"Help" is related to the post, but bear with me for a moment.

I went online to see how autism is presented in the media- I started with Oprah and Autism Speaks (as I heard so many bad things), and it was really sad. Im sure many of you have already seen this, but here is a sample:
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OPRAH http://youtu.be/87UAZ11Y4Ik
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I was very frustrated...as a person with Aspergers or HFA, when I see the kids doing the "stimming", I completely understand, I can almost feel what it feels like to do that and I don't know why it is viewed as such a horrible thing.

So I did more research and found this VERY encouraging 60 Minutes special. What you will notice is that the parents start with a similar story like the parents on Oprah (how their son regressed and it was horrible and they went into all kinds of therapies, etc etc), then they say they stopped and just LET HIM DO WHAT MADE HIM HAPPY, and thats when they "got him back", so to speak.
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60 MINUTES http://youtu.be/OR36jrx_L44
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Seeing what is going on, I have to do something. This is the "help" part. I am really good at research, and I'm obsessed with culture, so ironically I tend to be good at seeing patterns in behavior and have ideas for what motives govern that behavior (like superstitions)- which means I can communicate with nonverbal kids and adults by seeing how they react to things. (Its ironic because I cannot figure out social situations for myself and I only have one friend...don't ask me why my brain works like that). I am about to graduate with a psychology BA degree, and I do not have any work planned because I cannot decide what I want to do, is there anything I can do?

I would really like to get involved and maybe teach parents how to let their children be themselves, or something like that. Also, since I am really good at research, I can help with the lab work as well.

Please let me know how I can help. I mentioned starting a research institute or a school in other posts. Let me know if any of this interests anyone.

This post was last modified: 05-18-2012 08:16 AM by sg1008.

Uh?

What do you mean?

Long Story....

"which means I can communicate with nonverbal kids and adults by seeing how they react to things. (Its ironic because I cannot figure out social situations for myself and I only have one friend...don't ask me why my brain works like that). I am about to graduate with a psychology BA degree, and I do not have any work planned because I cannot decide what I want to do, is there anything I can do?"

So could you get work and training to be ABA therapist for autistic children?  There are jobs.  For anyone with doubts I am referring to the good type of ABA.

I hate the way Oprah makes Autism look like the way BBCs Comic Relief makes poverty in Africa look...

Oprah might as well stand over some kid, with music playing in the background, pretend to look sad and say "please call this number and donate. We really need your help, or kids like Kevin will die and shi*."

FYI I donate to Comic relief every year.

My mum used to like Oprah, now she hates her. No hate is too weak a word...

60secs was ok though...

^ You mean 60 minutes?

Whats the good type?

sg1008:
I stumbled on this several months late but if you should find
a "good type of ABA" let me know, wouldja?  I think the phrase
"good type of ABA" is an oxymoron.   M, maybe you could elucidate?
Flabbergasted,
kullervo

It isn't regulated, and there are varying schools of thought on how to implement ABA and what behaviors are acceptable to modify.  

The "good" kind would use reinforcement instead of punishment and worry about behaviors that are important for functioning at home and in the classroom.  

The "bad" kind would use punishment and try to train kids to cease nonharmful stims.  

It is a very fuzzy line.  People have varying definitions of "nonharmful stims" and what constitutes a behavior that is important for functioning.  The philosophy of a good ABA therapist should not be to "cure" the child, but to respect their way of thinking and while doing so help them to make connections with others and to learn.  It would also be far less than the 40 hours a week that many people recommend!

It is very, VERY hard to find the good kind.  

The "good kind" is not very different than what good parents do with their kids - simply reward them for good behavior while not sweating the small stuff that doesn't matter.

I previously mentioned that I'm interested in Autism research, as a career. As far as a school, I really would like to start an exchange program devoted to people with Autism Spectrum Disorders.
Sounds like we have the same interest in that area.

I've been involved in my community teaching parents, and children with disabilities self advocacy courses.

But, I appreciate you wanting to teach parents how to let their children be themselves. I've made publications, and gave advice to parents in my community about how to respond to certain quirks. It would be nice to see more of that awareness, and education.

Also, you could look into jobs with the Organization for Autism Research, as well as Autism Society of America.

I've applied to a few children's hospitals who have Autism research opportunities. From my experience, those jobs are far, few and between lately.

wow, this thread was resurrected!

My current plan is to be so awesome, and then one day announce I have Asperger's to all my colleagues, and after ppl stop gawking, I'll go about helping adolescents and adults with autism (since it seems to be such a neglected area).

For now, I am applying to volunteer in a homeless youth shelter (which will also be good because a lot of homeless kids are LGBTQ and I could be sort of an example, as a deviant kid myself), also to keep up on my research skills I will be working in two community research labs.

Later in 2013 (after my credit is completely decimated by lack of ability to pay back school loans), I will apply for a job, and then apply to grad school to increase awesomeness.

I am very much motivated. I really think Gandhi was on point when he said 'Be the change you want to see in the world'... When people see that there is a way for peeps who are deviant to be awesome, then they will believe us more when we say that autists and transkids etc ar OK, just needs a little support in the current system which seems to work against our strengths.

WHICH is why AFF is cool because it helps (speaking for myself) to see what other autists and aspies are doing and capable of (such as having families, careers, writing books, making music, etc)

Its one thing to know of a famous aspie/autist, but its another to KNOW an awesome aspie/autist personal/digitally. (which is what you guys are for me.....like a big brother program for aspies lol).

I would advise that you don't come out as autistic right after you do something amazing. I've been there. What happens is people will be even more amazed by what you did because you did it against all odds, and things like that.

Just let people get to know you, and tell them when they think you're a regular person that maybe seems a little eccentric.

Agreed

oh...the point is to show them that aspies CAN do stuff and not to judge based on a label...

The world never works the way I want it to.