opportunity to educate parents and professionals

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Hi all,

I'm a social worker for a nonprofit that serves people with disabilities, including people on the spectrum. (Yes, I'm a 'social' worker with AS--already aware of the irony )

Yesterday I got a referral for my program from a visiting nurse for my region. Her patients are from disadvantaged families and she seems to try to treat the whole person, not just their health needs. She's come to my agency a few times to help them find housing and vocational services, which I love to help her with.

During our conversation, she mentioned how some of the families she works with have children with ASD's. Long story short, I disclosed my own AS and she was fascinated. (She seems like a very open-minded person, but has a lot of misconceptions. Honestly, I think she was surprised I have a form of autism and can talk). She wants to learn more about autism and Asperger's because families are looking to her for information and she can't answer their questions.

She asked me to recommend some websites and books to her. My GRASP chapter in Philly had a great cd with hundreds of resouces, but I don't want to overwhelm her with too much at once. I really want to supply her with good, accurate information since she will be passing it along to parents of newly-diagnosed kids and colleagues, though.

We have an opportunity to educate an educator and there's so much misinformation out there that I'd like to seize it. I have a few things in mind, but I'm curious ... what would you recommend as the best resources?

Thanks!

Well, for her - given her mission - I'd say the Attwood books.

Thanks, Nan. They really are the best for AS.

I'm especially trying to find websites or articles dealing with more severe, Kanner's-type autism that I'd feel comfortable recommending. Much of what's out there in the media could seem so negative and frightening, especially to parents of a newly-diagnosed child.

The only ideas I've had so far have been some websites of PA-based organizations where they can find resources and some writings by Bill Stillman. Maybe the AutCom website, too?

She mentioned some of the parents have been coming to her for information about potentially dangerous "cures" for the kids, so I'd like to temper the information they've been exposed to with some information that's positive and/or based in science. I'll have to look around a bit tomorrow ...

Another good resource is through Kathleen Seidel's "Neurodiversity Blog." There's a list of information on Ms. Seidel's sit that is very informative.

Her essays might be too clinical or legally complex to parse, and for a new parent who wants more pragmatic info right now, it might be too much, because of the history behind the "vaccine controversy" and the legal machinations, but I really do recommend her site. Her essays and info are presented in a reasonable and clearly presented fashion.

Metta, Rjaye