Advice for High Schoolers on the Spectrum -- with Claire LaZebnik

Since I don’t have any experience whatsoever with parenting teenagers, let alone teenagers on the spectrum, I had to find an expert that had survived the teenage years and lived to talk about it for my back to school series.

And I did just that. Meet Claire LaZebnik.

Claire co-authored the book, Growing Up on the Spectrum, with Dr. Lynn Kern Koegel and is proud to be an Autism Mom -- and is also giving away a copy of her book (Totally radical, dude...nevermind, that was cool when *I* was a teenager...not so much now....). So, who better to ask for tips to help parents that are just entering this new realm of life with their child than a woman who had done just that?

Since teenagers notably have a short attention span, let’s get right to the answers, shall we?

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Hi Claire! Welcome to HLW3B – so happy to have you here! Tell me a little about yourself, your family and your son?

Thanks for inviting me. Let’s see . . . I’m the mother of four kids: the oldest has autism, the second oldest has Celiac Disease, the third (and only girl) has Addison’s and Hashimoto’s Disease and the youngest has so far dodged any diagnoses, but we’ll see what the future brings. In spite of all that, we’re a happy, silly, busy family and everyone’s doing great. My husband and I are both writers. He’s a co-executive producer on “The Simpsons” and I write books—mostly novels (my fourth one, IF YOU LIVED HERE, YOU’D BE HOME NOW comes out this September) but I’ve co-written two non-fiction books about autism with Dr. Lynn Kern Koegel who, with her husband, Dr. Robert Koegel, runs the Koegel Autism Clinic at the University of California, Santa Barbara. I originally met Lynn to consult with her about our oldest son, who was five or six at the time. I was blown away by the program she and her husband had developed: it all stems out of ABA (applied behavioral analysis) but they had spent time reviewing tapes of old clients to see how they’d progressed over the last decade or so, and used that knowledge to pinpoint certain “pivotal behaviors”—behaviors which, when appropriately addressed and improved, bring about even greater widespread improvement. Everything she suggested we do with our son made a huge difference. I’m happy to say that this kid—who was completely non-verbal at three and still mostly echolalic at six—is heading off to college this fall. It’s been a long journey.

1001 Great Ideas -- Interview & Giveaway with Ellen Notbohm

During the first week of school last year, Nick’s Kindergarten teacher walked up to me, and almost under her breath like we were about to share a secret she said, “Do you know of any good books on how to teach a child with Autism?”

And sheepishly I said, “No.” Quickly followed by, “Not off the top of my head, but let me look into it.”

I was disappointed that I didn’t have a go-to book to recommend. I should have immediately known what to suggest to her – something that would be succinct, easy to understand, quick to read, effortless to implement and even more important – well organized so that she could go back week after week and year after year to look up what she needed.

Well, it took me all school year, but I finally found my go-to book: 1001 Great Ideas for Teaching & Raising Children with Autism or Aspergers by Ellen Notbohm and Veronica Zysk – Not to mention a foreword by Temple Grandin, PhD who says the book is “Genuine, commonsense advice that all parents and educators can quickly and easily use!”

And who argues with Temple Grandin? Surely not me.

I asked Ellen Notbohm, who has also authored 10 Things Every Child with Autism Wishes You Knew, 10 Things Your Student With Autism Wishes You Knew and The Autism Trail Guide: Postcards from the Road Less Traveled, if she was available for an interview, and I was thrilled to have her say yes. I mean, really, this is a woman who has 1800 great ideas on how to help my kids – this rates right up there with a new handbag and a kid-free vacation for me!

Now, normally I’d say you should take notes, but with 1800 ideas jam packed into this book, Ellen can’t possibly rattle them all off here (no, really, she can’t). But, good news:  Future Horizons has offered to give away a copy of her book! Look for details on how to win at the bottom of this post – or if you aren’t that patient (like me), hop on over to Future Horizons and buy your own copy now.

Either way, you are in for a treat!

Interview with Tracy Anglada -- Author and Advocate for Bipolar Children

I was reading a blog post the other day that I found through the Child & Adolescent Bipolar Association (CABF) by Tracy Anglada and it struck me -- hard.  I think the simple fact that this woman was raising 4 children, two of which were diagnosed with Bipolar was pretty amazing -- but when I read that her children inspired her to write a book about Bipolar, I knew we had something special in common.

When Tracy heard her children's diagnosis, like so many of us, she wanted a book to explain the illness to her then 7 year old son. That was not available in 2000 - neither was a book for siblings, a book for teachers, or a book that gave these kids a voice.

So she wrote them.

Tracy is the author of Brandon and the Bipolar Bear (also available in Spanish), Turbo Max, The Childhood Bipolar Answer Book, SWIVEL to Success (Bipolar Kids in the Classroom), as well as Intense Minds:  Through the Eyes of Kids With Bipolar Disorder and all of her books can be found on her website.

Tracy says, "That sad state of affairs lit a fire inside of me that would begin what has turned into a decade of advocacy. I'm proud to say that today mothers who are faced with the same news I was ten years ago have far more resources available to them. I'm happy to have been a part of that but I also hope that new advocates will still feel the same fire I did and make a difference for future generations."

As a mom, writer, author and advocate for my own children -- I knew that I needed to talk with Tracy to learn more about her, her family and Bipolar Disorder.  And lucky for me, she agreed.  She even agreed to give away a copy of TRHEE of her books -- Brandon and the Bipolar Bear and Intense Minds and SWIVEL to Success.  (Boy do I wish I could win this one!).

So, for those of you who are parenting, teaching or caring for a child like Gabriel -- with many labels, including Bipolar Disorder -- this one is for you.

Squirmy Wormy Book Giveaway and Interview

I was talking with a parent last month about her son who has Autism. She was asking why he is always lying down and if that was a sensory issue.

YES! I was screaming – YES! It is a sign he is low, that his body needs some input to help engage.

She responded with the realization that instead of constantly telling her son to ‘sit up’ she could use that ‘clue’ about how his body was feeling to help him recognize what was going on, and find solutions to help him regulate his own body. And you all know that isn’t easy when you have a child with Autism that doesn’t communicate as well or as much as you, or they, would like.

And with that, the solution hit me like lightening: “You need to get your son the book Squirmy Wormy by Lynda Farrington Wilson to help teach him to regulate his own body!” I announced with a level of enthusiasm that is hard to get across in mere words.

Winner of the Ulitmate Guide to Sensory Processing Disorder

Thank you to everyone who entered -- and a big thank you to Dr. Roya Ostovar for autographing a copy of her book for us!  I have to say that I am just enamoured with the fact that my readers took it upon themselves to refer to her as "Dr. O" -- we are such a welcoming group! 

I asked Nick to draw the name from slips of paper in a hat, so you know, this is our standard way of doing a random drawing, and he pulled ---

Jennifer

And in Nick's words, spoken directly into the slip of paper like a microphone, "Congratulations, Jennifer, you are the winner!"

All you need to do is email me your contact information, address and full name, before Friday, and I will send you the book.  Unfortunately, if you are buried under laundry or involved in solving a three day meltdown and are unable to get to me, I will choose another winner on Friday at 6pm PST.

Thanks again to everyone -- stay tuned for my next Autism Awareness Month gem-- a guest post from Caitlin Wray from http://www.welcome-to-normal.com/, after that I will be interviewing Lynda Farrington Wilson author of Squirmy Wormy, wrapping up with a GREAT interview with Taylor Morris from http://www.meettaylormorris.com/.

It's a great April here on HLW3B!  Now if only the sun would shine...

H

Book Signing: This is Gabriel Making Sense of School

I wanted to be sure that you all were the FIRST to know!

This is Gabriel Making Sense of School

Book signing by local author Hartley Steiner

The Spotted Cow, Mill Creek Town Center

Saturday, April 24, from 2-4pm

KIDS WELCOME!

This is a great local coffee and ice cream venue that is kind enough to host my event. The owner's kids go to school with Nick and Gabe -- nothing better than supporting local business!

You will find more information coming soon at SensoryPlanet.com, including the ability to RSVP and reserve a copy of the book This is Gabriel Making Sense of School to be signed at the event.

Check out Hartley on the morning show on NW Cable News Wednesday morning at 8am talking about SPD and her book (link to be posted after 3/31 interview at 8am PST).

Crossing my fingers that all my local friends and followers will come out and see me!

H