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“We Connect Now” for college students with disabilities

Kathie — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 15:45:58 +0000

We Connect Now was the brainchild of Gabriela McCall in 2008. The site connects college age students of all disabilities with information and each other in a colorful array of information and inspiration.

We Connect Now offers stories, law, a blog, focus of the months, events, news, links, and contact information. I spent some time on this site after being contacted by the creater. I am impressed and want to recommend it to both students and parents as a fine resourse for ASD and all disabilities.

Thank you Gabriela, for sending this my way in order to share it with my readers. SLPs, this would be a great resourse to share at an IEP with the parents of high school students who plan to attend college.

Kathie Harrington’s Amazing Autism Page on Facebook

Kathie — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 14:42:03 +0000

Be sure to check out and “Like” me on my new Facebook page, KATHIE HARRINGTON’S AMAZING AUTISM PAGE.

This is another new way of presenting information and inspiration to the autism/ASD community.

Share with your family and friends.

After all – life is AMAZING!

Speech/Language Therapy Tip #3

Kathie — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:31:18 +0000

Oral Motor Exercises such as blowing bubbles, clicking tongue, wiggling tongue, vowel exchanges, pursing lips, making silly faces. Beneficial for articulation, apraxia, autism, attention/focus. Parents and professionals should always provide a model and have FUN.

BE SURE TO CHECK OUT ~TONGUE TRACKS~

Just what every parent and professional needs for oral motor exercise and fun!

Joint attention in autism/ASD

Kathie — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 23:53:44 +0000

I learned this from my daughter, Katie, when she was eighteen months old.

It was a Thursday afternoon in 1974. I was reading a book on a snowy day in MO.

Doug, three and one-half years old was playing with an object repeatedly,

as he did most days. He was content and being himself with ASD. Katie, Doug’s

sister walked and talked early and liked control. She wanted what Doug had.

“Doug, Doug, Doug.” Katie was calling her brother. He didn’t look. He didn’t respond.

I sat silent on the couch as I watched the scene unfold.

“Doug, Doug.” Katie didn’t accept Doug’s lack of response. She marched over to Doug’s side, put her face up to his, and announced, “My turn,” as she pulled the treasure from his hands. That seemed to elicit their Joint Attention.

I present many strategies for Joint Attention in my blog at ADVANCE for the Speech/Language Pathologist. They work and I hope you have some of your own to share with me on either of my blogs.

Autism – ASD – PDD – Aspergers and Sensory Processing

Kathie — Tue, 17 May 2011 02:54:25 +0000

: Your sensory child and ASD

Do You Know Me? is a wonderful, easy chart for both parents and professionals to assist in identifying sensory processing issues in children. (perhaps in yourselves as well) A sensory processing disorder (SPD) goes hand-in-hand with autism and Aspergers. Parents and professionals don’t want to miss this aspect of their child’s total world of ASD.

This flyer, created by Melissa Zacheri, is unique and useful as can be.

Take a look, you’ll find it on a walk down Sensory Street.

You’ll be glad you did.

Oral Motor articulation program for parents and professionals – Tongue Tracks

Kathie — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 07:18:02 +0000

Get it now from AliMed

My new oral motor speech program, Tongue Tracks, is now available through Alimed.

Designed for both PARENTS and PROFESSIONALS,

Tongue Tracks is fun, interactive, and will improve your child’s

oral motor strength and flexibility for improved articulation skills.

Tongue Tracks will assist children of all ages who experience:

mild to sever speech delay

apraxia/apraxic

Down syndrome

ASD/autism

Track your child’s way to improved intelligibility with Tongue Tracks

Hooray for Hollywood and Autism – ASD – Aspergers

Kathie — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 23:36:29 +0000

KATHIE’S HOORAY FOR HOLLYWOOD LIST

Let me say this

Before I start my list.

I didn’t see them all

That would be a giant call.

Even some that I did see

I didn’t like that well for me.

But all, in all, this list for you to see

Are movies by Hollywood staring ASD.

Title	Stars	Date
Adam	Hugh Dancy, Rose Bryne	2009
Temple Grandin	Claire Dane	2010
My Name is Khan	Shah Rukh Khan	2010
Mozart and The Whale	Josh Harnett, Radha Mitchell	2005
I Am Sam	Sean Penn, Dakota Fanning	1998
Rain Man	Dustin Hoffman, Tom Cruise	1988
The Other Sister	Juliette Lewis, Dianne Keaton	1999
Mercury Rising	Bruce Willis, Alec Baldwin	1998
What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?	Johnny Depp, Leo DiCaprio	1993
Little Man Tate	Dianne Weist, Harry Connick, Jr.	1991
Backstreet Dreams	Brook Shields, Burt Young	1990
House of Cards	Kathleen Turner, T. Lee Jones	1993
The Boy Who Could Fly	Jay Underwood, Fred Savage	1986
Dear John	Channing Tatum, Amanda Seyfried	2010
The Black Balloon	Rhys Wakefield, Luke Ford	2008
Snow Cake	Sigourney Weaver	2006
David’s Mother	Kirstie Alley, Sam Watterson	1994
Miracle Run	Mary-Louise Parker	2004
After Thomas	Keeley Hawes, Ben Miles	2006
A Mother’s Courage (documentary)	Kate Winslet (narrator)	2009
Mary and Max	animated	2009

Enjoy and let me know YOUR thoughts.

Where to find success with Non-Verbal Johnny ~ ASD

Kathie — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 15:49:08 +0000

: Bubbles are a “popping” motivator

This week’s Autism Spectrum across Ages & Environments talks about how Success Builds Success for the non-verbal child with autism (ASD).

Did you know that I am blogging on a weekly basis for ADVANCE for the Speech-Language Pathologist? All of my blogs are for the SLP, parents, and other professionals.

You can sign-up to receive the blog each week through ADVANCE. A two-minute read for a lifetime of information to help your child/adult.

Let me know what YOU would like to see me blog about.

What’s being said about The King’s Speech

Kathie — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 20:59:45 +0000

The King's Speech

“The Stuttering Foundation of America gives a hero’s welcome to The King’s Speech, which has brought overwhelmingly positive attention to the plight of people who stutter. The King’s Speech, with its 12 Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress nominations, continues to put a much-needed spotlight on stuttering. For the stuttering community, there are few, if any, more accurate portrayals of the anguish faced by people who stutter, or of the hardship it places on family and friends, than in this movie. Stuttering is most often the province of comic relief, and never of the hero. The King’s Speech gives the stuttering community a hero who inspires and a movie that promotes understanding and acceptance of the complexities of stuttering. We congratulate the directors, producers, writers and actors for their work, and their humanity in helping millions of people who stutter with understanding and hope.”

Humpty Dumpty’s top picks for 2010

Kathie — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 13:48:08 +0000

At the Las Vegas Santa Run

Don’t miss a series of blogs at On the Road with Humpty Dumpty as HE reviews his 2010 adventures. I started this family friendly blog in May, 2010. The whole idea is to “get off your wall and live.”

Everyone of us, even Tiny Tim, has something that can hold us back in life ~ that is ~ if you let it.

Enjoy life ~ smile with it ~ cry when you must ~ but then, pick yourself up and live!

(This is my Humpty Dumpty – the one in the little plaid suit. He’s a joy in my life. Follow his adventures on HIS blog.)