Monday, February 21, 2011

from Dave Angel:

So I just wanted to share with you a pretty cool description of Aspergers that the mom of a 9 year old with Aspergers gave her son (I don't know the woman's name, but I found the quote on The Public Autism Awareness website). Here's what she told her son...

"A long time ago, in 1944, there lived a scientist in Austria called Hans Asperger. Hans asperger spent many years studying all kinds of people and the ways in which we are all different, and he discovered a group of people who in some ways are very special. He found that these people were often very clever, with very good memories. They could also be very loving, friendly and caring people, and they often got very, very interested in one particular subject for a long time - sometimes so much that you could even say they were obsessed with it!

He also noticed that these special people sometimes had difficulty in understanding things - like why certain things happened, or understanding the things that other people said or did, and sometimes they felt embarrassed about their feelings, or very worried or cross about things, and also that they found certain things very frightening. And sometimes, because they were worried about something, it made them behave in a way which they couldn't explain to other people.

Hans Asperger did a lot of work with these people, and he discovered that because there were some things they did`t understand as well as other people, they needed some extra help to learn these things. But, because they were very clever people, with good memories, they were very good at learning these things, and some of them grew up to be very good musicians, writers, artists or scientists, even though they still didn`t understand everything about other people, and sometimes got cross at things that didn`t seem right to them.

There are lots of people like this in the world, and we think of them as Mr. Aspergers special people. Of course everybody is special in their own way, but it`s a way of describing a person who is very clever and caring, but just needs a little extra help and understanding while they learn all the strange and confusing things about life and our world."

I think the positive language and simplistic explanation is pretty impressive from this mom - so well done "mystery mom"!

Saturday, February 12, 2011

April 2 World Autism Day


The fourth annual World Autism Awareness Day is April 2, 2011

Every year, autism organizations around the world celebrate the day with unique fundraising and awareness-raising events.

On December 18, 2007, the United Nations General Assembly adopted resolution 62/139, tabled by the State of Qatar, which declares April 2 as World Autism Awareness Day (WAAD) in perpetuity. Her Highness Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al-Missned, Consort of His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, the Emir of the State of Qatar, supported the campaign for a World Autism Awareness Day through the current 62nd UN General Assembly Session, garnering consensus support from all United Nations Member States.

This UN resolution is one of only three official disease-specific United Nations Days and will bring the world's attention to autism, a pervasive disorder that affects tens of millions. The World Autism Awareness Day resolution encourages all Member States to take measures to raise awareness about autism throughout society and to encourage early diagnosis and early intervention. It further expresses deep concern at the prevalence and high rate of autism in children in all regions of the world and the consequent developmental challenges.

World Autism Awareness Day shines a bright light on autism as a growing global health crisis. WAAD activities help to increase and develop world knowledge of the autism epidemic and impart information regarding the importance of early diagnosis and early intervention. Additionally, WAAD celebrates the unique talents and skills of persons with autism and is a day when individuals with autism are warmly welcomed and embraced in community events around the globe.

By bringing together autism organizations all around the world, we will give a voice to the millions of individuals worldwide who are undiagnosed, misunderstood and looking for help. Please join us in our effort to inspire compassion, inclusion and hope.

How will WE celebrate? Well, for starters, on the evening of April 1st, you can Shine a Light on Autism, in blue!

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

lending library..


please remember to return the books you have borrowed, so that others may have a chance to read the books as well. Some of the books have not been returned for several months, and with cancelled meetings & weather...we understand. Please email us to make arrangements, or please return them at our next meeting; as some of the books have been requested from other group members, thanks!

How Does Your Engine Run?/ The Alert Program


info on the program here

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Let's go Bowling!!!



Saturday, March 19, 2011 from 5-7 at Valley Bowling Lanes in Winkler 655 Main Street North. $2.75/person/game (we should be able to do 2 games) Shoe rental is free! Please RSVP by March 1st to southcentralasd@gmail.com or call 822-5908 and leave a message.

Supper available for purchase…they order pizza from Domino’s, so if you are wanting pizza…let me know the flavor & how many slices you need & will also get the price for you! They also have the usual snacks....hot dogs, slushies, pop, nachos, chips & chocolate bars.

Come celebrate our families and have some fun at the same time!!! Remember it will be loud, so bring your headphones if you need them.

Thank you to Valley Bowling Lanes for allowing us to play again!