at the same URL.

 

 

"If you like the happy banjo music you hear at the beginning of any Autism Hangout Podcast, you'll love this CD!"

 

 

----------------------------

* Autism Hangout is looking for writers and video producers of positive, helpful messages about autism. Contact Craig Evans.

 

Click here for a welcome message from Autism Hangout founder, Craig Evans.

 

ATTEN: Autism thought-leaders!

Post your work here for the autism community to see! Please feel free to use the Discussion Forum or create your own Home Page (complete with pics, blogs and videos). Welcome!


 



Webinars RSS Feed

"Movin' Out!" Specialized Housing Consultant George Braddock on Homes for People w/ Autism

Attorney David Tollner Addresses IEPs
Attorney David Tollner Addresses IEPs

Meet "Raising a Sensory Smart Child" Author Lindsey Biel
Meet "Raising a Sensory Smart Child" Author Lindsey Biel

Rachel Rosenman from ALUT talks about autism in Israel
Rachel Rosenman from ALUT talks about autism in Israel

Dr. Stephen Shore & Donna Williams: Autism as Strengths
Dr. Stephen Shore & Donna Williams: Autism as Strengths



Feature Programs RSS Feed

Educational Technique: "Learning Forward"

"The Costs and a Plan for 'Movin' Out'." A Second Interview with Greg Kruse
"The Costs and a Plan for 'Movin' Out'." A Second Interview with Greg Kruse

Ask Dr. Tony" - January 2010 Questions - An Autism Hangout Feature Program
Ask Dr. Tony" - January 2010 Questions - An Autism Hangout Feature Program

"Can The World Afford Autistic Spectrum Disorder?" - A Book by Dr. Digby Tantam
"Can The World Afford Autistic Spectrum Disorder?" - A Book by Dr. Digby Tantam

"Art as an Early Intervention Tool for Children with Autism" - An Inteview with Author Nic
"Art as an Early Intervention Tool for Children with Autism" - An Inteview with Author Nic


Special Reports RSS Feed

"Libraries and Autism: We're Connected!" A Program Making Libraries Autism-friendly... and

"Breathe. 52 Oxygen Rich Tools for Loving and Living Well with Autism."
"Breathe. 52 Oxygen Rich Tools for Loving and Living Well with Autism."

"Make Friends with Autism" (dotorg) -  A Community Education Initiative
"Make Friends with Autism" (dotorg) - A Community Education Initiative

"Islands of Genius: The Bountiful Mind of the Autistic, Acquired, and Sudden Savant"
"Islands of Genius: The Bountiful Mind of the Autistic, Acquired, and Sudden Savant"

"Getting an Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE) at Public Expense" - Attorney David T
"Getting an Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE) at Public Expense" - Attorney David T


   


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