Top of the Spectrum News: College and Aspergers Syndrome

Guest(s): Dr. Marc Ellison/Executive Director of the West Virginia Autism Training Center 

Dr. Marc Ellison and his staff have created a template most colleges dream about…a successful program whereas a person diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome or High-Functioning Autism have a support team living in the dorm with them ensuring success. In this first, in a three-part series with Dr. Ellison, Jennifer and her Asperger diagnosed son Sam discuss how you can ensure college success if you are on the spectrum.

 Note: Dr. Marc Ellison blogs weekly for Aspergers101 and you can read his content in our Education-College blog tab at the top of our website. Dr. Ellison is a Professor and recently named Executive Director of the West Virginia Autism Training Center at Marshall University.

Occasionally inspiration hits. Not in the form of a ‘big idea’ but embodied in a young person with promise. Such is the case with James B. Lynch. James (or J.B. as his family calls him) recently graduated with his Bachelor of Arts Business Degree from John Marshall University in Huntington West Virginia. His success was due, in large part, to the program created to support the needs of college students on the autism spectrum.

JB is quick to offer advice to those sending their ASD child to college and it has everything to do with “letting go”…


James is diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome allowing him to hyper focus on any given topic. This intense absorption in one subject has gone from video games, computers and 3-D printers scattered thoughout the span of his young life. Supportive parenting is obvious, as JB immersion into 3-D printing is fully supported by seeing his creations/inventions throughout the family home. It was exhilarating to hear about his passion and what started it all….

From seeing that first coffee cup print JB knew he was hooked.Continue Reading

The Brilliant Artistry of Darby Sparks

While my parents received the diagnosis of High-Functioning Autism when I was very young, I wasn’t told until I was around 17. I never felt any different than others I suppose, but I did notice that adults didn’t treat me the same and that the other kids didn’t play with me. Later I would go to speech therapy and an occasional visit to the counselor.Continue Reading

This is a re-posting, by request, of an amazing young man with a jaw-dropping talent that otherwise would have gone unnoticed if not for his supportive Mother. Be sure and ‘vote’ for Grant Manier in a on-line Wells Fargo contest that would allow Grant the funding to continue his Eco-Art! It just takes less than a minute: Vote Here

by: Jennifer Allen/Aspergers101.org

Grant Manier’s (pronounced maun-yay) life began as an unsolved puzzle. With his mother and father divorcing school life was a challenge as his elementary teachers and fellow classmates quickly grew tired of his ‘unusual’ behaviors. To cope with the school room triggers, Grant retreated to his own world of art which included tearing paper. The steady long ripping of the paper soothed him and lessened the stressors of loud sounds however teachers soon became tired of the interruption of outbursts and deemed Grant a distraction that was unsuitable for the mainstream classroom.

Grant's Eco Art

 

Enter someone who completely changed the direction of this young mans life. Grant has an amazing Mom that turned this story (and her son’s future) around with some  aggressive moves. She knew something was different with her son and definitely wasn’t working in the neuro-typical world she grew up in so she removed Grant from the school setting, decided to home-school her son and began the path of learning who he is and how they together could find a way to put this puzzle together once and for all. She knew her son had a form of High-Functioning Autism called Aspergers Syndrome.

I first met Julie Coy Manier through a mutual friend and upon talking with her over the phone, I quickly learned this quicksilver of a mom first loved her son and second held nothing back on his behalf!

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Here is more about Aspergers101 from our inspiration, Samuel Allen.

We know you have a choice when supporting a 501c3 (non-profit) and are grateful you’ve stopped to consider giving to fund our efforts at Aspergers101! -Jennifer Allen/President Aspergers101

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Psychiatric Cormorbities

Guest(s): Dr. Chris Plauche 

Understanding and treating psychiatric cormorbities which are often more disabling than the Aspergers/Autism itself, (ADHD, OCD, anxiety disorder, etc) are discussed in this edition of Top of the Spectrum News.

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How does it feel to have Autism? Sam Allen did his best to explain during the live interview lead by veteran WOAI-TV Anchor Randy Beamer.

Sinclair Broadcast Group (WOAI-TV/San Antonio, TX) has teamed up with Aspergers101 in Celebrating the Uniqueness of Autism!

Reference to the Asperger Documentary- Coping to Excelling: Solutions for school-age children diagnosed with High Functioning Autism and Aspergers Syndrome.

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Each person diagnosed with Autism/Aspergers Syndrome is uniquely different and typically gifted with a special area of interest or talent. Aspergers101.org would like to celebrate those with Autism by spotlighting a picture (you provide) depicting them in their element.

Today we spotlight Nikki Jeanette who enjoys combining the love of drawing with her desire to show a day in the life of living with autism. Nikki created a comic strip series she titled:  “AuTalkz”.

Nikki drawing
Nikki Jeanette

 

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You can find more of Nikki’s work AuTalkz here .

 

Want to get featured on Celebrating the Uniqueness of Autism?  Send us a picture, with a brief description, depicting your talent or taking part in your specific area of interest. We will post on your picture on Aspergers101.org and possibility feature independently across our social media sites! Go to Celebrating the Uniqueness of Autism for more information!

John-Habershon-editing2We all appreciate how useful it is to understand how other people are feeling, yet it’s a skill which is very much taken for granted. For those on the autism spectrum it is not always a natural ability. To help in learning and practice I have compiled a number of examples of people showing emotions – both in real time and slow motion.

These are not actors and nor are the emotions simple and necessarily easy to detect as sometimes done by actors. This reflects the real world in which we often see a mixture of emotions. After all, we can be puzzled by something and annoyed at the same time, or find something funny, but also embarrassing.

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