Linda Andron-Ostrow, CEO Gregory Hickok of the University of California at Irvine raises some very poignant questions for all of us to consider as we continue to seek what autism is and what it might not be… As brain research moves forward at a dizzying pace, we must always be ready to change the way we interact with those on the spectrum. Remember when we were set on “Theory of Mind” and some people even thought they had found a way…
Continue reading
Zoey Giesberg, FACT Intern & Future MSW As the 2014-2015 school year begins, I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself as the newest staff intern at FACT. Here are some basic facts (insert awkward laughing here) about me: I am 27 years old and a West Los Angeles native I am wrapping up my Masters of Social Work degree at the University of Southern California with an emphasis on community organizing, planning, and administration I got my…
Continue reading
Ashley Greathead, MA, FACT Communications Consultant The history of cases of individuals with observed expressions analogous to ASD date back as far as 1806. At that time they were considered cases of insanity. The evolution of ASD (aka autism) began in 1943 – 1944 when two different researchers, Leo Kanner in Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. and Hans Asperger in Vienna, Austria separately described cases of children who presented symptoms similar to those of schizophrenia. Both researchers identified the symptoms as “autism”…
Continue reading
Mikal Britt, Behaviorist for 10+ years NOTE: I write purely from personal experience, so any of my comments and ideas about people on the spectrum are my own theories and ideas, not necessarily based on scientific data. We’ve all heard the expression “the student is the real teacher”, right? Well it is true. It is very very true. Below is a list of the six qualities I have learned from my clients over the years. 1) Patience Building: This is…
Continue reading
Ashley Greathead, MA, FACT Communications Consultant Political views aside, in the U.S., we are fortunate to have a government that supports and protects the rights of individuals with disabilities. If you can believe it, those rights were only officially granted less than 50 years ago. We may not be entirely satisfied with all the legislations, and many times we have to go above & beyond to have our needs just even heard, let alone acted upon. There are many pieces…
Continue reading
Linda Andron-Ostrow, CEO 10 minute anonymous surveys for…Parents of Children with Autism in Elementary SchoolParents of Children with ASD in Middle/High SchoolAdults with ASD “But I need it, I really need it!” How often do we hear this cry? Or worse the stomping frustration when our kiddos can’t express what we need in words? The questions of how much do we really need, what is enough, what would make what we have better are very deep. These are actually really…
Continue reading
Eric Kastan, MA, LMFT, BCBA As a clinician and behavior analyst, I will not only highlight ABA theory and techniques, but expand to a larger sense of having a family with an identified member with special needs. One of the biggest issues I run into in my work, especially when doing in-home behavioral work, is integrating the family to a larger community. The community may include organizations that are special needs aware or support group, but I believe the larger…
Continue reading
Ashley Greathead, MA, FACT Communications Consultant I recently did a study on diversity and inclusion in the workplace, as it relates to neurological diagnoses, particularly autism. Among other methods of research, I interviewed 6 inclusion experts of major corporations in the United States including EY, SAP, and Kaiser Permanente – all of which are openly dedicated to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. For this post, I wanted to share my findings on how they personally defined diversity. As you…
Continue reading
Eric Kastan, MA, LMFT, BCBA This month, I am departing a little bit of the ABA path. Part of being able to effectively intervene, manage, and shape your child’s behavior, is making sure you are also taking care of yourself. This, as a caregiver, is often over looked especially as your child gets older. Caregivers with an adult child on the spectrum are often not prepared mentally to deal with the high level of continued care needed for their child…
Continue reading
Linda Andron-Ostrow, CEO As I contemplate what to write, I am spending a week on Cape Cod. Everyone here is celebrating the end of summer, while trying to figure out how they have had so few hot days. It seems that everywhere you turn climate change is in the air. Lately, I have been contemplating just how much the climate for those on the spectrum has changed as well. During the month of August, I had the pleasure of attending…
Continue reading