New update from Debbie ; plus what's new on TV ..The Employables intro | A&E

Dear Readers~

I know it's been a while since my last post, but I've been busy focusing on my personal writing as well. as looking out for new material for this blog. Over the last few months, I've gone to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina to celebrate my 39th birthday with family. During that trip, I experienced a lot of first- my first show at the Alabama theater, my first ride on a handicapped accessible Ferris wheel called The Sky Wheel. Anyway, I highlighted some of those in my latest YouTube video over on my channel- so feel free to take a look.

Since I've been unemployed for about two years ago, the topic of unemployment is a sore spot for me. Being disabled, I can say first hand. It's difficult getting people to look beyond the wheelchair. I get it-. I really do. I mean, I can't just get up and go to work like a regular person, I need help with feeding as well as personal activities. But we need more people to look beyond our limitations and see the possibilities we have as human beings. That's why I'm still interested in this new show called The Employables on A& E. While this show mainly centers around its clients who have Tourette's Syndrome finding jobs, what I find particularly interesting is how the group of "experts" do this. They get to know their clients personally, examine their strengths and weaknesses through a bunch of tests

The show airs Wednesdays on A & E at 10 PM.

For more information about this program, please go to:

https://www.aetv.com/shows/the-employables/about

https://www.facebook.com/AETV/videos/vb.14044019798/398608414022654/?type=2&theater













On a personal note, since Memorial Day, I have come to realize this would be my one year anniversary of my YouTube channel. So I may come up with something special in one of my future episodes. Stay tuned



Love you all, but God loves you more..



Your friend,

Debbie

Carly's Café - Experience Autism Through Carly's Eyes

Welcome Back Readers~

Not many people really know what it's like in the   mind of someone with autism, but this YouTube gives you a glimpse into their world. Thanks to medical and technological advances, some are able to break through the wall to communicate with family and friends- like Carly. Being  nonverbal, she uses a computer to put her thoughts down on paper; her intellectual prowess and comedic timing inspired her to create a Internet channel interviewing celebrities. .

 For more information about Carly and Carly's Internet talk Speechless, go to:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeKKQlMB1NeOLN31_CSJFRQ?sub_confirmation=1

A Boy Called Po Trailer #1 (2017) | Movieclips Indie

Hey Guys~

Today I just happened upon a independent movie that explores the complex relationship between a boy with autism and his parent; it was called A Boy Called Po. Throughout this movie, the main character whose real name is Patrick struggles to find this place between the imaginary world. He creates in mind and the real world where he is coping with his mother's death and bullying at school. While his father struggles to branch the gap between him and his son, we are able to get a real-life glimpse of what is like to be  labeled as Autism.

For more information about this movie: please go to:

http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/a-boy-called-po-2017

https://www.facebook.com/aboycalledpo/

http://variety.com/2017/film/news/christopher-gorham-a-boy-called-po-september-release-1202501037/

I

THE GOOD DOCTOR Official Trailer (HD) Freddie Highmore ABC Drama

Welcome Back Readers,

Along with the topic of CP being highlighted in ABC's  Speechless, the disability of autism has been added to ABC's lineup. The Good Doctor, which premiered on Monday, features a main character with high functioning autism, joining the ranks as part of the residency team at a local hospital. His job may be in jeopardy, though, because colleagues debate his competency to do with the drama and even appear for his interview-he is late, though, because he tries to save a child's life. The show premiered on Monday September 25 at 10 p.m.

For more information on this series, please go to:

http://abc.go.com/shows/the-good-doctor/episode-guide/season-01/1-pilot-burnt-food

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt6470478/

Atypical | Official Trailer [HD] | Netflix

Dear Readers,

Another Netflix series highlights the trials and tribulations of having a teenager with a disability; this time it features a storyline of someone with autism. With a all-star cast, this series tackles what people with this disability encounter on a daily basis- from taking things literally in conversations to hypersensitivity to noises. This  series also tackles the daily stress a disability has on the entire family  as well. After only watching three episodes, I am impressed at how it is unfolding, however, I will be disappointed if the series ends with only seven episodes.. There are so many complex conflicts to uncover..



For more information, please go to:

http://www.vulture.com/2016/10/new-netflix-show-to-feature-autistic-lead.html

https://media.netflix.com/en/press-releases/netflix-announces-new-series-atypical-from-robia-rashid-and-seth-gordon-starring-jennifer-jason-leigh-keir-gilchrist-and-michael-rapaport

http://tv.bt.com/tv/tv-from-bt/atypical-netflix-autism-air-date-11364196104926

Encouragement: Lessons from The Real World... Lending A Helping Hand on the Metro

Welcome Back Readers ~

I came across  this inspirational  story that  was featured  last night on the news It's nice to know  that there are still  people in this world  that care!

 

Over 43 years working on the job, O. J Richardson has made it his priority to help people as they navigate their way through the Metro Station in Downtown DC. But none are more special than the students at St. Coletta in Southeast DC. You see, they have a variety of disabilities ranging from autism to physical impairments;  as part of   outstanding  learning curriculum, they are  taught how to use  maps  and   distinguish between  the different   routes.

 Richardson helps out whenever he can. He says, "My mother instilled in us the right way to go!" In helping to teach these lessons now, they are not only gaining knowledge for the future; but they are gaining confidence in their ability to remain independent as well. 18-year-old Ricky Thomas Byers puts it best when he says, "[I want to] got my own place [and] call my own shots.."

 

 Citation  for TV Program: "Monitoring Metro " Fox channel 5 WTTG DC, News at 10pm, May 22, 2013

A Closer Look At Autism With the New "Colored My Mind" Documentary

Dear Readers,|

As the weekend begins, I am overwhelmed with the number of disabled stories being reported on Fox 5.The first segment featured a documentary on Autism;. The documentary attempts to shed light on this sometimes misunderstood disorder by creating a open-ended discussion and sharing four different mothers'experiences. The second story was entitled  "Prom Promises"; this is a unique program that allows disabled students to attend prom like any other student- that is, with the help of some Lee High School students. For more information on any of these inspiring stories, you can follow the links below

Have a wonderful weekend!
God bless,
Debbie

– –
The Official Website of The Color My Mind Documentary-http://www.coloredmymind.com/

The Official Trailer of Colored My Mind can be viewed at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNgbEHy03tg


"Prom Promises" Segment -
http://www.myfoxdc.com/story/22157521/disabled-students-get-a-prom-of-their-own-in-springfield#axzz2SGzKtVm1 hey sorry will listen to

It's that time again... (Autism Awareness Month)

Welcome Back Folks~

It's that time again.. Not only is April the month of my birthday but it's also Autism Awareness Month. Apart from autism campaigns such as Autism Speaks, this disability is often misdiagnosed and misunderstood. I encourage you to look to look at my previous posts and the link below to find out more information and stay informed about the cause!

http://www.joniandfriends.org/blog/autism-awareness-month/

Another interesting piece about autism

Okay,

So I don't quite get it, the last couple of days there has been a lot of disability related information on the news. This one is yet another study on the probability of autism in premature births. University College in London connected the research evaluating over 250 births. The results: over 8% of those premature births (births before the 26th week) were diagnosed with autism by the age of 11

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Citation for TV Program: "Health Alert " Fox channel 5 WTTG DC, News at 5 pm, February 12, 2010

New study regarding autism risks

Welcome back,
Okay, so I didn't make my projected deadline for the Patrick Henry book review again! I just don't think I have the patience to listen to the CDs to find out where I was. Let alone, it seems to be snowing again in Virginia, so I can't really do much. Since it doesn't seem like my personal assistants will be working for me anytime this week, I plan on getting a lot of writing done. Still, be on the lookout for the book review this Wednesday. I might just do it! For the time being, I heard a interesting piece of news related to autism today. A recent study showed the impact that age had on pregnancy risks. According to the study, your risk for autism increases by 18% for every five years in a woman's age
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Citation for TV Program: "Health Alert " Fox channel 5 WTTG DC, News at 5 pm, February 8, 2010

Encouragement: Military Families Fighting for More Than Just Peace

Welcome back,

Did you know one out of 88 military kids have autism? That's an alarming statistic, but surprisingly accurate. Researchers say that these numbers "paint a more realistic picture" about the large number of autistic children of military families . Where does that leave our soldiers? Worrying about their kids as they fight to protect Americans, waging a war on terrorism. As you know, autism is not an easy disability to live with; it requires several hours a day of applied behavioral analysis in order to teach them to function in the real world.

That's not an easy task, considering the military currently covers only a part of the therapy costs. According to program, most military families receive only 10 to 14 hours of the 25 needed each week for the therapy. The rest may have to be paid out of pocket by the family; Congress is considering providing more help. We need to pray for these families.

-- Citation for TV Program: "Battle Against Autism " News segment Tisha Thompson reporting, Fox channel 5 WTTG Washington DC, News at 10 pm, November 9, 2009

Discrimination still exists, but it all stems from not understanding a person's disability

Hey Guys~


Okay, so I realize I am a week behind. But I have kind of developed different priorities this week. After visiting my friend and participating in her last musical recital, I continue to be amazed at how much things change- no matter how much we don't want too! But that's a part of life, I guess; learning to accept those changes and adapt to them. To be honest, that's the lesson I struggle with most in my current circumstances. I'm seeing my friends go out into the world and succeed and then I look at myself. My success is minuscule, compared to theirs. I just wish I was doing more. But then I am reminded my success is on a different standard as the world's . As a result, my dad has encouraged me to continue writing my book. It has been going well, but I am beginning to wonder whether my purpose has changed

Anyway, that's where my head is at right now. After I finish these updates, for this week and the next, I am planning to take a break for a while as I will be unavailable. I don't know how feasible it will be to update for the next three weeks.

Now, on to today's post, I actually came across this article thanks to one of my readers. At times, articles like these remind me that we are not living in a perfect world. As much as we would like to say that people with disabilities are not discriminated against, that's not always true. This article proves that. In summary, the article tells the story of a young boy who is acting out in the classroom. In response, the teacher along with his classmates "voted" him out of the classroom as a discipline. It was later discovered that the boy had autism. The teacher was later suspended, but most recently, she was reinstated.

Here is the full article:


http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/sfl-student-voted-out-bn061109,0,6421556.story%20say%20no

Unlocking Autism

Welcome Back~

I'm sorry for posting this later than usual, but I have been out and about today. I enjoyed my weekend, getting time to spend with my father. He helped me to develop a plan of action for writing my book; now if I can only stick to it. Hopefully, the new Christian CD I bought featuring Mandisa will help provide me with the motivation. Wish me luck, I really do need it-because lately I haven't felt like writing.

But anyway, on to today's post. Recently, there was a documentary featured on the Discovery Health Channel looking at autism from both a scientific and human perspective. In "Unlocking Autism", scientists consider the many different factors that can contribute to the disorder. Autism is largely considered a behavioral disorder impacting one out of every 150 children. This increase in diagnoses have caused many to question it as well as its origins. Questions like "Where Did It come from?", "Is it in fact Hereditary or Environmentally Impacted?" are at the center of the debate.

"At the moment when a child is diagnosed with autism, parents feel helpless that there isn't something that the scientific community and the clinical community is offering them," says Richard Amaral, Research Director for the UC Davis M.I.N.D Institute.

While the causes of autism remain a mystery, parents are willing to try anything-even alternative therapies-to help their children. Jackie is one such parent. Her three-year-old son Fintan has autism; as well as trying conventional therapies such as occupational and speech therapy, she has also tried oxygen therapy and chelation (taking metals from the body). Today, she has enrolled her son to take part in the Autism Phenome Project. This study is the largest of its kind , funded by The M.I.N.D. hopes to provide more insight into the disorder and some characteristics that set it apart. In all, a total of 1800 children will participate.

Although many of the symptoms of autism are the same despite its severity, scientists are still having trouble distinguishing one type of autism from another. Common symptoms include a difficulty with communication, socialization problems (being able to bond with people), and a stickler for routines or organizational skills.

The testing includes taking 3-D pictures of his brain; these may show any abnormalities as far as shape and size. According to research, about 20% of people with autism have enlarged heads. This may be because the frontal lobe has not developed properly.

But for right now, the most effective form of therapy focuses on intensive behavioral therapy in the early stages of child development.

"The window is open in a special way in infancy. In infancy babies' brains are literally forming. Neurons are moving, they're establishing connections. They're connecting by extending out little processes to each other with a little gap that the currents can actually flow across and that is how one neuron communicates with another and how the brain manages to talk to itself. After all these connections form, a baby has a lot more connections than they will ever need and so the brain actually starts to clear away some of the clutter, it's called pruning.." says Sally Rogers, one of the leading behavioral therapist at the MInd Institute.

Unfortunately, not everyone has had early intervention for their for their autism. That is when programs like the ones at the Douglass Developmental Disabilities Center comes into play. These programs teach the importance of social skills for teenagers as well as the right way to get way you get what you want.

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Citation for TV Program: "Unlocking Autism ", Discovery Health channel 161 DHC . April 6, 2009 at 11 PM. (Original air time, 8 PM, repeat)

Another autism webpage

So,

I took another Friday off; I guess I haven't been up to writing much lately. I don't know if I ever can put into words the amount of adjustment moving to another state takes. After all, it's been almost 2 months and I'm still feeling some of the effects. But the least I have a vacation to look forward to next week. That's right, my family and I are heading to the beach and finally taking a vacation- the first of which since we moved. Anyway, that's the reason there will not be any posts for next week.

Today's post is going to be a short one. In actuality, I am still playing catch-up for the rest of the week. That being said, I came across this website looking at autism. I thought I would share with you. Despite my short analysis, it looks like a comprehensive website that explores all aspects of the diagnosis and treatment.

Feel free to check it out for yourself.

The website can be accessed simply by going to:

http://autism.expertinforeview.com/uncategorized/autism-an-incurable-developmental-disability

Alternative treatment for autism

Hello everyone,

I know Wednesdays are usually labeled "encouragement" days, but today I decided to switch things up a little. Just yesterday, I watched an interesting segment on Nightline involving dealing with autism and alternative treatments. What was the treatment suggested this time? Taking your child surfing.

That's right, you heard me correctly. Taking your child surfing

Currently, the statistics in the US for autism is rising at a alarming rate. So much so that the American Journal Of Pediatrics is urging parents to screen their child twice for autism. Once at 18 months and then again at 24 months. Typical symptoms for the onset of the disease are your child not smiling, a child that has trouble keeping eye contact with someone or lack of speech.

Where exactly does surfing come into play in all of this? Well.. The program is called Surfer's Healing.The theory being that the ocean waves have a calming effect on austitic children. Program founder Isaiah Paskowitz, knows this firsthand. He experienced this with his child at a early age. As a result, he and his autistic son now have a hobby they can participate in together.

"There's some kind of magic that happens out there," he said

It isn't always about the surfing though. It's about the lessons they learn through surfing- this simple fact that they can do anything they put their mind too. This weekend activity also provides an avenue for parents to get together and discuss his the trials and tribulations of having a autistic child

For more information, you can visit the website at:

http://www.surfershealing.com/

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Citation for TV Program: "Nightline" News segment, . ABC channel 7 WXYZ Detroit, News at 11: 30 pm, October 29, 2007

Citation:

Another post on Autism.

Well,

It's been a long and busy week. I'm still getting adjusted to having a new job and there's still a lot to be done before I move out in November. But that's just a part of life, I guess. I'm kind of grateful that I have a lot to do. It makes me feel useful and doesn't give me time to feel "sorry" or have pity on myself. I tend to do that sometimes now that a majority of my friends are gone. But I shouldn't. After all, I have a lot of good going on in my life right now. A new apartment, a new job. What more could a independent woman ask for?

I don't know.

Anyway, on to today's post.

Since I have been talking about perseverance and patience in my life, I thought I would highlight others with the same prospective. (Okay, part of my decision to write about this was because the movie happened to be on, but still..) Some of you may know what movie I'm talking about. It's called Miracle Run. Based on the true story of the Morgan family, the movie chronicles the daily struggle of a mother trying to do right with her children despite the devastating diagnosis of autism. For those of you that are unfamiliar, autism is a brain disorder that affects social interaction and communication skills. In some cases, this diagnosis leads to the institutionalization of people. Unwilling to accept this, Corrrine Morgan made it her mission to get her twin sons the best education possible. At a early age, she began to research her children's rights to a normal education with such adaptations as a IEP etc.

As the boys grew, they began to see themselves as separate and unique individuals becoming involved in a variety of activities . Philip has continued to pursue his interest in music, while Steven enjoys running. At the end of the film, it updates the audience saying that they are both hoping to get full scholarships to college. Their mother, Corrine, is happily married and the founder of "Miracle Run", a organization that hopes to find a cure for the disorder as well as just being there to help people deal and live with their diagnosis

More about Autism: Inside Autism

( Note: there are two entries for today, so please read both. I think you will be very interested)

Welcome back,

Happy Easter.. I wonder what it says about me that I didn't really remember it was Easter until Saturday. It's been like that a lot lately with everything. I am beginning to wonder. My weekend went okay. Instead of going to visit relatives, my parents and I decided to spend a quiet Easter at home. I think that was a good idea considering the circumstances. For one, my dad finds himself out of town more and more. So our time is very precious. Second, my parents are knee-deep in a kitchen renovation project. We are getting new wood cabinets; as a result, my parents are tearing down what they can of the old cabinets to prepare for the change.. The kitchen is a sight to see

Anyway, as a follow-up to Friday's post on autism, I thought this was interesting. As it turns out, for the past couple of weeks WDIV Detroit has been doing a focus on autism on Tuesday as well as the report I did earlier. Unfortunately for me, I did not realize this until just recently. For that, I apologize. I will have to watch the news more often. Where was I going with this? Oh, the news.. I know from personal experience how hard it is to cope with a physical disability. I can just imagine that physical as well as emotional barriers that people with autism have to overcome.

Recently, a new program is being used to teach people with autism about the reality of real-life situations without the initial feelings of fear and apprehension . Dubbed the "Weinberg" village, this program is placed safely underground and serves as its own little town. The town offers typical services such as a bank, beauty salon, and drugstore. The purpose of the program is to allow people with autism to put into practice the lessons they have learned throughout their education. Currently, a lot of local businesses are getting involved in the program. Some of these businesses include: Henry Ford, Savon Drugs, Huntington Bank.

"We say it's learning between the classroom and the real community because things are hard to practice out in the real community," says program director, Nancy Sinelli.

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Citation for TV Program: "Inside Autism " News segment Paula Tutman reporting, NBC channel 4 WDIV Detroit, News at 6 pm, March 3, 2007.

Autism

Hello,

If you've been with me and my blog long enough, I'm pretty sure you've sensed a pattern emerging in my writing. What is that pattern exactly? Well, I usually gravitate towards stories of physical disabilities as well is people with physical limitations. I intend to break myself that bad habit today. On the one hand, I believe it is important to understand your disabilities and the limitations it puts on your life. On the other hand, I believe it is essential to gain a basic, knowledgeable understanding of other disabilities in order to bridge the gap between past and future generations. This will lessen the possibility for "stereotypical" knowledge.

That being said, I just happened to be watching a program and I got a preview of a news clip. This time, it featured some new research findings regarding autism. If you are unfamiliar with the term, autism is a disability which impacts the socialization and communication skills of young children. In the report, psychologists and researchers say there may be several new warning signs as to the onset of autism. One possible warning could being a child not answering to their name before age 1 could be diagnosed with autism. In a University of California study, researchers found that three out of four babies who did not answer to their name by looking towards the sound or some kind of movement were diagnosed with autism just a year later. According to another study done Vanderbilt University, the scores of children who had brothers or sisters with autism. There scores were slightly lower than most.

Now, reports like these are not valid without more evidence and credibility to support its claims. So I suggest you consult a doctor or do more research on your own if you're concerned about your child having autism or just want to see whether more research has been done to see if there is in fact a correlation between these warning signs and the onset of autism.


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Citation for TV Program: "New Autism Findings" News segment Rhonda Walker reporting, NBC channel 4 WDIV Detroit, News at 11 pm, March 2 , 2007.