L.A. Asperger Syndrome Parents' Support Group Home Page

The Official Home Page^* of the

Los Angeles Asperger Syndrome Parents’ Support Group.

We – the Los Angeles Asperger’s Syndrome Parents’ Support Group – are a group of parents, relatives, guardians, and care-givers interested in helping our children, relatives, and others having Asperger’s Syndrome (AS), because of the way in which it affects our children and our own lives. We also talk about similar problems, such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), high-functioning autism (HFA), Pervasive Development Disorder-NOS, Non-Verbal Learning Disorder, Semantic-Pragmatic Disorder, Hyperlexia, and Asperger Syndrome Lite. [Despite our constant, insistent, and unwelcome lobbying and nagging, the DSM honchos and honchas haven’t accepted the categories of “nerd,” “dweeb,” “wonk,” and “geek,” but we discuss them, too.] Because the issues are usually very different, our group is not really the best place for the parents and other supporters of those with “hard core” (Kanner’s) autism, even though AS is often seen as a “mild” version of autism.

We meet monthly to discuss these issues, either for general discussions or discussions with invited experts. It’s always on the second Wednesday of each month, always from 7 to 9 p.m. It’s moved away from the Julia Ann Singer center, but not far away. Please join us!

Monthly Meeting

What: There’s currently a General Discussion scheduled.

Who: Anyone who attends.

When: Wednesday, July 8^th (2009) from 7 to 9 p.m.

Where: We are no longer at the same old place, which recently became the “Henry & Marcia Baron School for Exceptional Children.” (Look at the first page of text of this magazine, after the cover.)

We’re now in the Community Room in the new Julia Ann Singer center, the building across the grass from the old Julia Ann Singer Center within the Vista del Mar campus at 3200 Motor Blvd (Los Angeles 90064). This new building might be named the “Taper Building,” but it’s hard to tell for sure. But if you go to the front door of the place where we used to meet (the old JAS center) and turn around 180 degrees, you’ll see the lighted big doors of our current meeting place (near a basketball hoop). More information will come… some day.

I’ve been trying to Google all of this, but the best information I’ve received so far comes from our own web-pages. Making matters more confusing, the last time I checked, the old JAS still has the words “Julia Ann Singer” above the front door.

Our meeting is within the Vista del Mar “campus” at 3200 Motor Ave. (Los Angeles, 90064) between National and Pico, 1/2 block North of the Santa Monica (10) Freeway underpass. For directions, click the link: there are maps there. For an alternative set of directions to Vista del Mar, click on this link.

Why: because we love you!

Mark your calendars and put that sitter on retainer! Our next meeting after the upcoming one is on August 12. After that, our meetings will be on September 9, October 14, November 11, and (whew!) December 9.

All parents are welcome. Drop-ins are welcome. This is not a members-only group. In fact, there is no membership list – and no fees. (We are, however, considering a secret password.)

ASPIES_LA is an on-line discussion group under the aegis of Yahoo. If you want to join, go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspies_LA/summary and go through the process there. There hasn’t been any real discussion yet, but as we add new members, we hope that the discussion will take off. Please join and contribute! (Please, no advertising.) Ask questions, please! Your humble web-master somehow had the job of moderating this group dumped on his shoulders and would appreciate it if someone else could take over.

Notes:

Ø Unfortunately (alack and alas!), we cannot provide childcare. Please do not bring your children and teens to the meeting (unless it’s noted otherwise in our announcements), since it may interfere with the ability of adults to talk to each other. (Adult children are of course welcome.)

Ø Teachers and mental-health professionals are also welcome. (Reporters & researchers: please click here .) Note that this group is not primarily aimed at those with Asperger’s themselves (though they are welcome to attend). For more information on this, see our FAQ sheet.

Ø Everything said at our meetings is kept in confidence, while our e-mailing list is totally secret.

Ø The organizers of the group are Jim Devine and Fran Goldfarb. Call us for information about Asperger’s Syndrome or about our support group at 310/543-5064. [This is our home phone. Call only after 7 a.m. and before 9 p.m., please. Also, we sleep late on weekends.] We have e-mail at: jdevine@lmu.edu (Jim) and beadsme@verizon.net (Fran). Please use the word “Asperger” in the subject line, so that it’s easier to separate your wheat from the chaff of spam.

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 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.

* Don’t be fooled by any cheap imitations! This is the real thing, folks!

This page revised by Jim Devine, on 3 July 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.