THE CONFUSION RELATED TO AUTISM
The Choices We Make And Why We Make Them
Welcome to the world of acronyms
ASD AS PDD PDD-NOS DTT ABA
PECS IEP LEA SEA FAPE FERPA
Welcome to the world of multiple decisions
Special classes Inclusion Diets Supplements Medications Communication devices Positive supports
Visual schedules Prompts Social stories Medical diagnoses Educational classifications Multitudes of very expensive “cures”
For parents and educators, the decisions are overwhelming
we? Don’t we? What if? Why? And who do we really believe?
Do
CHOOSING A PATH
Analysis Functional Behavior Assessments Behavior Intervention Plans Goals Objectives
Task
COMPARING AUTISM TO “NORMAL” IS LIKE COMPARING TRAINS TO CARS
CARS VS TRAINS
Cars change lanes Cars take many different roads Cars go around obstacles
Trains stay on a track Trains go the way they are pointed Obstacles stay out of the way of trains
One man with autism compared himself to a locomotive traveling down a railroad track.
Trains may function differently than cars, but if you let them stay on their tracks, they will eventually get to their destination.
If you park your car in the way, the train may well make a scrap heap out of it.
If you force a train off its tracks
The train will probably make big ruts in your road
What works for the average person may not be effective for a person with autism, just as what works for your car may not work for a locomotive.
It’s often best to go with our strengths. We may not always go quickly, but if we are pointed in the right direction, we will make progress, whether we are on a road or a train track.