At members request, your committee has compiled a list of support groups for individuals and families with Asperger Syndrome operating throughout Victoria. As we find new groups we will add them to our list. If you know of, or run a group supporting individuals, parents, carers or partners living with Asperger Syndrome, please send an email to our Web Co-ordinator.
To see the full list, click here
Below is a link to a great ABC catalyst story re teens and sleep
The story concerns all teens but we thought you might be interested, given the Aspie propensity to use screen media often and late, making it hard to get to sleep.
Mmm, not sure if you want to know about this, but ABC Science has published an article detailing findings that show children of older fathers have genetic changes associated with autism.
To read the full article at ABC net/science, click here
At the recent Melbourne Writers Festival, American author John Elder Robison spoke about his life experiences and his books about Aspergers. Two of your committee members were lucky enough to listen in person.
John's latest book, Be Different: Adventures of a Free Range Aspergian, is a very entertaining and positive look at life from inside Aspergers, with plenty of positive and useful advice.
The ABC recorded the one hour interview, and have since screened it on their channels. It is also available on their Big Ideas Website, at http://www.abc.net.au/tv/bigideas/stories/2011/09/26/3325779.htm Here you can either watch the interview, listen to the audio only, or download the entire video file.
It's well worth the time.
We have both of John Elder Robison's titles in our library, Look Me In The Eye (2008), and Be Different (2011), both published by Random House, Sydney.
If you missed it yesterday (22 Oct 2011), I'm sorry. American author Rudy Simone was just wonderful: an informative and very entertaining guest speaker who kept our capacity audience of 95 enthralled with her positive Aspie messages and engaging presentation.
It's not too late though, as Rudy has just begun her Australian book launch tour, and will be returning to Melbourne on November 11 2011.
Full details can be found at Autism Noticeboard
Thanks Rudy, we hope you'll come back and speak with us again with your next tour.
The issue of bullying keeps cropping up in our parent & carer support group meetings, as well as at the girls group.
As part of our research to provide more information to our members, we've found this great website created by Evelyn Field, Melbourne-based psychologist, author and speaker. It's full of facts and strategies we're sure you'll find useful. There's also a regular free newsletter you can subsribe to:
We are hoping to have an evening guest speaker next year to address this important topic.
In the meantime, ensure you keep talking to your child's school about it, and ask to see the school counsellor together with your child, if you haven't already. Knowing that you are aware of the situation, and that you are taking it seriously will also be of great comfort to your child. Keep stressing that the other person's behaviour is unacceptable, and that they need to keep reporting it until it stops.
July 26
A member has sent this article through to us to share with you all. Says Karen, "I thought this was a lovely, simple explanation" www.mamamia.com.au/parenting/cats-dogs-and-aspergers-syndrome/
Our Library Co-ordinator has been incredibly busy of late purchasing, covering and cataloguing new resources for you, our members. There's so many, we can't list them here! Instead we've created a FOUR page document to tell you about them. Click here to read the full list.
And here's a little refresher on our library processes:
The Recreation Access Officer of Stonnington Council has asked us to let you know about Access Unlimited, providers of the Access for All Abilities program (funded by Sport and Recreation Victoria) across the Cities of Stonnington and Glen Eira.
Their aim is to support and develop more inclusive opportunities for people with disabilities to access Sport and Recreation pursuits through working with sporting clubs, associations and community groups.
Programs currently on offer include (Click on the name to download the flyer):
For more information, click here to go to their website
Not really new, but still a great read, is this article about a Victoria University project encouraging isolated AS kids to play interactive online games. Now an ongoing club, The Lab is based in Footscray, and meets every Thursday after school, 3:30 - 6pm.
The current club is full, but you can register your interest for future projects by joining the growing waiting list! This might also help publicise the need for, and popularity of these types of activities among the AS community.
From their website: "The Lab is a new Melbourne-based pilot project for 8 to 16 year-old young people with Asperger’s Syndrome who enjoy working with computers. It offers one-to-one tuition by technology professionals in areas such as programming, 3D, digital design and gaming."
Click here to read the February 2011 article on the Fairfax Essential Baby website
Click here to go to The Lab's own website
Wilson McCaskill, Director of The Games Factory, and our guest speaker in March 2011, has produced a series of short online videos about various parenting issues.
Your committee has enjoyed them and found much value in what Wilson has to say.
Go to https://www.thegamefactory.com.au//news for more.
Michelle has created a website to help families with additional needs to share information. She has asked us to let you know about the site. She writes:
"Helping Hand Is Here has all the resources you need and is full of information about all children with additional needs.
Stay informed about support, services, funding, programs, media releases, news, recreation, respite, schools, organisations, inspirational videos and discussions relating to all children with additional needs.
Mission:
- INFORM carers of support and services for their additional needs child
- INVITE carers into my family’s experience and journey with our children
- INTRODUCE carers to other's in similar situations
Click here to read more: www.helpinghandishere.com.au
Our bank has decided to only honour cheques written to us if they are written in the long form, ie "Asperger Syndrome Support Network Vic.", rather than the quicker "ASSN Vic." Accordingly, to save everyone time and inconvenience, if you are writting us a cheque to pay for an event, or your membership renewal, could you please remember to write out the payee as "Asperger Syndrome Support Network Vic."
Many thanks
Your committee
We've had interest from some in our community about the biomedical approach to autism. The Melbourne based Biomedical Autism Group has offered their website details for your assistance. There are a number of documents available, and all relevant contact details. They meet regularly in Balwyn.
http://au.groups.yahoo.com/group/biomedicalautismgroup
A new website is being created for the group, so you might like to check here in a few weeks time: www.bioautism.org
The ASSN Vic Adults Group is no longer using the Box Hill Library venue for the even monthly meetings - ALL meetings will now be held at The Nerve Centre, 54 Railway Rd Blackburn, 7:30pm on the 3rd Thursday of the month, except for December and January.
The Parents/Carers/Partners Thursday Group also now meets exclusively at The Nerve Centre Blackburn, 7:30pm on the 3rd Thursday of the month, on even numbered months (Feb, Apr, Jun, Aug and Oct). During odd numbered months, parents, carers and partners are very welcome to join the Adult group, or meet informally in the cafe area at The Nerve Centre.
If you have any questions or queries, please use the appropriate Contact Us form.
The New York Times has a great article on debunking the myths surrounding vaccines and autism, in a book review for Seth Mnookin’s new book, 'The Panic Virus', published by Simon & Schuster 2011.
A quote from reviewer ABIGAIL ZUGER, M.D, "Parents who want to play it safe, but are not altogether sure how, should turn with relief to this reasoned, logical and comprehensive analysis of the facts."
Click here to read the full article on the New York Times website
The Department of Education & Early Childhood Development, Early Childhood Intervention Services offers support to children with disabilities or learning difficulties, from birth to school entry age. Their website is very easy to navigate and has great information about services across Victoria, sorted by region and a number of publications. If you have a child aged 0-7, we recommend you have a good look at this site.
www.education.vic.gov.au/ecsmanagement/intervention/default.htm
Don't let the aspie in your life get ALL the attention - siblings need support too!
Meg Moorhouse, Coordinator of the Time Out Sibling Program at Melbourne City Mission has provided us with some information recently - Resources for Families, and Sibs Australia tipsheet.
For more, see our FAQ on Siblings.
We'd also love to run a Siblings group at ASSN - but we need someone to coordinate it. Please contact us if you are interested!
Our Library Coordinators Lisa and Sam have been very busy doing a full audit of the ASSN Vic collection, and are in the process of purchasing a number of exciting titles for you to enjoy.
They have also, unfortunately, discovered a number of titles are missing, and we are seeking your help to find them. Could you please check at home in case you have any of these ASSN titles?
If you do find one, just call the MS librarians on 03 9845 2700 to have them borrowed in your name.
Thanks for your help.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at 12:45