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Like many parents of children on the autism spectrum, our first reactions to the realization that something was "different" about Katie included confusion, sadness and a burning desire for someone to tell us what to do about it. Unfortunately, no one did. Read our story to find out how we coped. Here you will also find separate sections which describe our experiences with the Montessori Method, the special education system, and our intervention program. We do not use the more common behavioral approach to autism intervention, and we'll tell you why. The Asperger's Express is not here to lead you to a cure for autism, or to "recover" your child, as though he or she were lost. In the beginning, we wished for these things, too, but we soon came to realize that these goals were neither realistic nor even desirable. Our journey has taken us past confusion and sadness to the understanding that we are not solving a problem, but raising a child. Our goal is not to make our daughter look or act more like "normal" children, but to meet her unique needs, even if we have to work a little harder to discover them. It is not for us to decide what she will be, but to support her in becoming herself. Our Special Education section contains information that we feel may be useful to New Jersey parents in their roles as advocates for their children. If you are not from New Jersey, you may still find it helpful since New Jersey State Law, like all states, must be compatible with IDEA. The only thing that changes is how, and how well, the law is implemented. In response to the many letters we receive from parents looking for more information on Stanley Greenspan's DIR Model, also known as Floor Time, we have included a section that contains a description of the method and some strategies for implementing it.
New Jersey parents should be sure to visit Celebrate the Children, where the DIR Model is being used to provide Special Education services in both public and private school settings. The Asperger's Express strongly supports CTC's goals of producing children who
Matthew Goodman died in February, 2002 while a resident of Bancroft NeuroHealth in Haddonfield, NJ. The arm restraints and helmet in the photo above were part of Matthew's "behavior plan." Matthew is not the first autistic child to die in one of NJ's behaviorally-based intervention programs, and as long as restraints and aversives can be called "treatment" in NJ, he will not be the last. Please join The Asperger's Express in supporting passage of legislation, which would prohibit the routine use of restraints and aversives (lemon juice, ammonia capsules, water sprays) in NJ. Visit our Restraints and Aversives section to find out what kinds of "treatment" NJ's developmentally disabled individuals are being subjected to and how you can help them.
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Copyright© 2003 The Asperger's Express
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