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Ten Questions That Make My Head Hurt

Okay, so I’ve got some questions: 1. Why is it perfectly okay for a child to rock back and forth sitting on a swing, but not rock back and forth sitting on the floor? 2. Why is it perfectly okay for... [Read More]

on 11/12/10 | 5 Comments | Read More

Bullying (Part 7): Bullying Differences – The Problem

One of the things that spurred my series on bullying—before the news decided that bullying was a hot issue and before I realized October was Bullying Awareness month—was a post written by Clay. Th... [Read More]

on 11/11/10 | No Comments | Read More

Stories of Our Lives

Although blogs have become very popular in the past few years, most blogs currently online are no longer active. Sometimes that’s because a person starts a blog and then gets too busy to keep i... [Read More]

on 11/10/10 | 4 Comments | Read More

The Myth of Extrovert Empathy

Popular belief would have it that being effusively social in nature is to be more empathetic, more in tune with others’ feelings. I would say from personal observation however that the opposite is t... [Read More]

on 11/9/10 | 3 Comments | Read More

No Rest for the Obsessive

I’ve done some more work on my old list of autistic fictional characters, giving it a spruce-up and adding stuff. I hope it now looks a little bit less ancient and neglected. This list of mine fea... [Read More]

on 11/9/10 | No Comments | Read More

That’s Not What I Hear

“So, okay,” I said, moving on to the next topic. “‘Why do noises bother Bud?’ Well, we said that our brains control all of our senses, and that means that sometimes Bud’s hair-dryer-brain... [Read More]

on 11/8/10 | No Comments | Read More

Going Back to the Place You Lived as a Kid for Pictures to Remember

This “short” was retrieved from the personal journal of a reader who wishes to remain anonymous, on the occasion of his reading Gwen McKay’s The Paradox of Changing the World with Words. Shot th... [Read More]

on 11/8/10 | 1 Comment | Read More

A Year Ago at Shift Journal

Nut grafs or otherwise relevant excerpts from entries which appeared last year at this time. • • • • • • • ... [Read More]

on 11/8/10 | No Comments | Read More

Neurodiversity, Self-Determination, and the Magic Pill

Every now and then, I get caught up in the whole question of a cure for autism. It’s not that I believe that a cure is possible. I don’t. How can you cure who I am and leave me whole? How can y... [Read More]

on 11/5/10 | 2 Comments | Read More

Introverts, Asperger’s, Autism

It has occurred to me that many aspies and autists exhibit exaggerated or acute forms of typical introverted traits. In a previous post, I examined the concept of schizoid personality disorder as a w... [Read More]

on 11/4/10 | 5 Comments | Read More

The Early Years

How did people go about raising children in prehistoric times? Researchers considering this question have extrapolated from their studies of currently existing aboriginal cultures, identifying common... [Read More]

on 11/3/10 | 3 Comments | Read More

Shake Your Sillies Out

Once I’d wrapped up the “language” portion of the presentation, it was time to address some of the questions that Bud’s classmates had about his sensory issues. “Okay,” I said. “Next que... [Read More]

on 11/1/10 | No Comments | Read More

I See Dead Blokes

Donald*, could you please tell me, what is this all about? I’m pondering the same question now that I wondered about twenty-odd years ago, when I was in my 20’s, a graduate on a quest to find a d... [Read More]

on 11/1/10 | No Comments | Read More

A Year Ago at Shift Journal

Nut grafs or otherwise relevant excerpts from entries which appeared last year at this time. • • • • • • • ... [Read More]

on 11/1/10 | No Comments | Read More

Speak Up on November 1st!

On November 1st, people all over the world are being asked to stay off social networking sites as part of a Communication Shutdown. This initiative is the brainchild of an Australian organization cal... [Read More]

on 10/29/10 | 2 Comments | Read More

I’m Right Here: Rudy Simone on Life as an “Aspergirl”

Rudy Simone is a writer, jazz singer, and stand-up comedian in San Francisco. She’s also a proud member of an often-misunderstood minority-within-a-minority: a woman on the autism spectrum — or as... [Read More]

on 10/29/10 | 2 Comments | Read More

From the Pro-Neurodiversity Trenches

Early intervention and treatment is important! If caught early enough, negative attitudes toward autism and other disabilities can be minimized and even reversed! Read more below to see what happens ... [Read More]

on 10/28/10 | 7 Comments | Read More

When a Line of Toys Is Just Playtime

There’s lots about this parenting gig that I find delightful. Toys, and watching the kids playing with them, has to be one of the more fun bits. My kids line things up. Even when I knew it was on... [Read More]

on 10/28/10 | 4 Comments | Read More

Coffee Casualty

My original plan for this post was to spend Monday evening reflecting on how today’s social and physical environment can be stressful for our kids and writing a thoughtful article on that subjec... [Read More]

on 10/27/10 | 6 Comments | Read More

Sing Out Loud, Sing Out Strong

Before I continue telling you about the class presentation, I just want to thank you for the response that these posts are getting. I’m a bit overwhelmed, but I’m also delighted that so many of y... [Read More]

on 10/25/10 | No Comments | Read More

A Year Ago at Shift Journal

For all its charms, the weblog platform does also bury older content for no better reason than that newer material has come along. While we all like to feel we’re improving, whether you are writing... [Read More]

on 10/25/10 | 1 Comment | Read More

The Intersection of Autism and Politics (not where you think it is)

“If we were a voting block, we could run the country.” That’s the phrase I kept coming back to eleven or twelve years ago now, when the full extent of autism’s unbroken spectrum first came i... [Read More]

on 10/22/10 | 6 Comments | Read More

Dreams and Growing Up

In her article Grieving the Dream and Living What Is, Rachel Cohen-Rottenberg described her feelings about realizing that there are some things she cannot do because of auditory processing issues and ... [Read More]

on 10/20/10 | 3 Comments | Read More

Community over Cacophony: Navigating the Online Autism Community

Dictionary definition: ”Noun: A harsh, discordant mixture of sounds: ‘a cacophony of deafening alarm bells’; ‘a cacophony of architectural styles’.” The online autism community often feel... [Read More]

on 10/19/10 | 3 Comments | Read More

Meanings, Feelings, and Wacky Hair

It occurs to me that I left out a critical piece of information that you’ll need if you want to have an accurate mental picture of the circle of children and teachers I faced in Bud’s classroom la... [Read More]

on 10/18/10 | No Comments | Read More

A Year Ago at Shift Journal

For all its charms, the weblog platform does also bury older content for no better reason than that newer material has come along. While we all like to feel we’re improving, whether you are writing... [Read More]

on 10/18/10 | No Comments | Read More

Are Autistics More Honest? If So, What Then?

The placement of Rachel Cohen-Rottenberg’s Word of Honor immediately prior to this entry is intentional, as it makes for an opportunity to bring up some related observations about autism and honesty... [Read More]

on 10/15/10 | 2 Comments | Read More

Word of Honor

Over at Life in the House that Asperger Built, there’s been a great discussion about what happens in the minds and hearts of those of us on the spectrum when people don’t mean what they say. One ... [Read More]

on 10/15/10 | No Comments | Read More

Re-education: Why do we insist on speech therapy for “high-functioning” kids?

When my son was diagnosed with Autism, the assessment team gave us a detailed report of all of his “deficits” — mostly his communication style. His eye contact was not typical. His speech was ... [Read More]

on 10/14/10 | 8 Comments | Read More

Identity Politics and Neurodiversity

We’ve had some discussion here on Shift Journal recently about the extent to which characters and behaviors should be described as autistic. Mark Stairwalt speculates that when people feel unco... [Read More]

on 10/13/10 | 10 Comments | Read More

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