ASD, Intellectual Disability, & Cognitive Challenges

I have noticed many adults diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome (also know as high-functioning autism) speak FOR persons with autistic disorder and moderate to severe Intellectual Disability (two separate diagnoses). 

Intellectual Disability (ID) is a developmental disability that is known to present with Down Syndrome, a neurological, chromosomal condition. Some persons with ASD can also have diagnoses of Intellectual Disability or cognitive challenges - ranging from very mild to extremely profound.

Not all persons with autistic disorder have Intellectual Disability. Some persons with high-functioning autistic disorder have mild or very mild cognitive challenges (diagnosis or not).

Life for people with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD's) can be highly stressful, worrisome, anxiety-ridden, challenging, extremely difficult, traumatic, chaotic, and many times, just plain UGLY. Many of these things are caused by ASD ITSELF, NOT society.

For people with both a diagnosis of ASD AND Intellectual Disability, communication - both verbal and non-verbal, academics, self-care skills, adaptive behavior and social skills can develop much more slower or not at all. People with ASD, Intellectual Disability, or cognitive challenges have difficulty with the aforementioned life skills with respect to chronological age.

Mother Warrior of the Month & Her Goal (in visual form)

Kim Stagliano is a mother of three beautiful girls (they are gorgeous) who unfortunately have to struggle with severe autism (autistic disorder) and medical problems. She is also a blogger for Age of Autism and The Huffington Post.

Angry Toddler Affected by Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) DEMANDS insurance to pay for medical (bio-medical) treatment & research for treatment and cure.

Light It Up BLACK!

 ... In honor of the DEAD children and adults with autism.

For ALL the children and adults with ASD's that DIED as a result of wandering due to lack of safety awareness and understanding that led to danger and death ...

Thanks to Ginger Taylor, from "Adventures In Autism," for this photo.

Action: Go here, then sign this,  and then tell the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) that we NEED a medical diagnosis of "wandering" IMMEDIATELY!

For SSI (Welfare) ONLY

One of my favorite bloggers is "Chaoticidealism," a person with high-functioning autism (HFA), ADHD, and and related conditions. She is majoring in Bio-medical Engineering. Chaoticidealism said, 

"SSI, for those of you who are lucky enough not to know about it, is the modern equivalent of throwing coins to beggars."

 I completely agree.

As many of my blogs posts state, I work at an  amazing Accounting firm, and my job, the environment, and everything else about it is wonderful. That means that during tax season, everyone in the office is extremely busy (and that is OKAY and great PRACTICE for working under pressure). This post is NOT about my job, though.

THIS is what your HARD-EARNED TAX $$$ is spent on! 

Obese men returning from the supermarket with food that is filled with high fructose corn syrup (hfcs) and other carcinogens (cancer-causing agents). Guess who will be pay for the men's Type II Diabetes supplies? That's right, Medicare. Who pays for Medicare? We the taxpayers of the USA.

Community Employment For People With ASD!

On Thursday, May 27, 2010, I graduated from the Cuyahoga East Vocational Educational Consortium (CEVEC).I was one of the four graduation speakers. I chose to be a graduation speaker because I want and need to significantly improve my verbal and public speaking skills. I like to challenge myself (with exceptions, of course) to do tasks that are difficult; this leads to personal growth and development.

During graduation, Mr. Robert Ross, the Principal of CEVEC called all the graduate’s names' to receive their certificate of completion, and he also announced where each and every graduate will be working, volunteering, whether or not they had "perfect attendance," and, if applicable, what college they will be attending.

Note: Mr. Ross forgot to mention that Katie Kagan is attending Cuyahoga Community College in the fall.

Since I enjoy "re-making" things, I am going to "re-make" Mr. Robert Ross' "announcements." Unlike Mr. Robert Ross, I am going to write (say) additional information. The following is an example [myself] of what I will write.

Katie Kagan is a paid employee at Light and Associates, an Accounting Firm (small business). She will be continuing her education at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C), and she hopes to earn a certificate of completion either in Pharmacy Technology (Pharmacy Technician) or Nutrition. She has High-Functioning Autism (HFA)other conditions.

Sari Gonick is a paid employee at American Medical Computing, JEllen's House Of Fabric, (small businesses) and Hathway Brown School. She has High-Functioning Autism (HFA).

Lauren Carson is a paid employee at Hillcrest Hospital. She has High-Functioning Autism (HFA) and other conditions.

Matt Young will be attending Notre Dame College in the Fall. He has ADHD.

These are some of the many CEVEC graduates of 2010 who are on the Autism Spectrum and one who has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and are either paid employees in the community or are attending college.

Not all people who are affected by Autism Spectrum Disorder's (ASD's) receive equal NOT been fortunate. They are or will be working (and possibly getting paid) at various Adult Activity Centers (warehouses, FAKE employment).

I am just SO frustrated! Why is it OKAY to "shelter" - EXCLUDE, a person because they need supports and accommodations to work in the community? There is NO question that ALL people with ASD's CAN be PRODUCTIVE in a COMPETITIVE environment. Why does a diagnosis on the Autism Spectrum get someone sent to a "concentration camp for the disabled" (except the ending of the video) and excluded from community employment?

Not all persons with disabilities have attended or are currently enrolled in CEVEC, a school-based vocational program. Persons who do not receive vocational training can still be successful on the job. I would like to acknowledge an individual with a disability who did NOT attend CEVEC. He also completed high school and college without special education help. 

David Light graduated from Akron State University. He has a Bachelor's Degree in Business Marketing. He currently has three jobs. He works at the Winking Lizard Tavern, a restaurant and bar, Big Brother Association, and he owns and runs an on-line jewelry business - Mongoose Jewelry. He also have ADHD.

CLSP Instructor Parody

Many people who know me also know that I attended the Cuyahoga East Vocational Educational Consortium (CEVEC). After doing a social graduation from Charles F. Brush High School in 2007, I participated in CEVEC's Community Living Skills Program (CLSP). The CLSP is a semester program, and I was enrolled for two semesters (a "school year"). The program is designed to teach students with moderate to severe disabilities skills ranging from basic self-care to independent daily living. Of course, being able to live independently (with supports, a roommate, etc.) is a great goal for everyone - disability or not. 

When I participated in the CLSP program, I learned a lot of independent living skills. In addition, most of the young adult students that attended the CLSP are diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The instructors were NOT properly educated on how to teach and train people with ASD's. One of the instructors, Mrs. Gail Henschel, had little knowledge about the "scatter skills" that people with autism exhibit. She assumed an IQ score was a good indicator of an autistic person's intelligence, "functioning level," and abilities. She assumed that lack of functional and contextual language indicated "low-functioning autism." Mrs. Henschel engaged in "behaviorist" tactics to stifle the comforting (self-soothing), stress relieving, and emotional responses ("stimming" and fidgeting) of people with autism. In reality, we know that most persons with ASD are high-functioning intellectually, but have serious medical (bio-medical) diseases, and communication, sensory, and social challenges.

Disclaimer: While this is genuine information, please note that this written with sarcasm and humor.

Dear Mrs. Gail Henschel,

Thank you for teaching me skills (even the unnecessary ones). You forgot to teach me how to clean a bathtub, though. (Luckily, I'm intelligent and can learn that by myself.) You didn't forget to teach me how to sit still (not a skill I needed or  desired to learn, though as a behaviorist, your job was to demand NOT teach).

You constantly talked about "low-functioning" autism and how much better off I am. Well, I agree that I don't have as many challenges. I'm can talk pretty well (sometimes even too much), read, write, and use public transportation independently among other things. Please educate yourself about the REALITY of challenges, impairments, and deficits that persons with high-functioning autism (HFA) experience.

MOUTH QUIET and LISTEN! You've NEVER been in MY body. I wish for ONE DAY that you could be in my body.

Celebrating Talent ...

Grand Opening! Mongoose Jewelry - Online Jewelry Store!A friend of mine, David Light, has recently reopened his jewelry business - Mongoose Jewelry, on etsy.com.This is great news because David is a creative and artistically gifted young adult.

"I'm a recent college graduate with an artistic soul. I started doing chainmaille my freshman year, and have been working on mastering the art for about half a decade now. I prefer to spend more time making fewer pieces, with the goal being perfection and artistic expression within those pieces. I do custom work as well, so please feel free to contact me with ideas.

Everything I create is handmade from start to finish. Not only to I weave the patterns, but I create the rings myself starting with raw wire. Recently, I even set up a studio so that I can anodize my own niobium. I never buy precut rings from a manufacturer. Taking charge of the entire process is certainly more time consuming, but also more rewarding, and gives me a greater deal of control over the finished product"

David also happens to have ADHD, a neurological and biological condition that presents with learning, attention, behavior, and social skills challenges. Despite the challenges, people with ADHD are highly creative. Creativity, I believe, is one of the compensatory strategies that persons with ADHD have.

David concentrating hard (for the customer) on a piece of jewelry.