Joyriding In Autismland: Autism Podcast with Kid Gigawatt

Stoked to be chatting with Eric Tivers, licensed Clinical Social Worker, coach, consultant, and counselor for ADHD and High Functioning Autism.

We chat about what led him to an ADHD diagnosis in college, and what happens when autism is comorbid with ADHD. (<-- See also: polar vortex.)

Eric has a new podcast coming out soon, ADHD Rewired, and can be found on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Kelley

PS Click here to listen, subscribe, rate, and review us on iTunes: Joyriding in Autismland

So inspired to speak to Icelandic filmmaker Marget Ericsdottir, whose teenage son, Keli, has nonverbal autism. Margret's moving documentary, A Mother's Courage, follows her quest to understand autism, and ultimately leads to her son being able to communicate via a letter board. Initially thought to be mentally disabled with the intelligence of a two year old, Keli is now a mainstreamed high school student with a 3.9 GPA.

Margret's English voiceover for the film was provided by Kate Winslet, and the two ladies forged a strong bond, collaborating on a book, The Golden Hat: Talking Back to Autism, and co-founding the nonprofit The Golden Hat Foundation. The foundation seeks to raise autism awareness and establish "innovative post-high school living campuses designed to truly honor all autistic individuals - not just those considered "higher-functioning" - by creating an environment that supports and respects their individual needs and strengths."

They are organizing a walk for autism on May 17th - find all the details here, and keep up with them on Facebook here.

Kelley

I'm stoked to be chatting with Kara Wilson today. Kara has a 6 year-old daughter with Asperger's, and pens a fantastic blog called Karacteristic: Stirred, Not Shaken.<--LOVE.

I discovered her hilarious short story Welcome to Asperger's Island in the 2011 book Wit and Wisdom from the Parents of Special Needs Kids: Mostly True Stories of Life on the Spectrum. I read the story for you at the end of the episode. Heads on your desks, people- it's story time!

Catch Kara on Twitter @ellieswords, and on the world wide web at http://karacteristic.com. Did I mention that you MUST follow her on Twitter? That's where you can read gems like this from her daughter:

Ellie ‏@ellieswords

Mom, if I don't have school tomorrow, maybe you could look up what the "f" word is for me. #overmydeadbody #onlysix #NOOOOOOOOoooooooooooooo

Nice try, Ellie. Nice try. *wink!*

Kelley

Stoked to be speaking today with Sarah Bronson, Executive Director of Riding to the Top, a nonprofit therapeutic horseback riding center in Windham, Maine. Riding to the Top has been a Premier Accredited Center by PATH International (the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship) since 2000, and is where my little (Roman) cowboy has been riding for years.

We chat about the human-horse connection, what sort of activities they focus on, and why running the farm is like orchestrating a symphony with multiple moving parts.

Click here to listen, subscribe, rate, and review us on iTunes: Joyriding in Autismland

Kelley

For more deets on the benefits of therapeutic horseback riding, click on over here for an article by yours truly: http://kidgigawatt.com/blogs/news/9447577-animal-therapy-spotlight-horseback-riding

Wayne Gilpin began his publishing career by bringing car repair and law books to market. When his son Alex was diagnosed with autism, he joined the Autism Society of America, and became its president in 1987. Alex was 15 when the first edition of Wayne Gilpin’s lighthearted self-published book was released in 1993, Laughing & Loving with Autism: A Collection of “Real Life” Warm & Humorous Stories. The 500 copies he conservatively printed sold out in just 3 days.

He founded Future Horizons in 1996, dedicated to publishing books relating to autism, and by now they have published over 140 books as well a truly excellent bi-monthly magazine, Autism Asperger’s Digest. Future Horizons organizes educational autism conferences all over the globe, featuring renowned speakers and experts such as Dr. Temple Grandin, Dr. Tony Attwood, Dr. Jed Baker, Jennifer McIlwee Myers, and Dr. James Ball.

Alex passed away in 2008, but shared an apartment as a young adult with a friend with autism in North Carolina. There’s a fantastic article from the Chapel Hill News here on how they successfully navigated this living arrangement.

My husband, Jeff, about having a kiddo on the spectrum, superpowers, positive ions, and the extended version at the record store.

Episode number 11 is with my boyo Roman's fantabulous In-Home Support staff, Lauren O'Neil, who has worked with Romi for a little over a year in our messy... chaotic... loud... *ahem* lively home.

Her little brother also has autism, and we chat about how she started working on behavioral plans in people's homes, and how autism has amped up both her patience - and her intolerance - at the same time. (<-- This will totally make sense!)

In Maine, In-Home Support is funded through Mainecare, which is everyone else's Medicaid. Your local Department of Health & Human Services will have all the applications and info. And even if you are over-income for Medicaid, you can still qualify for benefits via the Katie Beckett Fund. (It's a cold comfort, I know. But at least it'll save you some post-tax dolladollabills...)

Kelley

PS Here's a link to an article from the New York Times on who Katie Beckett was, and how she's so positively impacted families who have kids with disabilities.