Making the Best of an Unexpected Change in our Normal Routine

I hope that each of you is staying healthy and are enjoying the unexpected time with your families. If you live in a state where a "stay at home" order has been issued after having almost everything around you already shut down, please know that this challenging situation will not last forever. Even though it is inconvenient for most of us, having to "stay at home" might actually be what we need to realize that our chaotic schedules have us so busy that we do not spend enough time relaxing and making memories with our families. As an in-home ABA therapist, I always have a variety of board and card games on hand to utilize in my sessions. So, I will be reallocating these resources to engage my husband and two teenage sons in a few family-friendly games to keep our brains active while we are all enjoying our unexpected stay at home. Of course, there will be instances where each of us will want some solitude to play a particular online game, read a book, or contact a friend to see how they are managing to survive during this challenging situation. 

Be safe and enjoy making new memories with your family!

Your friend, 

Lorrie

Accepting Delay in Returning to College and Other Unexpected Life Events

It has been a considerable challenge for me to accept that I had to take another semester off from college, but I am doing what I can to stay motivated. I cannot go into detail about an incident that recently affected me, but I would greatly appreciate your continued prayers as I move forward and look to the future. 

On a more positive note, I would like to share that I have been losing weight over the last year and a half. This has been a gradual accomplishment and one which has allowed me to move down two pants sizes smaller than when I transferred to the four-year university fall 2018. I am also happy to report that I am enjoying the best of both worlds; working with the students in the classroom, as well as the client with whom I work after school during the week. Not many people can say that they have the privilege of doing what they love each day but, I can!

Celebrating a New Chapter in My Life and Career

Even though I am only eight courses away from finishing my B.A. in Psychology, I will be taking a semester off from UCO until I can pay off my bursar account so that I can enroll in a few courses next spring. Ever since I returned to college to finish my bachelor's degree, my plan has been to avoid taking out any student loans. I am still as determined as I was back then to remain debt-free when I start my future career as a School Psychologist! 

Thankfully, it should not take too long to pay off last semester's tuition because Edmond Public Schools has hired me as a full-time Teaching Assistant for the upcoming school year. I am excited to begin work as a TA II at Memorial High School in two weeks. Nexus Solutions for Autism has also hired me to provide in-home treatment as an ABA Therapist. I have missed working with students in the classroom and look forward to doing so again, as well as working with clients and their families in the naturalistic environment of their homes!

Taking The Time To Get To Know Your Neighbors Will Benefit Your Child Who Has #Autism

This is an article that wrote for a site, Bearshirt.org, that is no longer in existence. I am glad that I kept a draft copy of the article on my blog so that I could share it with you! Please enjoy reading my article titled "Taking The Time To Get To Know Your Neighbors Will Benefit Your Child Who Has #Autism" and #share it with someone in the special needs community!!

     Having a child with an Autism Spectrum Disorder is a never-ending job to make sure that their needs are met physically, emotionally, and educationally. Another area of concern is for his or her safety, while they are at school, with you somewhere out in public, and even at home with the family. If a child with an Autism Spectrum Disorder becomes over-stimulated, he or she may try to wander off in search of a calmer environment not realizing that you are unaware of their location.[1] Remember that children with Autism do not process information the same way that we do and they will not give notice before an unforeseen meltdown possibly leads to an unsupervised adventure. So, it would be a good idea to get to know your neighbors in the event that this happens.

     Autism can best be described as a brain-based disorder that impairs the development of a child’s social behavior and communication skills. It now affects an average of 1 in 88 children, a 25% increase of from the previously reported 1 in 110 children in the United States. An estimated 1 in 54 boys and 1 in 252 girls are affected by autism in the United States, almost 5 times more boys than girls. Autism Spectrum Disorders affect over 2 million individuals in the U.S. and tens of millions around the world.[2] You might know what Autism is but, how much do you think that your neighbors actually understand about your child? 

     A child with Autism may tend to stand out to people because of his or her behavior or unusual characteristics. Introducing your child to those neighbors, that you consider trustworthy, will help them learn more about your child and become part of your child's support system.[3] Your neighbors will be willing to call you right away if they see your child outside your home, especially if unaccompanied by you or another family member. Be sure to let your neighbors know if someone else is scheduled to care for your child, in case there is an emergency.

     Here are several questions, from which you will want to decide, what information that you will want to share with certain and your most trusted neighbors:

• Does your child respond to having his or her name spoken? 

• Would a stranger think your child is deaf?

• Is your child afraid of vehicles and animals, or is your child attracted to them?

• Is your child a wanderer or a runner?

• Is your child attracted to bodies of water such as ponds, creeks, lakes, rivers or swimming pools?

• If your neighbors see your child without adult supervision, is there a specific way that would work best to help them get your child back to you?

• Are there certain things that "trigger" or cause your child to have a "meltdown"?

• Does your child have sensory issues that your neighbors need to know about?

     You can make up a flyer that has your child's picture and pertinent information such as name, age, address, the best phone number to contact you with an up-to-date physical description of your child, what he or she is interested in, if they are verbal or non-verbal and a summarization of their attributes or characteristics. This will help in smoothing any interaction that may occur between your neighbors and your child. By sharing information about your child and his or her need to be protected, you are taking steps to prevent problems and you are helping your neighbors understand your child's unusual behaviors. You are also communicating that you are open to talking about anything which concerns your child and the neighborhood, and you are letting your neighbors know that they should contact you before they call 911. Knowing your neighbors and making them comfortable with your child's differences can lead to better social interactions for your child. This will help your child as he or she matures and earns more freedom to interact with other neighborhood children. When I see my own child is having a good time with his friends in our neighborhood, it makes me proud to be a part of helping him to develop important social skills.

1.  Awaare FAQs
2. Autism Science Foundation  
   What is Autism?
3. Our Mom Spot 
    Autism "How-To" Guide for Parents

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Fall 2012  from L-R: Nathan (9), Lorrie, Matt and Vincent (11)

Lorrie Servati is a mom of four wonderful children and married to her wonderful husband of twelve years. She also has an energetic three year old grandson and a outgoing one year old granddaughter. Lorrie's youngest son, Nathan, was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) almost five years ago. This motivated her to become an advocate for autism and eventually all special needs children that she came in contact with while either substitute teaching or volunteering at the elementary school. Lorrie started blogging June 2011 in order to document her son's autism journey and share the resources she found with other families. Nathan's Voice was created to bring understanding, awareness and acceptance of autism to everyone who takes the time to read about their experiences.

Becoming More Than Just Mom and #Autism Advocate: Scheduling Tips

Hi, everyone!

This is the final post that was originally written for a site titled Character Boost, which I recently discovered that this site is no longer in operation. I decided to make this post available for my readers in a post linked to the original post. Please enjoy the original guest post as it was submitted to Character Boost a little over six years ago. Thank you for your patience, understanding, and continued support! ~Lorrie

In the previous post, How To Become Your Autism Child's Advocate While MaintainingYouHousehold, we learned about fundraising tips. While you are busy organizing your fundraiser, it is important to keep your family's needs in mind. It takes a lot of preparation to keep everything running smoothly in a family that has a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder. There are many things you have to consider when planning for your child's and your family's daily schedule. I have found that if I follow this checklist, everyone involved is taken care of:

• Make sure that you have a separate schedule for everything related to your child's educational, physical, emotional, and sensory needs. If someone else is helping you to take or pick up your child from his or her school, doctors, therapists or other activities, you will want to keep them apprised of this schedule. I keep mine updated on my phone but, I periodically shake things up by alternating between a dry-erase and printed, color-coded monthly calendar that I keep posted on the refrigerator for everyone else to reference!
• Set aside a regular time to spend with your family. Regardless of the responsibilities you have as an adult, your first priority is as a parent to your child. I have found that if I have arranged a regularly scheduled "family time" for us to play our favorite board games, watch a movie, or enjoy an adventure to one of the local museums, everyone in my family looks forward to it!
• Your spouse needs you to make time for him, or her. The support that I receive from my husband, and the strength from my Lord, motivate me to do what I can for others. I sometimes get so involved in what I am doing, either for our children's school or the local autism support group, I find time has gotten away from me. Please don't let this happen to you, schedule a "date night" for you and your spouse and mark it on the calendar!
• Lastly, you need to ask yourself the following..."Got ME time?" I know that you are probably laughing hysterically but, it is crucial to make time for yourself! Everyone needs some individual time for solitude, whether it's just having a designated quiet time once a week or being able to meet a friend for a soda. Making the decision, to take care of yourself, will be well worth every minute!

By following the tips mentioned above, you can advocate on your autism child's behalf while still maintaining a sense of order in your home. Last fall, I started as an apprentice co-leader in my local parent-led support group and then was handed the reins, as the new support group leader, in January 2013. This new advocacy role has helped me to benefit from the social aspect and what I can learn from the other parents while I share what I know with them. I have been so busy lately with April being Autism Awareness Month that I have had to constantly remind myself to not let my various advocacy projects interfere with my responsibilities to my family. 

Please join me in celebrating Autism Awareness Month in April and learning more about Autism Spectrum Disorders. The alarming new statistics released by the U.S. Center for Disease Control state that 1 in every 58 children in the United States are being diagnosed with Autism. Are YOU up to the extraordinary challenge of being the one to "Think Differently" to help someone with Autism accomplish better grades in school, achieve a career in a field that interests him or her, or even volunteer to help in childcare at an Autism support group? It will go a long way in making a difference in your community, the families affected by Autism, and in how each of us perceives individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders. I know from my own experience that I am better for the time that I have spent as Nathan's Mom and working as a Special Education Substitute Teacher. 

If you are looking for a support group, there is most likely a local Autism Society of America chapter which can provide a number of ways in which individuals and families can obtain support and share their experiences with others in their communities. Their chapters are an obvious place to turn for encouragement, accurate information, and education. Also, there are support groups on various social sites that you can join, or check out anonymously. Search for those in your area or state then widen your perimeter. If you are, or someone you know might be, interested in reading more about our journey on the Autism Spectrum, please take the time to check out Nathan's Voice.

Becoming More Than Just Mom and #Autism Advocate: Fundraising Tips

Hello, again!

This is another post that was originally written for a site titled Character Boost, which I recently discovered that this site is no longer in operation. I decided to make this post available for my readers in a post linked to the original post. I will post the second part of this post as soon as I possibly can. Please enjoy the original guest post as it was submitted to Character Boost a little over six years ago. Thank you for your understanding and continued support! ~Lorrie

Those of you who follow our family autism blog will know that, besides my being Nathan's Mom and Advocate, I am very involved in my son's school and in our local community. I started out by just volunteering in each of my son's classrooms and in the elementary school office. Three years ago, I became a Substitute Teacher in my boys' elementary school where I enjoy working with children. I have had the privilege of being able to "pay it forward" in the special education department at my son's elementary school. Our family has been fortunate enough to have had an awesome team of individuals that have used their knowledge to help our son use his coping skills to navigate his always unpredictable journey on the Autism Spectrum.

My loving husband, our very supportive extended family, and having the faith to rely on my precious Lord, are what has given me the strength to get through the difficult times before and since Nathan's diagnosis five years ago. Within a few weeks of Nathan's diagnosis, I started our Family Autism Team "Nathan's Voice" and we walked in support of our son, Nathan, in the 2008 Oklahoma Walk Now for Autism Speaks held in Oklahoma City. As the team captain, I had organized two large indoor sales to benefit autism, one for each of the next two years, as our big annual team fundraiser for the annual walk. I hadn't realized how taking on this responsibility would affect my family. It is very important to remember these tips when organizing team fundraisers:

• Pick a fundraiser that is realistic and one that is not too complicated. It is better to start with something small and then decide to add more features, after having it become a huge success and recruiting more volunteers.
• Find a location for your fundraiser, possibly an indoor venue so that you don't have to worry about the weather and you will most likely have more volunteers. If a local church is willing to allow you to have your fundraiser indoors, you should list them as a sponsor on your advertising.
• Select a tentative date and the times for your fundraiser. It is good to have another date available, in the event of bad weather or other scheduling issues. Be sure to check with each of your volunteers, suppliers, and sponsors whom you would like present at your fundraiser.
• Make a detailed schedule so that each of your volunteers will know when they are expected to work during the fundraiser. Remember to send each of them a friendly reminder, thanking him/her for the help each of them will be providing during your fundraiser!
• If you will be using price tags, and want a certain format used, you may want to create your own custom template in Excel and share it with your volunteers via email. I have found that you can insert a small logo, personalizing them to advertise your organization. 
• Put something together as a personal "Thank You" to present to each of your volunteers after your fundraiser is complete. Possibly, a small token of your appreciation or along the lines of what your organization represents or provides to the community.

While you are busy organizing your fundraiser, it is important to keep your family's needs in mind. We hope that you have enjoyed this post, and we look forward to following it up with tips on keeping everything in your household running smoothly.

Mastering the Essential Skills of Sportsmanship While Having Autism

Greetings!

This post was originally written for a site titled Character Booster, but I recently discovered while checking the links on my site that this site is no longer in operation. I decided to make this post available for my readers in a post linked to the original post. I will do the same for the other two written for the same site as soon as I possibly can. Please enjoy the original guest post as it was submitted to Character Booster a little over six years ago. Thank you for your understanding and continued support! ~Lorrie

I am honored to have been asked to write a guest post for Character Boost. As a parent of a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), I mostly write about how autism affects our family, the education of our son and how difficult social interaction is for him. Autism can best be described as a brain-based disorder that impairs the development of a child's social behavior and communication. I want to give others an insight into my son's extraordinary journey on the autism spectrum. Over the last few years, my husband and I have given our two boys, Vincent and Nathan, more freedom to play with and get to know the other children in our neighborhood. It has been a good experience, and experiment, in social interaction for our sons, especially for Nathan. Occasionally, there may be an afternoon when Vincent has had to escort Nathan back to the house because he has had a "meltdown". Most of the time, he is able to "self-regulate" and rejoin his friends until it is time to come in for dinner.

When the weather will not permit us to be outside, we will play some of our favorite games such as Sorry!™, Monopoly™, Aggravation™ or something special on the Wii™. If we decide to play a game on the Wii, it will usually depend on what we are in the mood for. Each of us gets to choose a game that we want to share with the rest of the family. The diversity in the skills that each of us have, the variety of sports that each of us chooses and the difference in levels of patience are something that makes our family time one of quality and quite memorable. Individual strengths, and weaknesses, make each one of us unique and special. While Vincent may be good at Frisbee Golf, Matt likes the Tiger Woods™ golf and I enjoy the 100-pin bowling, Nathan is exceptionally good at Table Tennis. Our family has learned, that no matter how much that we struggle with a certain skill set, to remember that we are there to support one another through a difficult level and to cheer each other on to success!

We are extremely proud of how Nathan has learned to master the concept of individual game rules, take turns in playing games and how important general sportsmanship is in everyday life. His slightly older brother, Vincent, has been essential in helping Nathan accomplish these motor and social skills. My husband and I are very blessed to have such wonderful children and to know that each of our boys can do, and will continue to be able to do, anything that they set their minds on.