ASD

Autism Spectrum Disorder is a broad term used to describe any of a number of clinically similar, yet distinct medical diagnoses. These include:

• Autism Disorder,
• Asperger’s Disorder,
• Childhood Disintegrative Disorder,
• Rett’s Disorder,
• Pervasive Developmental Disorder, Not Otherwise Specified.

Autism Spectrum Disorders are characterised by severe and pervasive impairment in several areas of development: reciprocal social interaction skills, communication skills, or the presence of stereotyped behaviour, interests and activities.

(Reference: http://education.qld.gov.au/studentservices/learning/disability/generalinfo/asd/asd2.html )

Below are some links to websites about ASD:

• Raising Children Network – Provides information about ASD, services, types of therapies, and a Parent forum

• Positive Partnerships Online Learning Portal – Provides online workshops and information sessions for parents/carers of school aged children with ASD

• Autism Queensland – Provides information about ASD, and contains links to other useful websites about ASD.  Autism Queensland also has a helpline phone service

• Monash University – Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences – Provides a range of fact sheets about ASD

• People with ASD often have difficulties with sensory processing. The Sensory Processing Disorder Foundation provides some useful information on this area

• People with ASD often have difficulties understanding social situations.  Social stories are an effective way of explaining these situations, and teaching appropriate responses.  For more information on social stories, visit – Carol Gray- Social Stories

• Sue Larkey – an international author, autism spectrum specialist, and teacher.  Her website contains a range of tip sheets and YouTube videos on ASD

• Anna Tullemans – Aspergers consultant and author, based in Redcliffe – This site contains some easy-to-read articles that contain tips for problems commonly faced when supporting a child with ASD

• Tony Attwood – Tony is a psychologist specialising in ASD.  His website contains information on ASD, including recent research conducted in this area

• The Scottish Autism Network is a website designed for professionals working in the area of ASD, and contains information on recent research conducted in this area

• Autism Help.com.au – a range of supports are available on this site, including videos of people with ASD, and presentations about ASD

• Family Planning Queensland has some resources to assist people with disabilities to understand about their sexuality

Below are some links to websites about services for children with ASD:

Free:

• Autism Queensland provides some free consultancy services for children with a diagnosis of ASD, including outreach/consultancy school visits and a helpline phone service.  Autism Queensland

Fee-for-service:

• The AEIOU Foundation provides part-time and full-time early education programs for children aged two-and-a-half to five years who have been diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Each AEIOU centre is staffed with specialist teachers and therapists

• Autism Partnership Australia uses an Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) approach in their treatment of children with ASD

• Anna Tullemans -Aspergers consultant and author

• Tony Attwood – a psychologist specialising in ASD

• M.A. Carter Consultancy

 

Below are some links to companies selling resources to support your child with ASD:

• Book-in-hand – specialises in books about Autism and Asperger’s Syndrome

• Resources at hand

• Josie Santomauro

• Sue Larkey

• M.A. Carter Consultancy

 

Below are some links to websites offering support to parents of children with ASD and to people with ASD:

• BBB Online Support Network: This extremely popular website was created by and for parents of children with autism. Based in Ontario, it carries members from all over the world, including parents of children from preschool age to adults. It is a well run website hosting online chats, bulletin boards, articles and links. The site invites discussion in a supportive atmosphere. (Kendal, this is the link: http://www.bbbautism.com/)

 

• Online Asperger Syndrome Information & Support (OASIS): This popular website is maintained by Barbara Kirby, author of the extremely popular book “The OASIS Guide to Asperger Syndrome”. There is a lot of information on this site, including research articles, family matters, adults with Asperger Syndrome and more (Kendal, this is the link: http://www.udel.edu/bkirby/asperger/)

 

• A survival guide for people with Asperger Syndrome: This is an online publication written by a person with Asperger Syndrome for his peers. Marc Segar was only 23 when he passed away, but his legacy is a fascinating insight into the thought processes of a person with Asperger Syndrome. For someone with this condition, it provides useful hints for deciphering body language, finding friends, sexuality, and how misinformation about Asperger Syndrome by “neuro-typicals” can be handled. Marc was from the U.K., so the language and experiences reflect that culture. (Kendal, this is the link: http://www.shifth.mistral.co.uk/autism/marc2.htm)
• Asperger Services Australia (ASPECT) – Asperger Services Australia is a volunteer not for profit organisation established in 1995, and provides support to parents, carers, families, individuals, service providers and professionals.  (Kendal, this is the link: http://www.asperger.asn.au/)
• Autism Behavioural Intervention Queensland (ABIQ) supports the Applied Behavioural Analysis (ABA) approach with children with ASD.  The group runs a number of workshops throughout the year – (Kendal, this is the link: http://www.abiq.org/ )
• Health Insite- Autism – this website links to a range of well renowned sites on Autism –(Kendal, this is the link: http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/topics/Autism.)

 

• Asperger’s Syndrome Foundation – contains a range of information and tip sheets on Asperger’s Syndrome for parents, teachers, and teacher aides – (Kendal, this is the link: http://www.aspergerfoundation.org.uk/info.htm).