Dr. Frances Jensen, neuroscientist at Children’s Hospital Boston and president-elect of the American Epilepsy Society, spoke at TEDMED 2010 conference about the developing brain.

Dr. Jensen has been active in exploring the connections between autism and epilepsy. This month Nature Medicine featured her work, which suggests that there’s more overlap between autism and seizures than previously thought.

We’ve all experienced it…and quite a few times actually…every time we are with or around “typical children”.  It may be at the mall, or at a playground…and all of a sudden our child does something, whether it be hollering, flapping or spinning…we don’t notice right away, because we are accustomed to being around these little stims at home.  It takes a couple of seconds, and by the time, we notice…we’ve also noticed something else…Yes…from other parents and other children…it’s the “sideways glance”.  It’s penetrating, and brutal, and it is virtually overwhelming when the “sideways glance” is coupled with a few hushed whispers from one typical mom to the next.  We can’t blame them…but we do!  They think they are being discreet…but they are not!  Some, may even give us a patronizing look of sympathy, and feel that it may make us feel better…But…it doesn’t!

So, what do we do?  How do we feel?  We all know how we SHOULD feel…the noble attitude of, “This is my child, and yes, he is autistic…this is just fine, and I love him and I accept him as he is in all environments…and I am not embarrassed or ashamed…so there…” and we hold our head high with dignity.  This is our façade…this is our mask.  Although there are a few of us that have been able to achieve the inner strength to muster up this same resolve and confidence in their hearts as well…most of us….well, deep inside us…our hearts are breaking!

Those sideways glances, whispers, and patronizing looks…they hurt, and yes…badly…like the stabs of a knife into our hearts.  We think to ourselves, “I shouldn’t let this bother me.”  And “I don’t even care what other people think.”  But…it does bother us, and it does embarrass us.  We may ask ourselves, “Why does this bother me…Why don’t I just “get over” myself…

The answer is just as simple, and as natural as a heartbeat…We are HUMAN!  And, as human beings, we care about what others think of us, and we long to be accepted…it is in our job description as people.  People conform to social graces, and standards, and this makes us all feel comfortable, and secure.  As a society of people, we have come a long way too…Just look at us…we have disabilities all around us and we don’t even flinch anymore, at someone in a wheelchair, or a blind or deaf person.  But…when it comes to a “social disability” as in the autism spectrum….well that is a real jagged pill.  Because of our set standards of behavior, these social disabilities make people uncomfortable, and they are at a loss as to how to react.

So, what is the answer…education, exposure…Yes, and yes, these are big parts of the puzzle that is “Acceptance” and “Awareness”. 

This April, lets all promote Autism Awareness as never before, since April is the dedicated month of International Autism Awareness and therein afterwards, month after month, year after year, day after day.  As there is more and more Autism Awareness…less and less become the occasions when we have to endure “The Sideways Glance”. 

Kimberly Larochelle

Warriors for Autism are a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting Autism awareness.  This foundation raises funds to help create programs such as sponsoring therapies, organizing family field trips, support groups, and sensory-friendly play dates for children and families of Autism Spectrum.

The goal of Deena Rivera, founder of Warriors for Autism is not only to raise awareness about Autism, but also to generate a desperate need for funding, in order to sponsor families who do not otherwise have access to vital therapies and much needed assistance in the Tampa Bay area.

This Saturday, 4/23^rd, Deena Rivera and her Warriors for Autism are hosting the following event and I thought many would be interesting in attending especially in this month of April, since it honors International Autism Month.

Here is the information to the event:

1st Annual Tampa Bay Joins Hands for Autism

Cocktails & Silent Auction Benefit

Saturday, April 23, 2011 from 6:30pm – 10:30pm

A fun evening event for Tampa ’s Warriors to come together, to dine, dance and show support for the fight against difficulties our autistic children face everyday. Proceeds from this event will be dedicated towards creating safe and affordable summer programs for children with autism spectrum disorders.

For further information contact:

Deena@warriorsforautism.com / 813-857-1698

www.warriorsforautism.org

Autism is Local.  Autism is National.  Autism is International.  The month of April is honoring “World Autism Month” and so do we here at the Mane’ Center.  There are no boundaries in the world that is Autism, and there is no color, race, creed, social or economic distinctions either. 

The Mane’ Center has been embracing visitors and patients all the way from the Tampa Bay Area to Michigan and North Carolina , to the UK this month!   It is truly a pleasure to be able to see the worldwide scope and the outpouring of international togetherness to find a solution for our world’s children and families living with Autism Spectrum.

A few months ago, I had the great pleasure of being interviewed by Kevin Healey of Autism Radio UK .  This was a tremendous forward step in a positive direction in getting the word out about hope and help for Autism Spectrum Disorders.
HERE IS THE LINK TO THE INTERVIEW:
http://www.autismradiouk.co.uk/archive/listen-again/200.php

Ahhh…the life of a child…So wistfully happy, and ultimately carefree.  With not a care in the world, a child is free…free from life’s stresses, and so it is, and so it should be the best time of life.  This state of being is usually true of most typical children, but to most of those that are within the Autism Spectrum…it is not.   For these children, life in general is just the opposite.  Instead of being carefree…they are worried.  Instead of being happy…they are frustrated, and fretful.  Life for them can be “too Loud”, “too Confusing”, or just “too Much”…   For example, I give you…”A Day at the Beach…” The sounds of the waves…so very pleasant, and relaxing…for MOST, and yet for them, these same sounds that can relax us and even lull us to sleep…can be as a “Frightening Roar” to these children.    Let’s add just another sensory component to our scene, shall we: The “feel’ of the warm sand, as it squeezes between our toes…it is a wonderful sensation …for MOST, and yet for them, the texture of this same sand is as an extreme irritant, and it’s sensation attacks their “Tactile Sense”, and it can be painful to them.    Let’s add to this picture yet again… “The Bright Sunny Day”, as the  sun beams and glistens on the water like sparkling diamonds…Beautiful…Yes…for MOST, and yet for them, the bright sun is too bright, as they cover their eyes, in search of shade, and relief from the onslaught of the sun.  Add the occasional sounds of the “Sea Gulls”. as we watch in delight, while they soar and land upon the shore, lifting their heads and calling to whomever may hear them…an intriguing delight for MOST,  and yet these same sounds are as literal “Shrieks”  that jump out of the air suddenly,  and startle them to their very core.   Those on the Autism Spectrum have some very bewildering sensory issues, as some of their senses are overly sensitive, and yet others under sensitive…add to the confusion , and you will find that there is varying combinations of overly and under sensory issues and degrees, and all unique to each individual.  I used to say, “If only I could get inside my little boy, and see the world through his eyes and ears…I would know…I would KNOW…”

  And so… “A Day at the Beach” …for many on the Autism Spectrum…really is NOT… “A Day at the Beach”…  It is very much a stressful and dramatically exhausting endeavor for them…and just the opposite from the way that we think of the occasion, and the expression that we loosely use to describe something easy and stress free…in other words:     “A DAY AT THE BEACH”     By:  Kimberly Larochelle