A Different Kind of Brilliant

**** Please note that I do not receive commissions of any kind for this book review. This book is simply one that we have found useful. ****

If you've been reading or following my blog, you'll know that we like, nay love, books at superhero headquarters. Just recently there was a thread on a social media site that caught my interest. A newly published book that could be used to explain Autism to children .... yes please! Where can I buy a copy???

Well safe to say, I jumped online that night and purchased a copy of the book and eagerly awaited its arrival.

The book is titled "A different kind of brilliant" and is written by Louise Cummins. Louise wrote the book for her son to explain Autism to him in a very positive manner. A different kind of brilliant celebrates those individuals who are different enough to change the world for the better. The book gives examples of famous people who would have been or have been diagnosed with Autism and how their Autism helped them achieve what they achieved.

When the book arrived, O immediately took hold of it and sat down to read the book. It was a hit. Her first words were "This book could have been written about L! The book describes L!"

When I read it to L, his response was "Mummy, that me in the book!" 

So here is the review from O and L!

Q. What is the book about?

L ... A boy called Lachlan who got awesome!

O ... It's called Autism.

L ... Yeah awestism and he different cos he see different and he not like eating like me.

O ... The book talks about how being different is a great thing because you can use your differences to do great things. The book talks about Michelangelo...

L ... Yeah, Mikey the Ninja Turtle!

O ... Michealangelo was an artist first! And Mozart, Einstein and a surfer called Clay Marzo and all the amazing things that they did because of their Autism.

L ... Yeah the surfer dude, he not sit still just like me! Mummy, I have awestism?

Me ... You sure do buddy! You and Sissy both have Autism. 

L ... Yeah! We both got awestism sissy!

Q. What is one great thing about this book?

O ... The book shows that being different from other people is a really good thing. Having Autism is good.

L ... It got surfer dude in it and Mikey!

O ... I really like the story, it's written very well and the illustrations are very bright and colourful. The author is very clever and such a lovely Mum because she wrote it for her son.

Q. Who would this book be good for?

O ... I think it would be great for kids who have Autism to read because it talks about all the good things about Autism. Parents really should read this book and libraries should get copies of this book. I think teachers should read this book too especially if they have students in their class who have Autism. 

L ... Umm good for me. You read it again Mummy?

Me ... We sure can. But can we finish this first?

L ... Yep!

Q. Out of 5 stars, how many are you giving it?

O ... 5 stars! It's a really good book.

L ... Same as Sissy. 5! You read again now please Mummy?

Me ... We can read it again. Thank you for helping me.

O ... You're welcome Mummy.

L ... Yep, you're welcome Mummy. Read now please?

So there you have it! Another great book that can be used to explain Autism and just in time for Autism Awareness and Acceptance month!!

Triad of Impairments Part One - Communication Impairment.

Earlier this year, I was asked to present at a professional development for early childhood educators. The presentation? All about Autism and Sensory Processing Difficulties.

The presentation was received so well that I thought that I would use part of my presentation on my blog as I'm often asked questions about Autism and O and L. So here goes!! Part One focusing on the Triad of Impairments.

Individuals who have been diagnosed with Autism commonly have difficulties in three main areas, known as the Triad of Impairments. These areas are ....

1. Communication Impairment

2. Impairment in Social Interaction

3. Restricted and Repetitive Behaviours, activities and interests.

Before we begin to discuss these three areas, keep in mind that many of these traits are present in typically developing children. The difference in those diagnosed with ASD, is the intensity in which these traits present. In a child with ASD, the traits are much, much more intense and they are ongoing. I’m going to refer to children with Autism but all of these traits may be present in Autistic adults as well.

Children who have been diagnosed with Autism have a unique profile of communication development. While different skill levels in communication are seen – from non-verbal right through to verbal – children with Autism, regardless of their skill level ALL have difficulty in a number of areas. Many remain significantly impaired throughout their lives in their ability to understand language and/or to communicate verbally. Those children who are considered to be high functioning will still have a communication deficit.

Those children who are non-verbal may understand more than they can speak. They may be highly intelligent and unable to verbalise their thoughts, needs and wants. Non-verbal also does not mean quiet. Often children who are non-verbal can be the loudest!

Children may talk at peers rather than talk with peers. They may want to exclusively talk about their favourite topic. This isn’t because they are eccentric or uncaring, they have major skill deficits in understanding the social use of language as well as being unable to understand Theory of Mind – they don’t understand that everyone doesn’t quite always think or feel the way that they do.

In children whose language does develop, their comprehension can often be very literal and as such they are very concrete thinkers. They may have difficulty in understanding abstract concepts or phrases such as “hold your horses” or “stop and smell the roses.” 

We have some very interesting conversations at home – “Your shoes are on the wrong feet! But I don’t have any other feet!” “Please put your shoes and socks on. Don’t you mean socks and then my shoes.” “We’re going to follow our noses! Why is your nose up in the air? I’m following it.” “Go and hop in the bath please.” That was a fun one to sort out! My children are bone fida smart alecs!

Often, a child’s thinking may be concrete, literal and detail focused, so that he or she may find it difficult to see the bigger picture. As an example, children with Autism may focus on a small ladybird on the corner of each page of a book, rather than the main pictures and the story.

Children whose language has developed may at times appear to be little encyclopedias in that they are able to talk your ear off about particular subjects. However in some cases, these children have better expressive language skills than receptive in that they can say more than they understand. Their comprehension of what they read or recite can be quite low. O's reading level is at a year 9 level (she's in grade 5!) however at times her comprehension of what she is reading is not quite up to that level yet.

Stay tuned for Part Two - Impairment in Social Interaction.

Be the Change that You want to See

Just recently a number of Autism advocates have been shamed, ridiculed and bullied on various social media sites. Some are self advocates and some are advocating for their children. Some have been forced to shut down their social media sites due to the level and intensity of bullying that is being thrown at them.

Those who are self advocating have found their voice and are able to do so. 

In my case, my little superheroes are 9 years of age and 6 years of age. They've yet to find their voice to be self advocates. So until they are capable of speaking up for what they need, I am their voice. There are many other parents and carers who are in my position and who speak on behalf of their children. Some of these children are young children, some are adults. The children (or adults) that we advocate for, have yet to find to find their voice.

All of us who are advocating for either ourselves or our loved ones are doing so for one reason. And one reason only.

We want to bring Autism from out of the shadows and into mainstream society. We all want to spread a little Autism awareness and acceptance far and wide.

And to do that, the bullying and silencing of others needs to stop. The shaming, the ridiculing and the ostracizing also needs to stop. Pronto.

We need to spread Autism awareness and acceptance with love, respect and adoration. We need to remove the shame, the sorrow and the fear.

The longer that the bullying and the ridiculing of others who want the same thing as us continues, the longer that Autism will be seen in a negative light in society.

Every marginalized group in history has faced, and often still is facing, this challenge. They're seen in a negative light by society and this breaks my heart. And sadly nothing will change until we are supportive of each other.

Find the courage to speak up for yourself or your loved ones. No matter what group you are part of, be the voice that you or they need. Be the change that you want to see in this world.

We're in this together. Let's be supportive of each other and spread awareness and acceptance far and wide.

The Appearance versus The Reality of Our Autism Journey

Looks can be deceiving and to an outsider looking in who knows very little about autism, our life, at times, must look quite confusing. On reflection, I can see why we get the odd comment and odd look for time to time.

But what people see versus the reality of our autism journey can be quite different. 

So here are a few appearances and their reality's of our autism journey. Keep in mind that many of these appearances versus reality's are common among other families who are also on an autism journey.

To an outsider it may appear that we are constantly running late but the reality is that when we are running late it is often due to a meltdown from one or both of my little superheroes. The wrong socks, shoes too uncomfortable, shorts that have pockets in them ….. all of these and more can cause a meltdown. And when O or L are in meltdown mode, there is absolutely nothing that I or Daddy superhero can do other than ride out the storm. Then once my little superheroes have calmed, we start again. And if we're not running late, we're running super early. Why? So that we have plenty of time just in case a meltdown does occur! 

It may appear that my little superheroes are "just having a tantrum." The reality is that they are in meltdown mode. Please, please learn the difference between meltdowns and tantrums as they are not the same. They're not having a tantrum because I wouldn't buy them a lollipop at the shops, they're in meltdown mode due to the sensory input around them.

To an outsider it may appear that O and L have awesome toys and gadgets aplenty. But the reality is that the majority of these toys and gadgets serve a therapeutic purpose. L does two hours of intensive speech and occupational therapy a week during school terms, O does one hour every fortnight of occupational therapy and psychology respectively during school terms. From these sessions we often have homework to do to extend on the skills that they are both learning in their respective sessions. As a result, I can turn any toy or gadget into a therapy tool, hence our living room and the bedrooms look like an occupational therapy room!

I may appear to be just a mum. The reality is that the terms proprioceptive input, interoception, executive functioning, postural stability before distal mobility and many more are more common in my everyday vocabulary than the terms play date, laundry or housework.

I may appear to be a bit of a know-it-all when it comes to autism. The reality is that I don't know it all about autism. I know about my little superheroes autism, I have to. I want the best for them and because of that I can constantly reading to further develop my knowledge. The more I know, the better equipped I am to assist my little superheroes. I know what it is like to fight for what my children need at school to be successful and as such I will offer to help others. Not for the gratitude from others. Not for the acknowledgement from others. I want to help others so that no children with additional needs are left behind.

I may appear to be a forgetful mum (or bad mum depending on who you ask) for forgetting O's library bag for the second week in a row. The reality is that I have more important things to remember to pack in her school bag and in L's school bag each day. For example I remembered to put her block out ear protectors back into her bag and these alone can mean the difference between a good day at school and a tough day.

I may appear to be "that mum," the annoying one. The Mum who is always at the school, always speaking with my children's teachers. The reality is that if I don't speak up for what my children require, then who will?

It may appear that my little superheroes are enjoying a run around on the playground equipment every afternoon after school. The reality is that they are both receiving some extra sensory input after school to help keep them grounded. They've been craving this sensory input all day and receiving it now, may mean that we can prevent a meltdown later in the evening.

I may appear to be not enjoying the social gathering/party/event that we're at. The reality is that I am looking for sensory inputs that could potentially put O or L, or both, over the edge. And if I spot any potential sensory inputs, I am then pre-planning on how I can prevent them entering into sensory overload. I am looking for escape routes that L may use when he takes off at full speed. I am looking for potential danger spots that L won't see if, and when, he takes off.

I may appear to be a highly strung mum who just needs to relax and let her kids have fun. The reality is that L has no sense of danger or fear what-so-ever and when he takes off to escape the sensory input that often bombards his brain, he is not aware of his surroundings. So I have to be. He isn't aware of road safety or water safety - although he is much more aware than he was three years ago - so at the moment, I am his eyes and ears. I am his safety blanket.

I might look like I am some form of a permanently exhausted penguin and the reality is that I am. I have two children who both have additional needs which means that they both need additional support on a daily basis. 

And you know what? I wouldn't change anything for the world. Our autism journey may be tough at times, but no two days are the same. And that is the way that I like it.

My children are my world and they are both blessings to our family.

Anxiety. How can it manifest?

Anxiety.

It's one of those tricky issues that is quite common in society and yet it seems to be some what of a taboo subject to talk about.

And it is all due to the fact that anxiety is a hidden illness.

Some people in society seem to believe that if they can't see the illness then it doesn't exist. This makes it extremely difficult for adults to talk openly about their anxious feelings. Now imagine how difficult it is for children to talk about their anxious feelings, when unfortunately, some people simply don't believe that children are capable of suffering from anxiety.

Children suffer from anxiety? How can they? Children have nothing to worry about. Children, at times, have a lot that they worry about. 

Friendship woes. Pressure at school to perform academically to a high standard, thanks NAPLAN. They may have issues at home that are affecting them. Peer pressure seems to happening at a younger age. Being bullied by their peers. They may take on the worries that their friends have.

Some children may express to their parents, teachers or peers that they are worried, others may not. O is one of those who will not tell a soul that she is worried or anxious. Partly because she is still learning how to recognise the internal feelings of her anxiety. And partly because she doesn't want to burden others with her worries.

The number of times that we, as parents, have been told that O can't possibly suffer from anxiety issues is staggering. And this is because she doesn't present as having anxiety.

You see, in children, anxiety can present in a number of different ways.

O's anxiety is sneaky, it doesn't often look like worry. O's anxiety manifests itself in a variety of different ways, and it can differ from day to day.

So what should you be on the look out for? Read on!

O's anxiety sounds like physical complaints …. "My head is sore," "My tummy hurts," "My heart is beating too fast," "My throat hurts when I swallow," "My muscles in my legs hurt." This makes it difficult at school when she presents at the sick bay and appears to need to go home due to illness. We now have a flow chart for O to work through prior to attending the school office and again if she does end up in the sick bay. Nine times out of ten, it is her anxiety causing the physical complaints. The hope in using the flow chart is that the school staff can attempt to assist O with whatever is causing her anxious feelings to determine if she is anxious or in fact ill.

O's anxiety can manifest as anger, verbal outbursts, irritability, defiance and frequent meltdowns. And it is well and truly after she has vented that we are able to get to the bottom of what is causing the anxiousness.

O's anxiety manifest itself as procrastinating in doing the things that she ordinarily loves to do like choir and cubs and sporting activities. O loves school to the point that when she is sick, she still wants to go. The mornings that she is overly reluctant to go to school, we know that her anxiety is at play. O has always been a social butterfly, she struggles in social situations but she loves meeting new people so when she decides that she just wants to sit in her room and NOT be social, we know that's her anxiety speaking.

O's anxiety can manifest itself as becoming clingy, worrying about where other family members are and when they'll be home (even though she knows where they are and when they'll be home.) Her anxiety can manifest itself as O asking the same question over and over and over again

O's anxiety can present as BIG emotional feelings that are too overwhelming to describe or to manage. Cue meltdown central.

O's anxiety can manifest as feeling physically, emotionally and mentally exhausted all of the time. Her anxiety can also present as fatigue …. "I'm too tired to play, too tired to run, I just want to sit."

O's anxiety can present as an overwhelming desire to control those around her, including her friends, and events that she is involved in. If O can control what is happening around her, she knows exactly what is going to happen and the unknown becomes the known.

O's anxiety can manifest as an inability to pay attention to what is happening around her.

O's anxiety can manifest as having a super high expectation for herself at school.

O's anxiety can also present as worry. O will worry about the big and the seemingly small things in life. But to her, the small things are often the biggest.

O's anxiety manifests itself as her twisting her hair, chewing on her shirt collar, chewing or sucking on the lid of her drink bottle. 

O will internalise all of her anxious thoughts and feelings all day and then explode in the afternoon the minute she walks through the front door.

On any given day, you may see all of the above in O. Other days, she may only present with one or two of the above.

The ways that O's anxiety manifests itself is quite common in many children as well as for many adults.

The next time that someone says to you that they are anxious and you just can't see it. Please take a closer look. Look at their body actions. Are they desperately trying to tell you something.  

My Favourite Autism Awareness Memes, 2018

This year I have gotten into the swing of creating memes for my blog and for our social media sites. I wanted to share a few of my favourite memes that I have created!

I am very big on spreading a little more Autism Acceptance and Awareness, so here are a few of the memes that I created throughout 2018 which are along this line!

My Favourite Memes, 2018, Part Two!

This year I have gotten into the swing of creating memes for my blog and for our social media sites. I wanted to share a few of my favourite memes that I have created! 

The following are a little tongue in cheek, just for fun, and describe our crazy, fun filled autism journey.

First up, the 12 days of Christmas (an Autism version!)

Two for all of you who feel like Mumbie's and Dadbie's!