Under the umbrella

• Every child and adult with ASD has the right to be who he or she wants to be and is able to be, rather than what we want them to be.

• Suppose you were restrained in chair in which you were getting continuous electric shocks. If you were unable to communicate your dilemma in a way that others understood, or were prepared to come to your aid, you would probably begin to display somewhat similar behaviour as do some individuals with ASD. We could bring in therapists to deal with your "symptoms" of aggression, self abuse, or eventual depression. A better course of action, however, would be an assessment of the function of your "challenging behaviour", thereby identifying the cause, and turning off the shocks.

Who is this Child? If I tell you that he has a 125 IQ, do you know him? How about I add that he has a unique neuropsychological profile with wide-ranging strengths and weaknesses? Do you sense that you know him when I say that he is socially awkward, preoccupied with airplanes, and prone to one sided conversations? How about when you hear that he doesn't like sunlight in his eyes, loves the smell of old books, and enjoys pressing his thumbs hard into the tips of his other fingers? And will you recognize him when I inform you that he is a bit clumsy, speaks with an adult's vocabulary, is awfully disorganized, and suffers colossal anxiety? Like most of us, hearing this description will give you some sense of the child.  You will begin to form an impression of him. And when you actually meet him in person, you probably will not be surprised by much of what you see and hear. When he starts to talk and recites in detail the weight and wingspan and flying range of military aircraft, you may nod to yourself. Just as you will when he avoids your eyes or sits rigidly and uncomfortably as if your mere presence poses danger to him. His relative lack of social etiquette and stilted way of talking will confim what you're already fairly sure of....This is a boy with Asperger Syndrome. But just because you can rightly identify the child and the Asperger's, does that really mean you know him?  

I don't think it could be said any better than that...Thank you Richard Bromfield Ph.D for writing Embracing Asperger's - A primer for parents and professionals. I can't tell you how many books and reference materials I have read and nothing says it better (and that's just from the introduction part).

Children with Asperger's are often defined by their disability and the co-morbidities that come with it. Without support and access to services, those diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome, as well as their families, struggle to understand their perplexing outline of strengths and deficits. Parents are often left wondering what can they do to help their child function on a daily basis and also understand the world that they perceive and live in.

Under the umbrella is a fundraiser dedicated to helping the children identified under the Autism spectrum and their families. Our primary focus is to raise monies to send children to camp, provide some respite relief for families, bring families affected by ASD together and bring the much needed awareness to our communities on how to help these individuals become equal and active members of society.

Coming Events

Gala - Friday September 28, 2012
LeParc 8432 Leslie St, Thornhill
6:30-Midhnight
Tickets $125.00 each
Dinner, Dancing, Open Bar