Announcements:

Los Angeles Asperger Syndrome Parents’ Support Group

Announcements

1. The U.C.L.A. PEERS (Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills) is a 14-week evidence-based social skills intervention for motivated teens in middle and high school who are interested in learning ways to help them make and keep friends. During each group session teens are taught important social skills and are given the opportunity to practice these skills in session during socialization activities. Parents attend separate sessions at the same time and are taught how to assist their teens in making and keeping friends by helping to expand their teen’s social network and providing feedback through coaching during weekly socialization homework assignments. Enrollment is limited. Parent participation is required.

2. Another U.C.L.A PEERS program for young adults ages 18-22 (possibly older) is now starting for those with High Functioning Autism/ Asperger's Disorder or PDD-NOS. It is a free Social Skills Treatment program that is 14 weeks long and uses a caregiver-assisted model. More information is now available on their site http://www.semel.ucla.edu/socialskills. Those interested can contact Dr. Alexander Gantman directly at: agantman@mednet.ucla.edu or 310-206-7284.

3. The Help Group has a new After-School Social Skills Groups “Kids Like Me.” Click here to see the flyer. It’s a JPEG file, readable using most graphics programs. If you need a PDF file, click here. This program seems good for kids with AS.

Addressing the challenging traits found in children with autism through the art of ballet is UCP’s East of the Sun West of the Moon Ballet Workshop. The revised flier can be seen here.

4. Ventura County Group:

A new group for teens and young adults with Asperger Syndrome or high-functioning autism – the Asperger Support for Adolescents Plus – has been created in Ventura County. Contact Troy or Irene at vcasap@roadrunner.com for more information.

5. RDI:

In February of 2005 we had a Guest Speaker, Linda Andron-Ostrow, L.C.S.W. of FACT: Focus on All-Child Therapy talking about “The ABC’s of RDI™ (Relationship Development Intervention).” A lot about RDI can be found at http://www.connectionscenter.com/default.asp. The goal of the RDI Program is for each person on the autism spectrum (whether they are considered “low” functioning or “high” functioning) to be excited about expanding their world, rather than to be afraid of it. RDI focuses on what motivates people on the autistic spectrum to develop relationships. The RDI Program is a parent-based, clinical treatment program designed to address the core deficits of autism which impact social communication, relationship building, motivation, critical thinking, abstract language comprehension, problem-solving and executive functioning. Often called the “missing link” in treating persons with Autism Spectrum Disorders, RDI is a powerful step-by-step, growth model based on typical development and the most current research by world experts in autism. [This text is borrowed from http://www.autismnsw.com.au/rdi.asp.] Copies of the slides for this talk can be downloaded by clicking here.

6. Santa Clarita Group.

Santa Clarita Autism/Asperger’s Network (SCAAN).

A non-profit organization that offers support group meetings, newsletter, social and educational events.

Morning and evening meetings each month (except July and December). See calendar at www.scaan.org for details.

Contact: 661-297-8381 or scaaninc@gmail.com

7. Spectrum Program:

The “Spectrum Program” at New Roads School in Santa Monica may be right for your child with Asperger’s. Click here for more information.

ARTICLES:

Janet Hobbs suggested this article by Kathie Snow of “revolutionary common sense” on IEPs as being of interest.

An article on social skills by Dan Coulter. For more of his articles, see his web-site at http://home.att.net/~coultervideo/articles.htm.

An interesting article on AS, by Michael McCroskery, complete with links: Asperger’s Syndrome: A Developmental Puzzle (click here ). Also, here’s a short discussion of Michael’s symptoms. More articles are welcome! (Michael McCroskery is an adult with AS. He currently is working as an online advocator in trying to promote the awareness of Asperger’s. Michael can be reached at MrPolisci@aol.com .)

Useful Material by Fran Goldfarb (beadsme@verizon.net):

Fran wrote a short book for our son Guthrie (when he was about 15) on how to fly on an airplane by himself. It may be a useful template for others. Click here if you have Adobe Reader. If you can read Microsoft Publisher files, click here.

A Letter to a camp counselor or teacher about a child with Asperger’s. This one’s a classic!

Articles by Fran (beadsme@verizon.net) from the Village Glen Voice:

A book report on Medications.

On the California Department of Education .

On the Regional Center for the Developmentally Disabled.

On IEPs (Individualized Education Plans).

An article by Jim Devine (your humble web-master), the “Asperger Chronicles.” A revised (and shorter!) version of this essay has appeared in the book Our Journey Through Asperger’s Syndrome and High Functioning Autism: A Roadmap, edited by Linda Andron (Jessica Kingsley Publ.)

Crucial Disclaimers: We are friends of the Jay Nolan Community Services, the national and Los Angeles Autism Society, MAAP (More advanced individuals with Autism, Asperger’s syndrome, and Pervasive developmental disorder), and OASIS (On-Line Asperger’s Syndrome Information & Support). But they are in no way responsible for anything we do. Nor are we responsible for them!

This web-page and its sub-pages are designed for educational purposes only. The contents of this web-site are not medical, legal, technical or therapeutic advice and must not be construed as such. The information contained herein is not intended to substitute for informed professional diagnosis, advice or therapy. Visitors should not use this information to diagnose or treat Asperger’s Syndrome or related disorders without also consulting a qualified medical, psychological, or educational professional.

Please e-mail me at laasperger@gmail.com or jdevine@lmu.edu if you have any questions or comments -- or if you want to be put on our e-mailing list. (Note: this mailing list only makes announcements about our meetings, so that out-of-town folks won’t be interested. It’s not a discussion group list-server.) If you want to add something to our web pages, please send them to me.

This page revised by Jim Devine, on 26 October 2009. It was deliberately kept simple (no Java, etc.) so that anyone’s browser can read it – and also because I lack the skills to add bells and whistles.