( Everyday Life with Autism )

Three Valuable Things I Have Learned at The Morgan Autism Conference

I was invited to attend the 11^th Morgan Autism Center Conference, www.morgancenter.org, which took place on the 22^nd of September. This conference focuses on social cognition, communication, and transitions from childhood to adulthood and is attended by parents, educators and professionals dealing with autism. There were many speakers at this all-day event, and I would like to share with you the most valuable things I have learned. Those are:

1-    How to write a Social Story™

2-    What happens to autistic children when they graduate from high school

3-    The importance of establishing a special needs trust fund

1- What Is a Social Story™?

A Social Story™ is an accurately written script to describe a social conflict and supported with illustrations to help solving the problem.

The approach is based on understanding the same situation from two points of view: the view of the child with autism and the view of the helping adult. We usually assume that everybody sees, hears, and feels the same way. Actually this wrong assumption leads to a major source of problems and miscommunication.

By gathering information about the two different points of view we can bridge the gaps in communication and expectations, thereby solving the problem.  These two points of view are combined to form what is referred to as a Social Story™. Those Social Stories™ are written in a positive narrative voice. We use the adult’s narrative to guide the story to a desirable outcome, but also taking into account the view of the child. This integration allows us to work around the weaknesses of the child by integrating his/her view with ours.

Arguing a perspective aggravates the problem. Instead of telling a child “you cannot do this” it is more effective to write a story to outline what the right course of action is.

Social Stories™ is a powerful strategy that has proved to give phenomenal results in solving the most stubborn conflicts when dealing with individuals on the autism spectrum. They were defined and developed in 1991 by Carol Gray, the director of the Gray Center.

According to Carol Gray, there are some common errors, among others, to avoid when writing Social Stories™.

• Expressing an opinion or an attitude or a bias without identification of whose opinion it is.
• Never use the second person “you” in a Social Story™.

Here are some rules to consider when writing a Social Story™:

• Social Stories™ consist of an introduction, a body, and a conclusion
• There are no paragraphs or bullets; always start with a new line
• Be factual; abandon all assumptions
• Write things down accurately as they are
• Write down what you want the person to do without giving direct orders
• Responses should be empowering, away from negative behaviors or information
• Never use the word “should”
• Teach one concept at a time
• Sequencing and simplicity assure good structure

To learn more about Social Stories™ visit www.thegraycenter.org.

Autistic individuals are not wired to perceive things the way typically developed individuals do. Using Social Stories™ is one of the most effective strategies to overcome this challenge. Social Stories are a trademark of Carol Gray.

2- The second session was about “Transition from Adolescence to Adulthood with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorders)” by Dr. Carl Feinstein, MD a professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Director, Stanford Autism Center at Lucille Packard Children’s Hospital.

A common parental concern is: “What will happen to my child with ASD when she/he ages out at 22 and stops receiving all services she/he was once eligible for?

Statistics show that most children with autism keep improving throughout their early childhood and adolescence until they graduate from High School. Improvement continues into the early twenties. Through the late twenties progress maxes out. Unfortunately, by the early thirties the vast majority of them will start losing some of the acquired social skills, behavior management and daily living skills, unless they join a structured support system after graduating from High School.

Individuals on the lower end of the spectrum with ID (Intelligence Disability, formerly known as MR, Mental Retardation) who join structured programs and continue to have an established routine after High School may continue to improve or at least don’t regress. Same thing applies to young adults with high functioning autism or Asperger’s Syndrome. Many of them can manage to have a relatively independent life. They can pursue higher education, or hold a mainstream job.

However, the vast majority that falls between these two extremes will stop improving and would even lose some of the skills they had previously gained, after losing access to services.

After listening to this realistic presentation and its awakening facts, I believe that parents and families should be strongly encouraged to find placements for their children that offer them continued learning and training possibilities. One example of such a placement would be the Morgan Autism Center www.morgancenter.org. Beside the customized education offered to young students, the center’s adult program emphasizes improving the independent living and vocational skills of its participants. The vocational training curriculum includes: 1- Computer Skills 2- Office skills 3-Bulk mail preparation 4- Assembly 5- Garden/farm work.

3- The third session works in tandem with the previous one. An important, but often overlooked concern is: “What will happen to my child when I am not around anymore?”

Michael Gilfix, a nationally renowned lawyer, encourages parents to establish a special needs trust fund. The trust varies according to the needs. It should be separate from any other trusts and not related to other siblings’ trusts.

It is highly recommended not to assign any of the siblings as trustees. The trust can always be modified according to the needs. The trust will allow parents to have peace of mind, especially if their child is unable to hold a job. Parents and family can fund the trust, and if the child is eligible she/he will receive public benefits as well, such as Medi-Cal or SSI (Supplemental Security Income).

The Morgan Autism Center www.morgancenter.org has actively contributed in educating people and spreading awareness about the most recent researches on this vital topic.

Nadia Shanab

Tags: asperger's syndrome, communication, independence, legal rights, techniques