High Functioning Autism:

Advice From A Mom

From Diagnosis To Recovery

Ashley Morgan

Hidden Recovery Publications LLC

www.HiddenRecovery.com
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

FORWARD.......................................................... 13

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK................................. 16

GLOSSARY .........................................................19

THE BIG PICTURE..............................................29

Autism is a Hybrid, Both a Medical and Psychological
Disorder............................................................................. 31

Medical and Therapeutic Practitioners Disagree .............. 32

Learn From Other Autism Parents .................................... 33

There Is No One-Stop-Shopping....................................... 34

SCHOOL.............................................................. 38
Understand your rights (IDEA, LRE, FAPE)...................... 40

School Decision Is Separate From Therapy...................... 41

How Your School District And Early Intervention Program

Works ................................................................................ 42

Special Education.............................................. 44
Who Should be Going.......................................................................... 44

Special Ed Doesn’t Mean Always Better............................................... 44

Monitoring Your Special Ed Classroom ................................................ 46

Those Typical Peers May Not Be ......................................................... 46

Benefits of Special Ed.......................................................................... 47

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The Final Class Make-Up Won’t be Known Until School Begins.......... 47

Mainstreaming.................................................... 48
Benefits of Mainstreaming .................................................................... 48

Pitfalls of Mainstreaming...................................................................... 49

Services When You Mainstream...........................................................50

Private School.................................................... 50
Mixing and Matching; Regular and Special Ed Days At
School............................................................................... 51

Steps Toward Selecting A School Program .......................52

THERAPY ........................................................... 59
Assessments Help With Therapy Options ........................ 61

Intensive Behavioral Intervention Is Key........................... 62

Revisiting Discarded Ideas ............................................... 64

Focus On The Therapist More Than The Brand of Therapy

.......................................................................................... 65

Things To Consider When Shopping For Professionals ... 67

Anticipate Staff Changes With Therapists ......................... 68

Make Decisions Based on Today...................................... 69

Timing ................................................................................72

Look Into What Your Educators Know............................... 72

Making Up Your Own Program or Materials From Scratch 73

Know your Typical Development, Typical Child.................75

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Your ABA Program............................................ 78
Beginning an ABA Program .................................................................. 78

ABA Shadow......................................................................................... 78

What Does an ABA Program Look Like? ..............................................80

The ABA Stigma................................................................................... 81

School/Play-Group vs. Home Therapy.............................. 82

Group Therapy................................................................... 82

Get To The Root of the Problem With Therapy.................. 83

To Stim or Not To Stim, That is the Question.................... 86

Isn’t Too Many Therapy Hours Bad for Kids? Don’t They
Need a Break?.................................................................. 89

KNOW YOUR BIOMEDICAL PROGRAM .......... 93

Do One Thing At a Time.................................................... 95

Getting To The Root of the Problem With Biomedical....... 97

Document.......................................................................... 97

Get Help from an Autism Doctor........................................ 98

Know What You Plan On Doing With Lab Results Before

Doing Them .................................................................... 100

Vaccination Exemptions .................................................. 100

Soapbox About Vaccines ................................................ 101

THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT HIGH

FUNCTIONING AUTISM ................................... 107

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Pitfalls of HF.................................................................... 110

HF Disclaimer; Labels Are Good, Not an Insult............... 113

Understanding Theory Of Mind (ToM)............................. 114

Theory Of Mind (ToM) and it’s Importance for HF Children................ 116

Teaching Theory Of Mind ................................................................... 116

Therapy Materials For ToM ................................................................ 117

Going to School or Daycare with a Shadow....................................... 118

Understanding Normal Executive Functioning................ 119

Examples Of Executive Functioning Deficits:.................. 120

Sensory Integration......................................................... 121

Our Kiddies Are Smart!.................................................... 126

IMPACT ON PARENTS..................................... 130

Must I like the Autism?.................................................... 132

My Acceptance ................................................................ 132

Who Can You Listen To? ................................................. 133

Find Your Fuel ................................................................. 133

Other Autism Parents – Friend or Foe ............................ 135

The Autism World v.s. The “Normal” World..................... 136

Make The Effort To Connect With Other Parents ............ 137

Be Aware Of Phases Of Acceptance............................... 138

Be Aware Of Common Parent “Types”............................ 139

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Acknowledge Mom’s role versus Dad ............................. 142

Plan For Sibling Risk With Your New Baby..................... 143

MISCELLANEOUS ADVICE..............................146
Seek Formal Evaluations ................................................ 148

Document Document Document..................................... 153

Bring Lots Of People To Your IEP Meetings ....................154

Materials! Materials! Materials!......................................155

Mantras for your Child..................................................... 157

Home is the Key Therapy Room ..................................... 158

T.V. is GOOD ................................................................... 158

Save Money With Fellow Autism Parents!.......................160

APPENDIX......................................................... 164
Thoughts On Recovery And The Last Ten Years ............ 165

How Many Recovered Kids Are There? .......................... 166

Social Program Examples – Carryover at Home............ 171

The Consequences Of Modern Living.............................192

About Chronic Infections and Autism .............................. 196

Bibliography..................................................................... 198

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