Peeling back the curtain

I just want to get this straight. I live in the real Orange County. Not the Orange County with the multi-million dollar houses. I don't live behind a locked gate, sipping vodka martinis in a hot tub. I haven't had any "work" done, besides the standard semi-exercise to keep my butt from sagging to my knees. I like yoga, and I flirt with Pilates, but don't have a personal trainer, and certainly not one with a six-pack named Del or Hans or Antony. I own a scale, but I never look at it. I would rather poke out an eye than to let anyone near my face with a syringe full of toxin, image bedamned.

I am not a Lady of Leisure. I have three kids, and they keep me hopping. I load my own dishwasher, and can't rationalize paying someone else to clean the hair out of my tub when I am home all day. (if you want to, that's cool, I just have that liberal guilt thing that plagues me). I don't play tennis, or belong to a country club.

I realize this kills the Dream for some of you. Watching The O.C. as they prance on the beach makes you believe that we all live that way. Sorry to disappoint. We live in a little 50's ranch house, and drive a mini van. So much for the romance, eh? I do live five minutes from The Happiest Place on Earth, so that has to count for something.

Recently, Bravo started airing "The Real Housewives of Orange County" and as I watched I snorted and guffawed my way thorough it. It was ridiculous, it was a train wreck; it was entertainment. But it wasn't real life for 95% of the residents here. Just thought you should know.

T, holla from the O.C. true dat

You're Here

Yes, I have finally joined the ranks of bloggers. Hey, better late than never, I always say. Part of the problem is that I hate to get things wrong. I am such a damned perfectionist that I would rather do nothing at all than do something half-assed. So, there you go. I used to keep a blog years ago, but pulled it down just because. So here, I try again.

Some things I have learned over the years:

* If your 4 year old comes in holding herself and insisting she doesn't have to go the bathroom, you had better jump up and race her to the pot or you will have a puddle on your hands.

*A monster may have eaten your shoes, even if you don't think so, especially if it was a shoe-eating monster.

* if the cat suddenly starts hacking, make sure it isn't over important papers.

*Starbucks mochas are almost as good as therapy for maintaining sanity.

*It is impossible to sleep without Baby Tigger, Pooh Bear or a thousand other stuffed animals between three children. If your child takes a shine to a certain stuffed friend, you had better buy two, or you will be out at midnight with the flashlight in the car trying to find a two inch beanie. Trust me on this one.

*a Kissing Hand will last you until you see the person again. And it won't wash off, even when you wash your hands.

*If Mommy didn't see you do it, confess. (this from my middle child)

*If the bread finds its way to the back of the fridge (as bread is wont to do) it will freeze. Bread can be defrosted in the microwave, but not when you have 30 seconds to slap peanut butter on it and slide your kid out the door to school.

*You are never too old for Disneyland. Or m&m's, or fairy tales.

*Life is many things: fun, crazy-making, scary, wonderful, depressing, joyful...but never, ever boring. Unless you want to live like a soap character. In that case, you would find my life very boring, indeed.

*I am right where I need to be, even though I am not a famous journalist, actress, high-falutin' professional of anything. I am a wife, mother and lots of other things, too. I homeschool my kids, and am finding I feel very close to them by homeschooling. I love it, and wish I would have done it sooner. The funny thing is...I am the one who is getting schooled.

Pull up a chair, get to know us, and above all, bring chocolate. See you soon.

- T, who prefers dark chocolate, especially the filled ones from See's

Find Me

Some places where I write.

OC Family

typeamom where I'm Special Needs Editor

I am the Orange County Special Needs Kids Examiner,I cover local and national special needs topics with an emphasis on autism. If you have information or a topic that needs to be covered, shoot me an email. sendchocolatenow at gmail. You know the drill.

Or, you can tweet me.

OC Register

I wrote over here about living with autism...each comment was a fundraiser for Autism Speaks

Autism Sucks

A Thank You From Me to You

I know you are busy, and have a lot of other things you could be doing. I want to sincerely thank you for participating on my blog. I notice, and I am grateful. I hope that just a small portion of what I write is helpful to you, or touches you. If you leave asking questions you hadn't thought of, then my job is done. Each of you is important to me, always feel free to get in touch with me.

I email. send me any questions or comments sendchocolatenow@gmail.com

I tweet. a LOT. Do I say interesting things? You be the judge. Feel free to tell me what you think. I can take it. @sendchocolate if you want to follow..I follow back, too.

I play nice with others:

FriendFeed
Facebook
Flickr
Stumble Upon

I have lots of toys... not all are listed.

Thanks again. You are valued.

T.

Who IS Tina?

You already know that I have two children with autism. But I don't define myself by that, even though I list it prominently. I also have a brilliant teenager, and am married to a great guy, my best friend. I don't define myself by them, either.

So how do I define myself? I hate labels, but I guess here's a start:

I hate injustice. Want to piss me off? Pick on the underdog. I don't care who it is, or why.

I love shoes, but don't love paying high prices for them

I think that morning should be spelled "mourning" because I lament the fact that it I have to get up. I am allergic to the sun before 11 a.m. My family teases me that I am part vampire. Since I am a Christian, I am pretty sure this isn't true.

I am very much nocturnal. Would love if my day started at 11 a.m. and ended at 3 a.m. Sadly, this is no way to raise children, so I have have had to adapt. Perhaps you see me on twitter late at night... @sendchocolate. Tweet me if you are bored.

I am really not that interesting, but if you want here is the obligatory junk about me.

1. I have always wanted to be a writer I kept journals throughout my childhood and through the years until I had kids. They were destroyed in the fire of 2006.

2. I fancied myself a poet, but haven't written poetry since before my kids were born.

3. I have a perfection streak and a fear of failure= terrible combination

4. I was an editor of both my high school newspaper and college, as well.

5. I was once going to run for school board. I decided to put it off a few years, and now I homeschool.

6. I was an Army brat until I was a teenager...then we settled in a small town. Wish we'd kept moving.

7. lived in Alaska for a few years in elementary school; my brother was born there.

8. my parents were asked to let me enter a study on giftedness at the University of Alaska when I was 5. They refused.

9. I never lived up to that hype.

10. I'm ok with that.

11. I am a lifelong learner, I am happiest when I am learning something new.

12. I was a voracious reader as a kid. Now I read when I can. I rarely read fiction, but am always reading for new information.

13. To shut up the "Why?" questions, my parents bought me a set of encyclopedias. I was in Heaven.

14. I used to keep a running list of topics I wanted to look up in the library.

15. Now I keep a list by my bed, or just get up and Google it.

16. The Internet is a dream come true for me.

17. I was once told by my crush in high school, "The trouble with you is that we want to talk about what color the car is, and you want to know what the paint is made of."

18. At the time, it broke my heart, but I had to admit he was right.(I still love sexy cars, though)

19. I still want to know what the paint's made of.

20. That quality has served me well.

21. I have been married almost 19 years.

22. I was attracted to his brain. The sex was a fringe benefit...

23. I went through my stage of dating jerks, but found I really like geeks.

24. I am seriously attracted to a large IQ.

25. I realize this is truly pathetic, shallow (can it be shallow?) I'm ok with that.

26. Talk nerdy to me... I'll be putty in your hand. TED? W3C? Extreme Programming? Java? Ubuntu? Ooh, baby. Don't stop.

27. I have an affinity for tech, an intuitive understanding of how it is supposed to work...but cannot troubleshoot at all. Or code. Or fix my flubs.

28. I have a very understanding partner who comes behind and fixes what I screw up.

29. We have had more than one screaming fight late at night because I have messed up my template and am frustrated.

30. I usually write after the kids are in bed; I concentrate better that way.

31. I thought about not having children, I had cats. I thought it was enough.

32. We said our lifestyle wouldn't change after kids. We would still take weekend trips. 14 years later...ONCE.

33. I loved being pregnant, and thought I'd never looked better. Birth was easy. The first two times.

34. My third child, JBean, was 10 weeks early. She was in the hospital for a month.

35. I read piles of books, cover to cover, on prematurity. I taught the nurses.

36. My motto: Knowledge is power. (and control, thank you very much)

37. When I found out my son had autism, I locked myself in my room and cried. I did the same thing when my daughter was diagnosed.

38. Then I started googling. Both times.

39. I already knew a lot based upon a Wired magazine article years ago called The AQ Factor. My husband is an engineer. 'Nuff said.

40. Now I feel like I have a handle on this autism thing. And that's usually when I fall on my face.

41. If it doesn't kill me, it just makes me stronger. It is what it is. My six words: Plan B Now, but it's ok.

42. I am a closet Emo fan. Panic at the Disco, Evanescence and My Chemical Romance rule.

43. My 14 year old believes I should be the teenager. She is more conservative than I am.

44. I am a night owl. I rarely am in bed before 1 a.m. I need two solid hours to decompress after kids are in bed. I have a 14 yr old who won't go to bed.

45. I am bipolar, but mildly so. This is part of why I don't sleep. But I also just don't like to sleep.

46. I haven't had a major manic episode in 17 years. I am hypo-manic. Creative, feel good, less sleep needed.

47. I don't talk about it because I don't feel like it affects who I am. I definitely don't hide it, though.

48. I have, in the past, been on meds, and wouldn't hesitate to go on them again if needed.

49. I'm not a bitch, I only play one online...sometimes. I do tend to go hard on ideas, soft on feelings. Though really not that hard on ideas. Usually.

50. I seriously see the Internet as a community; a way to connect people and provide support. It is the 21st Century Kaffeklatsch, and I am privileged to be a part of it.

Favorite Chocolates

New Here? You Might Want To Start With These:

A Potato For Autism?
A Burning Question, or What Autism Stole
The Itsy Bitsy...Holy Crow, That's Huge!
Yes, I Am The Butt of the Joke
The One Where I Teach You Something
A Day In My Life, Plus Cookies
Maybe An Eviction Notice Is In Order
Well, At Least I Know That I am A-Peeling
A Hard Post To Write, So I Won't
On Ducks, Marriage and Autism (not necessarily in that order)
It's Not Just a Song, It's Terror
Way Too Serious For a Witty Title: What Do You Say When Your Kids Hurt?
If It Looks Like a Duck and Sounds Like a Duck...
Why I Am Only Mostly Sane
The Vegetable Law (or when it works to lie to your child
Who's The Teacher, Here?

Autism Resources

This page is a work in progress...if you know something that needs to be here...let me know!

theautspot is an online social network similar to facebook, but for those specifically with autism and those who love them.

Weighted Blankets: Dream Catchers
TACA -Talk About Curing Autism
GFCF Diet
The AQ Test (not scientific)

Articles I Have Written On Autism

Difficulties with Figures of Speech in Autism
Seven Ways to Ease Transitions For Children With Autism
What You Need To Know Before a Special Needs IEP Meeting
Feeling Overwhelmed With a New Autism Diagnosis
Quick and Easy Tranisitioning To a Gluten Free Casein Free Diet
Home Interventions For Autism
Easy Interventions For a Child With Autism
My Reasons To Homeschool A Child With Autism
Avoiding Power Struggles In Autism
Relationship Development Intervention (RDI) For Autism
Help Your Child Cope With Anxiety
Avoiding Pitfalls of the Gluten Free Casein Free (GFCF) Diet
Errands With Autism Spectrum Kids
Homeschooling Alternative For Autism Spectrum Kids
Ways To Help A Child Cope With a Special Needs Sibling (book list included)
How To Talk To a Child With Autism
Sensory Integration Dysfunction (SDI) Defined For Parents
Easy Ways You Can Help Your Child With Autism Succeed
Helping Your Child With Dysgraphia
Autism Diagnosis and Signs of Autism
Easy Help For Autism and Fears
Becoming More Aware of Autism and How You Can Help Kids With Autism
How To Deal With Criticism When Parenting A Child With Autism
Importance of Early Intervention Programs For Autism Treatment

I am the Orange County Special Needs Kids Examiner,and I publish about 4 times a week. If you have a topic, send me an email...I love comments and feedback.

Celexa proven ineffective for treatment of autism
Local center receives award for excellence
Books for a child with a special needs sibling
Autism on the Seas allows flexibilty for vacation
As autism rises, who will take care of tomorrow's autistic adults?
Autistic activists, parents at odds over autism cure
Strategies for kids with autism that help in handling change
Does new autism recovery research give parents more to feel guilty about?
Help for parents struggling with autism
About Maddie
Danny's Farm provides safe haven for special needs kids
Exit Exam and Special Education
TACA Autism Walk
The Big Bang Theory tv show presents autism as just another normal

blogroll

Ask that chick (NSFW)

autism sucks

Avitable (NSFW)

Bad Ass Dad (NSFK)

Breed 'Em and Weep

Cake Wrecks

califmom

Father Muskrat (NSFK)

finslippy

for a different kind of girl

honea express

Is it 5 o' clock yet?

It's lovely, I'll take it!

Knotty Yarn (NSFK)

Loralee's Looney Tunes

Magneto Bold Too (NSFK)

Mocha Momma

Mommy Needs Coffee

Mrs. Flinger

Okay Fine Dammit

Queen of Spain

Ragamuffin Soul

The Redneck Mommy (NSFK)

Salt & Chocolate

Serving the Queens

Spinning Yellow

Suburban Turmoil

The Adventures of Leelo and His Potty-Mouthed Mom

The Bloggess (NSFK)

The Mattress Police

Too Many Hats

Undomestic Diva

Whiskey in my sippy cup

Whitterer on Autism

A Smidgen of Whimsy

I have ethics

SO if you found this page, I assume you are either:
1) a company/PR firm looking to publicize your product/service.
2) a reader wondering where I stand on the whole blog for stuff issue
3) a person who is lost and needs to go read something I wrote that is funny.

Let's get down to brass tacks.

I review products and events/services on this blog or on my review blog, with a link back to this one.

I am first and foremost, a writer. Everything I do is colored by that fact. Some see value in what I do. They hope I reach an audience that can identify with their product. I get to decide if that's true. If I think you'll like it, I'll tell you about it. If it doesn't fit what I'm doing, I'll pass.

People sometimes give me stuff. You know, like they have been doing for years with magazine editors. They want you to know the latest and best products. All on the up and up. But just like money can't buy love, no one can buy my opinion. I don't take bribes. Just know that if am posting about it, I probably had one given to me so that I could tell you about it. Sometimes, I will post about things I like, just because.

I don't take money for reviews. It feels yucky to me, so I just don't do it. Others might, but that's not what I am comfortable doing. On the radio, personalities regularly read ads in first person, and no one gives them a hard time. I prefer not to blur the lines.

I make the rules. I control my content, and as such, I write what I like. I don't write negative reviews. But I do reserve the right to express my opinion in the way I see fit. Please don't ask me to edit my review, or change the language. It is what it is.

I don't want to waste your time, or mine. Whether you are a potential advertiser or a member of my blog community, what I do matters to me. My readers are important, and I want them to appreciate what I have to say. I hope that I can be of help to them in some small way, while making them laugh, cry and think.

Thanks for reading!

You already know that I have two children with autism. But I don't define myself by that, even though I list it prominently. I also have a brilliant teenager, and am married to a great guy, my best friend. I don't define myself by them, either.

So how do I define myself? I hate labels, but I guess here's a start:

I hate injustice. Want to piss me off? Pick on the underdog. I don't care who it is, or why.

I love shoes, but don't love paying high prices for them. I tend to buy at Ross or TJ Maxx.

I think that morning should be spelled "mourning" because I lament the fact that it I have to get up. I am allergic to the sun before 11 a.m. My family teases me that I am part vampire. Since I am a Christian, I am pretty sure this isn't true.

I am very much nocturnal. Would love if my day started at 11 a.m. and ended at 3 a.m. Sadly, this is no way to raise children, so I have have had to adapt. Perhaps you see me on twitter late at night... @sendchocolate. Tweet me if you are bored.

I am really not that interesting, but if you want here is the obligatory junk about me.

I have a perfection streak and a fear of failure = terrible combination

My parents were asked to let me enter a study on giftedness at the University of Alaska when I was 5. They refused.

I never lived up to the hype.

I'm ok with that.

I am a lifelong learner, I am happiest when I am learning something new.

To shut up the "Why?" questions, my parents bought me a set of encyclopedias. I was in Heaven.

I used to keep a running list of topics I wanted to look up in the library.

Now I keep a list by my bed, or just get up and Google it.

The Internet is a dream come true for me.

I was once told by my crush in high school, "The trouble with you is that we want to talk about what color the car is, and you want to know what the paint is made of."

The way people think fascinates me. I love to watch crime dramas for that reason: The Mentalist, Bones, Castle, Lie To Me…I like to second-guess and often solve the crime before the main character does.

I have been married for 20 years.

Some women like a nice ass or pecs. And I am ok with that, but I am seriously attracted to a large IQ.

I am a geek at heart. Talk nerdy to me... I'll be putty in your hand. TED? W3C? Extreme Programming? Java? Ubuntu? Ooh, baby. Don't stop.

I have an affinity for tech, an intuitive understanding of how it is supposed to work...but cannot troubleshoot at all. Or code high-level.

I have a very understanding partner who comes behind and fixes what I screw up.

We have had more than one screaming fight late at night because I have messed up my template and am frustrated.

I usually write after the kids are in bed; I concentrate better that way.

My motto: Knowledge is power. (and control, thank you very much)

When I found out my son had autism, I locked myself in my room and cried. I did the same thing when my daughter was diagnosed.

Then I started googling. Both times. Now I make a living writing about special needs kids.

My 15 year old believes I should be the teenager. She is more conservative than I am.

I am a night owl. I rarely am in bed before 1 a.m. I need two solid hours to decompress after kids are in bed. I have a 15 yr old who won't go to bed.

I don't like to sleep. Until I AM sleeping. I am always afraid I'm going to miss something. The Internet= 24 hour party. I am so glad to be On the List.

So...if you are still reading, that's it. That's me. Now, Send Chocolate!

How I Homeschool

I started a homeschool blog...you can find that here

I began homeschooling my son four years ago. I never expected to go down that path. It was for other people. You know, the ones who wear kitty sweatshirts and wear Keds. Shhhh! But he wasn't handling school well, and the district didn't have a good placement for him. He didn't need a special education class, and he couldn't function in the mainstream class. Where did that leave us? We also had some awful experiences with the "autism experts" provided by the district. So much so, that trying to get my son to school in the morning required me physically dressing him, dragging him out the door and there were lots of tears, from both of us. School for my son was a toxic place. Besides, the teacher sent home his undone schoolwork. I was already homeschooling him!

The following year, I brought my daughter home instead of sending her to jr. high. She is going into high school now, and we haven't looked back.

Here are a couple of older posts that explain why we homeschool:

So Why Do You Do That, Anyway?
Really, Why Would Anybody DO That?

Signs of Aspergers/High Functioning Autism

Image via Wikipedia

All kids are quirky and do things that sometimes make us wonder if they are ok, but when does quirky translate as needing help? You are concerned your child may have a developmental delay. You think your child might have autism, so how do you find out? And what signs should you be looking for that are yellow flags? Keep in mind, the lists that follow, all kids are different, and will show different signs. Few children with autism show all of these symptoms, and sometimes they are hard to spot. If you have concerns, by all means, follow up with a psychologist, or someone trained in autism detection.

First, the medical jargon, and then the definition follows: The DSM IV defines Diagnostic Criteria

in order to be diagnosed with autism or Asperger's Syndrome:
Diagnostic Criteria for 299.00 Autistic Disorder
1. A total of six (or more) items from (1), (2), and (3), with at least two from (1), and one each from (2) and (3):
1. qualitative impairment in social interaction, as manifested by at least two of the following:
1. marked impairment in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors such as eye-to-eye gaze, facial expression, body postures, and gestures to regulate social interaction
2. failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to developmental level
3. a lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interests, or achievements with other people (e.g., by a lack of showing, bringing, or pointing out objects of interest)
4. lack of social or emotional reciprocity
2. qualitative impairments in communication as manifested by at least one of the following:
1. delay in, or total lack of, the development of spoken language (not accompanied by an attempt to compensate through alternative modes of communication such as gesture or mime)
2. in individuals with adequate speech, marked impairment in the ability to initiate or sustain a conversation with others
3. stereotyped and repetitive use of language or idiosyncratic language
4. lack of varied, spontaneous make-believe play or social imitative play appropriate to developmental level
3. restricted repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activities, as manifested by at least one of the following:
1. encompassing preoccupation with one or more stereotyped and restricted patterns of interest that is abnormal either in intensity or focus
2. apparently inflexible adherence to specific, nonfunctional routines or rituals
3. stereotyped and repetitive motor manners (e.g., hand or finger flapping or twisting, or complex whole-body movements)
4. persistent preoccupation with parts of objects
2. Delays or abnormal functioning in at least one of the following areas, with onset prior to age 3 years: (1) social interaction, (2) language as used in social communication, or (3) symbolic or imaginative play.
3. The disturbance is not better accounted for by Rett’s Disorder or Childhood Disintegrative Disorder.

Diagnostic Criteria for 299.80 Asperger's Disorder
1. Qualitative impairment in social interaction, as manifested by at least two of the following:
1. marked impairment in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors such as eye-to eye gaze, facial expression, body postures, and gestures to regulate social interaction
2. failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to developmental level
3. a lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interests, or achievements with other people (e.g., by a lack of showing, bringing, or pointing out objects of interest to other people)
4. lack of social or emotional reciprocity
2. Restricted repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests and activities, as manifested by at least one of the following:
1. encompassing preoccupation with one or more stereotyped and restricted patterns of interest that is abnormal either in intensity of focus
2. apparently inflexible adherence to specific, nonfunctional routines or rituals
3. stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms (e.g., hand or finger flapping or twisting, or complex whole-body movements)
4. persistent preoccupation with parts of objects
3. The disturbance causes clinically significant impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.
4. There is no clinically significant general delay in language (e.g., single words used by age 2 years, communicative phrases used by age 3 years).
5. There is no clinically significant delay in cognitive development or in the development of age-appropriate self-help skills, adaptive behavior (other than in social interaction), and curiosity about the environment in childhood.
6. Criteria are not met for another specific Pervasive Developmental Disorder or Schizophrenia.

But what does this really mean, to a parent? What are some warning signs, and when should you worry?

An infant is less likely to:

• make eye contact
• respond to his or her name
• imitate those around him
• follow objects visually
• smile reciprocally , if you smile, baby doesn't smile back
• babble or make noise
• may have motor issues
• weakness in trunk, or hypotonia, lack of muscle tone
• may not meet developmental milestones within reasonable amount of time

Babies that are passive and inactive at six months, then extremely irritable at a year have a higher risk of autism, according to the Harvard Medical School. If you suspect your baby has autism, definitely seek help from your pediatrician. With autism, the sooner the interventions occur, the better.

In children autism can manifest by:

• lack of speaking
• sing-song speech, or speech has strange cadence
• repeated phrases, called echolalia
• avoiding eye contact
• inability of pretend play (or, conversely, losing himself in play for hours alone)
• cannot make his needs known, may grunt or other non-verbal communication
• uses people as tools; may use your hand to point at things
• sensitivity to sights, smells sounds
• unusual fears (bugs, sounds, bathtime)
• lack of response to audio commands; may not respond to his name or requests; in his own world
• may have a lack of interest in others
• shows a lack of empathy and may not be able to express feelings; may not even know what she is feeling
• prefers lack of contact, or conversely, holds too tightly, needs a lot of contact
• rigid, has a hard time adapting to changes in routine
• can line things up, or need things arranged in a certain way
• repetitive actions
• one or more niche interests, that border on the obsessive
• sleep disturbances, inability to stay asleep
• highly anxious, especially when routine or preferred activities are disrupted

Know that in each child, autism presents differently. The hallmarks are there, but can be expressed in ways you wouldn't expect.

Siblings often will try to speak for a younger child, this does not necessarily point to autism. Encourage the child to speak for himself.

For example, a child may seem to have pretend play, but is it alone? Is it rigid? Does the child play well with others, and adapt them into the game, allowing the other child to make suggestions? Or does the child have difficulty handling the new playmate?

Many child insist upon wearing the same clothes, but most do not refuse to leave the house or become distraught over the possibility of something different. Kids with autism can be extremely rigid.

A child may not line items up, but do they spend time creating elaborate set ups and become upset if someone moves the toys? This could also be a sign.

Tantrums and lack of self-control are normal for a two year old. The child is trying to find his own identity. A seven year old, however, has mostly learned to control himself. If tantrums continue into middle childhood, it can be a flag.

Some sites for online evaluation help:

Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist (ATEC)
Childbrain.com PDD Assessment Questionnaire
Modified Checklist For Autism In Toddlers (M-CHAT)
Australian Scale For Asperger's Syndrome

I wrote this article for my section on special needs at Type-A Mom. You'll find more articles like this there.

Some of the things I have written about:

Autism and Fears
Power Struggles and Autism
How to Convert to the Gluten-Free Casein-Free Diet (GFCF Diet)
Helping your child cope with anxiety
The Importance of Early Interventions For Autism Treatment

There are many more. If you want more info, be sure to email me:

sendchocolatenow[AT]gmail[DOT]com

You can find more of my articles at: Type A Mom sendchocolate I am the Special Needs Parenting Editor there.

Sources: Kirby, Barbara "DIAGNOSTIC RATING SCALES FOR ASPERGER SYNDROME" Diagnostic Ratings Scales for Asperger Syndrome" O.A.S.I.S. August. 1999
Diagnostic Criteria for Autism and Asperger's Syndrome CDC.gov July 3, 2003
Autism Symptom Checklist autism-pdd.net February 12, 2009
Harvard Health Publications Harvard Medical School "Searching for Early Signs of Autism Spectrum Disorders" < cid="M1107b"> 2007

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