If you’re part of the autism community you’ve undoubtedly heard the expression, “If you’ve met one person with autism, then you’ve met one person with autism.” It’s supposed to be ironic in its simplicity.
Sayings like this don’t appeal to me because they are so simple. It doesn’t really convey all the intricate meaning about how different and varied autism can be from one person to the next. My son has never really fit the stereotyped idea of what autism looks like. I thought it might be enlightening to have a fellow autism mama work with me to write about our children, covering several topics.
Now, I know that most people who read my blog already know about autism and about how different it is for each person. But think about all the people out there that give advice and recommendations about working with our kids. Our kids are so different as individuals, that a one-size-fits-all approach just isn’t realistic. The same goes for therapy. But probably the biggest factor to come into play is the school system. I’ve run into this myself with my son’s school, where they don’t recognize some of his challenges as being related to autism.
My hope is that this series will be seen by at least a few people who have the ability to make a difference in how they work with our children. Please share it with friends and family, but especially with educators or professionals that you feel would benefit from seeing how unique two children on the spectrum truly are.
This post is part 1 of a 10-part series. I will be writing about Connor, and my friend Jen Bush, from Anybody Want A Peanut, will be writing about her son, Moe. We’ll cover the following topics:
communication
social skills
food/feeding issues
sensory
independent skills
school
behaviors
medication
wrap-up/thoughts for the future
.
I’ll be running the series on Tuesdays and Thursdays (unless I somehow get off-track because, autism), beginning the Tuesday following Thanksgiving, December 2nd. Please join us in learning about and celebrating the unique differences of two children on one spectrum.
.
Living on the Spectrum: The Connor Chronicles 
Reblogged this on Jessica A Bruno (waybeyondfedup).
Reblogged this on Coloring Outside The Lines and commented:
I look forward to this series
Two of my favorite people together! This is so good for me! Oh and I guess other people, too, but whatever
CANNOT WAIT!!!!
Whaaaaa….I have to wait until Tuesday!!!! *pouting* 😉
This is a terrific idea – I am really looking forward to this series!
I love being a part of this!
Pingback: Two Children, One Spectrum: Communication | Living on the Spectrum: The Connor Chronicles
Pingback: Two Children, One Spectrum: Feeding Issues | Living on the Spectrum: The Connor Chronicles
I love this idea! So many people have one picture in their head of autism. It is a spectrum disorder for a reason. My son is 6 years old and in the process of being tested although he already has a diagnosis from his neurologist. His teachers, people at school and just people in general look at me like I am crazy when I tell them he has been diagnosed with Autism. They do not see the constant struggles we have had since he was an infant and all the hard work we did on our own before we had any idea it was Autism. Just because he is not what they think of when they think Autism does not mean they have any idea what it is like inside his head or in his life on a daily basis. Thank you for this series and addressing the differences among those on the spectrum.
Pingback: Two Children, One Spectrum: Sensory Issues | Living on the Spectrum: The Connor Chronicles
Pingback: Two Children, One Spectrum: Behavior | Living on the Spectrum: The Connor Chronicles