The Joy of Autism

Assistive Devices for Autism

While Slade is using the Dynavox in this video, I have to attest as we prepare for Adam’s new device (which will not be the Dynavox but a similar device) that this can really change your child’s life. I am so excited that we are entering this...

Published Wed, Mar 17 2010 7:26 PM by Estée Klar

Filed under: communication, Advocacy

Autism and Work

Listening to CBC Radio 2 this morning is a special report on autism and work. Interviewed is Thorkhil Sonne, Chairman of Special People Foundation. He has built an I.T. company, Specilaisterne that I wrote about a few years ago which hires autistic people...

Published Thu, Jan 17 2013 6:42 AM by Estée Klar

Filed under: ABA, Employment

Tomorrow is Convocation Day

Tomorrow is convocation day for my Master of Arts in Critical Disability Studies in the department of Health Policy and Development at York University. It feels like a whirlwind as I had just finished my MRP and then launched into my first-year PhD study...

Published Tue, Oct 15 2013 10:12 AM by Estée Klar

Filed under: Academia, Accessibility

The Importance Of Collecting And Preserving Autism History

Introduction: You can’t find a history of autism, or the term, prior to 1911 when Eugen Bleuler defined autism as a detachment from reality in terms of understanding schizophrenia. Try reaching for an autism history into the 19th century and beyond, and...

Published Mon, Sep 17 2012 6:23 PM by Estée Klar

Filed under: Activism, Autism History

Expression for Every Ability

As I return to one of my passions these days which is dance (these days Tango, specifically), I think about all the different forms of expression. I have been teaching Adam some creative movement this year which he also very much enjoys. Watch these wheelchair...

Published Mon, May 03 2010 7:36 PM by Estée Klar

Filed under: Art

An Exceptional Path: An Ethnographic Narrative Reflecting on Autistic Parenthood from Evolutionary, Cultural, and Spiritual Perspectives

Thanks to a friend who passed along this paper (titled above) by Dawn Eddings Prince (formerly known as Dawn Prince Hughes) published in ETHOS. It is an endearing story of a mother with Aspergers to her autistic son. Unlike Dawn, I am not a woman with...

Published Tue, May 04 2010 7:00 PM by Estée Klar

Filed under: Acceptance, autism, Autistic Self Advocacy, Sensory Differences, Parenting

Expression

I’m hard pressed to ever state that Adam really can’t express himself. I mean, I find myself saying it some days in terms of verbal communication. But really, he is an expressive guy. If I were to take an accounting of his “expressiveness”...

Published Tue, Nov 10 2009 7:26 PM by Estée Klar

Filed under: Autism and Learning, Development

Waiting to hear….

I’ve decided to use this post for community feedback. We are at a new point in our autism journey that we have not yet figured out. Adam is in a state of pain that seems uncontrollable. It began over a month ago, longer perhaps, when Adam began...

Published Fri, Dec 11 2009 4:37 AM by Estée Klar

Filed under: Adam

Just Another Day

Adam is clearly settling into his new school. He is happy when he returns home. He comes with a journal telling me what he has done as well as a day-timer for scheduling and organizing. I’m sure liking this new school. Prior to this one, I had Adam...

Published Thu, Oct 07 2010 3:35 PM by Estée Klar

Filed under: Adam

Hummingbird

I’ve always called Adam my “little hummingbird.” The way he flaps his hands and can dart back and forth, particularly when he seems to me “revved up.” So many speicies receive respect from us in the sense that while we do...

Published Fri, Nov 05 2010 6:28 AM by Estée Klar

Filed under: Autism and Learning, Acceptance, Behaviours

Are You My Mother?

“Mommy!” Adam looks into my eyes and says my name as if he’s reassuring himself. It’s as if he’s saying you’re my mommy, and that is that. “Yes, Adam, I’m Mommy.” I say. He’s eyes are glued to...

Published Thu, Feb 23 2012 7:37 AM by Estée Klar

Filed under: Family, Single Parenthood, Autism and Intelligence

Wind of Change

Today, June 1st, the winds are blowing strong. I’m not a fan of wind, of things being stirred up furiously into the air. Wind has always made me nervous and I want to be inside. I’m sitting out at the foot of my back door, drinking a Corona...

Published Wed, Jun 01 2011 7:37 PM by Estée Klar

Filed under: Inclusion, Advocacy, Parenting, school

The First Ten Years

It was like yesterday. I went into labour and Adam arrived nine hours later. After he was born, he cried a lot and his eyes darted around the room. My narrative of Adam’s life in part goes like this: He was born and he was uncomfortable in this...

Published Wed, Apr 11 2012 6:59 AM by Estée Klar

Filed under: Adam, Acceptance

Autistic Wandering and the DSM

Recently, the CDC proposed a separate criteria for wandering in autism. You can find the PDF here. I have received permission from the Autism National Committee (AUTCOM) to make this letter available to readers in response to the proposal: Dear Ms. Pickett...

Published Mon, Apr 04 2011 12:08 PM by Estée Klar

Filed under: Activism, Discrimination, Autism Spectrum and Diagnosis, autism

A Skeptic’s Snowday

Just as I thought. The news made a big hoopla about a big storm. As I predicted, we never got the snow they predicted. In fact, Adam and I are about to go out for a walk. Seems the news is full of hype on all counts, whether it be about autism or the...

Published Wed, Feb 02 2011 8:50 AM by Estée Klar

Filed under: Estee

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