Autism, Asperger's and more, oh my!

It's Hunt for Happiness Week

Lori-ann — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 22:25:18 GMT

This calendar event came to my attention this week and at first I thought it was a bit odd. Hunt for Happiness? How on earth does a person do that? I always thought we made our own happiness, defined happiness for and within ourselves.

A quick google search showed me that there is a Secret Society of Happy People. Founded in 1998 the purpose of the Society is to encourage the expression of happiness and discourage parade-raining. Their mission is to help people to recognize more happiness and encourage them to talk about it.

Did you know there are 31 types of happiness? That’s right! One for each day of the month.

1. Amazed

2. Amused

3. Anticipation

4. Borrowed

5. Celebrate

6. Cheerful

7. Compassion

8. Content

9. Delight

10. Enthusiastic

11. Exuberant

12. Fun

13. Give

14. Glad

15. Gratitude

16. Hopeful

17. Humor

18. Inspiration

19. Joy

20. Love

21. Nostalgic

22. Optimistic

23. Peace

24. Play

25. Relief

26. Satisfaction

27. Spiritual

28. Spontaneous

29. Surprise

30. Sweet

31. Vivacious

The motto of the Secret Society of Happy People is: If you're happy and you know it ... tell somebody! If someone else is happy and they know it ... listen!

Couldn’t we all use more happiness recognition in our lives? I think some days we just need to acknowledge that it exists. Try it for yourself. Talk to your spouse or your child about some of the happy moments in your day. Pass happiness around.

Wordless Wednesday - November 9, 2011

Lori-ann — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 01:31:34 GMT

First camping trip - 2011

Lori-ann — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 18:25:51 GMT

When thinking about how to spend our summer this year one thought that stuck with me was derived from memories of my own childhood.

Every summer my family went camping for 2 weeks. When we were younger the time was spent at Cultas Lake, a short drive from home and with 4 kids my parents needed to be able to pack up and hit the highway if necessary. Those memories are some of the happiest and most comforting that I have. Camping brought a sense of adventure and freedom. I remember my Dad would wake up early each morning and get the campfire going. We always had a campsite right on the edge of the lake and I loved to sit looking out at the quiet lake and listen to the early morning forest sounds.

Our experience this year was quite a bit different than what my memories bring to me. Camping with Kurtis is a LOT of work. There is no time to sit and read a book or take a nap. Every activity must be monitored closely. Kurtis has no "street smarts". He lives in the moment for the most part and acts on impulse. That said, getting away from the house and all the responsibilities that go along with "city living" was a welcome break. We did have some very special family moments. Kurtis was so excited to go camping that he giggled the entire car ride there. He LOVED sleeping in the tent and even gave us a few camera shots of him pretending to sleep.

I always look forward to extended periods of time when I can be with Kurtis. He amazes me on a continual basis with his knowledge and abilities.

I created this Smilebox to share our experience with friends and family. I love the Smilebox program. It's a great way to capture and share memories.

Just click on the arrow in the box to view the pictures.

This free digital scrapbooking design made with Smilebox

The Gang's all here - Part 6 - Helping Hearts brings it together

Lori-ann — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 05:48:50 GMT

If you have been following the posts introducing our family I want to wrap it up with a gorgeous family photo.

First, a bit of a story about how we came to possess such a fantastic picture to display.

I was introduced to the Helping Hearts Organization through a friend of mine who also has some children with Special Needs.

Helping Hearts is a non-profit organization located in Canada and created by Melissa & Michelle with the goal of being able to provide free photography sessions for families with children who are suffering a life-altering illness or disability.

Through the Helping Hearts organization we were put in contact with local photographer Rae Clevett of Rae Clevett Photography to arrange our session. Rae has been so incredible to work with. She was understanding of some family member’s anxiety around the camera and was able to make everyone feel comfortable. There was no pressure to perform or pose. She just waited for everyone to reach their comfort zone in the configuration we were trying to get and found the perfect time to click the shutter.

The photo session was designed to have Kurtis as the prime subject and we have some really special shots of him alone and with varying family members.

Thank you Helping Hearts for bringing our family together to create some special moments and thank you Rae for capturing us at our best.

Father's Day 2011

Lori-ann — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 02:34:44 GMT

Cam and Kurtis caught in a special moment by Rae Clevett during our family photo session through Helping Hearts.

Kurtis couldn't have a more perfect person in the role of Daddy if he had hand picked him. Cam wears his many hats with grace and gratitude. Daddy, advocate, trainer, therapist, teacher, student (we all learn so much from Kurtis) rough houser, equipment adapter, techno guru...you name it...he does it...all for Kurtis!

Happy Father's Day Cameron! Hope you enjoyed your day.

Mother's Day Poem

Lori-ann — Sun, 08 May 2011 06:54:00 GMT

Mother's Day Clip Art

How did you find the energy, Mom

To do all the things you did,

To be teacher, nurse and counsellor

To me, when I was a kid.

How did you do it all, Mom,

Be a chauffeur, cook and friend,

Yet find time to be a playmate,

I just can’t comprehend.

I see now it was love, Mom

That made you come whenever I'd call,

Your inexhaustible love, Mom

And I thank you for it all.

Anonymous

The Gang's all here - Part 5

Lori-ann — Thu, 05 May 2011 01:42:00 GMT

I am happy to introduce Natasha and Justin.

Through the years Natasha has been my right hand in so many ways. She loves children and has a magnetism that draws them to her. She loves to dance and to share that passion with others, but most of all, she loves Kurtis.

I have had the joy of watching Natasha grow into a caring young adult with the ability to advocate for her brother when needed.

Natasha is currently living on her own and is working in an entry level position at the same insurance company that Ali works for. Her career goal is to become a sign language interpreter.

Last but not least is Justin. I am so proud of my most recent Graduate. Justin has a diagnosis of Asperger’s and continually amazes us in so many ways. He has a wicked sense of humour. He challenges us at times beyond reason. He loves us with all his heart. A day without Justin is like a day without a roller coaster ride.

Justin lives with his Dad in the same city we live in.

While he waits for a seat to open up at the college for the course he wants to enrol in Justin works part-time at Silver City. Justin’s career choice is sign language interpreter.

Well, there you have it. I often think we are a pretty dysfunctional group but then I look around and see that we are just a bunch of people trying to take each day as it comes and make the best of it.

You can believe me when I say, “there is never a dull moment around here!”

Teachers in our lives

Lori-ann — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 07:11:00 GMT

By way of introduction to this post I would like to tell you that I belong to a group called Blog Energizer. I have been using their free program for a few years now but recently decided to take the plunge and upgrade my account to Premium status which provides me with bonus materials. One of the bonuses is that each month we receive an "assignment" to complete as we see fit with our own blog. This month the assignment is to blog about a teacher who has impacted our lives to such an extent that the lessons learned have been carried with us into our adult lives.

If I have to choose one teacher who made a profound impact on my life I have to say it was Mrs. Juk.

Mrs. Juk was my grade 7 teacher. She was the “mean” teacher.

No one wanted to be in her class!

I was so scared walking into her classroom on the first day of school I was trembling. I remember holding back tears and afterwards running home and begging my Mom to get me changed to the other grade 7 class. The one with the handsome, young, male teacher that all the girls mooned over.

Ya right! Like my Mom was gonna do that!

I don’t know that Mrs. Juk did anything specific but what I did learn was the “don’t judge a book by the cover” lesson. As the school year progressed I discovered that although Mrs. Juk was strict in her expectations for behaviour in her classroom and she held high standards for her students’ academic progress she also had a fun side. We continued to learn to play the recorder but she also introduced us to the harpsichord, the bells and the guitar. She instilled in us a joy for singing. We learned to sing and play songs the meaning of which were years beyond our sheltered suburban 12 year old maturity level like “Little Boxes” written by Malvina Reynold, “Scarborough Fair” and “Hey Jude”.

Other lessons learned during my time in her classroom were about grief and empathy. Just prior to winter break the unthinkable occurred for one of our classmates. Roger’s Mom passed away. I don’t remember the details surrounding that situation but I do remember that Roger was away from school for a really long time and when he came back he was really sad. Sometimes he would cry. Mrs. Juk would walk over to him and give him a hug and speak quietly with him. She had spoken to the class prior to Roger’s return to school and explained to us that Roger is grieving and that this might happen. That it’s normal and it’s okay. I’m sorry to say that I didn’t have any words for Roger at the time but I did feel his pain and knew that it was not something I ever wanted to experience.

All in all, Grade 7 was a great year and as I moved on to Junior High and beyond I often would stop by the old school just to say “Hi” to Mrs. Juk. She goes down in my memory book as one of my favorite teachers.

Do you have a favorite teacher from your past or a favorite from your child's past? Please share with us.

The Gang's all here - Part 4

Lori-ann — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 05:33:00 GMT

As different as night and day these two women have grown to be strong and independent.

As a small child Ali was always on the look out for people she could help or learn from. This has carried her well into adulthood and she has developed an interest in entertaining and would like to start a career in the wedding planning industry.

Presently, Ali works in the insurance industry and has worked hard to develop her skills and gain advancement in her office.

Disa is the Executive Music Director with PUR Management. Disa discovered a passion for music at a young age. Writing poetry and songs became a strong outlet for her emotions through the teen years . She attended Rock School during her senior high school years and through that process discovered an interest in the behind the scenes activities of recording and producing. She went on to further her education at Hot Sole recording school and in the years since post secondary graduation has focused her time and talents developing her career in that direction.

You certainly can't tell from looking at them that they are twins!

The Gang's all here - Part 3

Lori-ann — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 18:33:00 GMT

Introducing my daughter Tria and her daughter Courtney-ann.

As the eldest, Tria has always carried a lot responsibility but with a willingness that goes beyond expectation. She has always made herself available to help out when I needed to call on her and now, in return for that, I help her out by caring for Courtney-ann when needed.

Tria is a single mom and works full time in administration for a fuel company.

Courtney-ann’s Daddy is hands on in her life and although the family unit is unique they truly love and adore each other in a very special way.

Courtney-ann is an adorable little girl and the light of my life. (Okay, I admit I'm biased) We have developed a special bond that only a Grandmother and wee one are able to enjoy because of the dynamics that aren’t there when you don’t have to do the parenting. Courtney-ann and I enjoy spending time during the week together at home and on Saturdays we go to dancing class. We are learning to Tap dance and take Ballet. Last spring we went to Dance World Cup in Richmond B.C. as part of the studio Tap Production which won a Gold Medal.

Not bad for a one year old and her Grandma!

The Gang's all here - Part 2

Lori-ann — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 19:27:00 GMT

Meet Kurtis' Dad: Cameron

Cameron has played a very important part in my life for the past 15 years. He jumped right into being Step-dad to my 5 kids having no previous parenting experience. As you can imagine this was a huge undertaking and has been challenging to say the least. We have all survived and now that we've reached the point of the kids becoming adults the relationships are much less strained and Cameron has grown to be appreciated by each of them. In 2001 we decided to add an “ours” to the family and Kurtis was conceived and came tumbling into our lives. We were married 10 days after Kurtis was born.

Cameron works full time as a Computer Technician, plays the organ for Church on Sundays, and is currently playing Principle Bassoon for the West coast Symphony and the Vancouver Philharmonic Orchestra.

The Gangs all here! - Part 1

Lori-ann — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 23:07:00 GMT

I was thinking that if I want you to get to know us the best way for that to happen would be to introduce each of us. There are a lot of us so this could get a bit lengthy. I have broken the introductions into several posts. We are all charming people and I'm sure you'll remain interested.

I'd like to first introduce myself and Kurtis.

My name is Lori-ann and the giggly boy with me is Kurtis. I am a SAHM, short for stay at home mom. I have had a very eclectic work background from being a life guard and swimming instructor in my teens to office work to running a daycare out of my home for 14 years. Then I moved on to waitressing and cooking and finally took a job in retail, working my way up to assistant manager prior to the birth of my youngest son, Kurtis. My favourite “job” has always been the role of Mommy.

Kurtis was born at 26 weeks. He made a traumatic entry into the world in the front seat of our car on the way to the hospital. I am a firm believer in “everything happens for a reason” and we didn’t have anything on hand to clamp the umbilical cord with so he remained attached to me while we waited for the ambulance to arrive. After all of the research I have done in the past few years I think that might have been the best case scenario for Kurtis because he was still getting oxygen from me during that time. Of course we can never really know for sure but I suspect his birth trauma would have had a bigger impact on his life had that not been the case.

Kurtis has Cerebral Palsy, Autism and is deaf. We use a few different modes of communication. Kurtis' primary communication takes place using American Sign Language or ASL. Kurtis has developed good reading skills so we use paper and pencil or more often at home we will use a white board. He has also been taught how to use PECS or picture exchange communication symbols. We have found that depending what is going on on a particular day or situation one method may be more effective than another for Kurtis to gain understanding. From the time that Kurtis was diagnosed with Auditory Neuropathy it has become very important to me to find a way to effectively communicate with him. It's been a long journey and when you add the complications of Cerebral Palsy and Autism into the mix, it has been a real challenge. We are fortunate to have a really great team that has worked with Kurtis to develop his multi-media approach to communication.

This picture was taken summer 2010 in Richmond, B.C. Kurtis and I took part in a Flash Mob dance. You can see the dance on YouTube. Click here for the link to watch the Flash Mob dance which was a great summer project that we were able to do together. The learning opportunities were so good for Kurtis. These included Social skills development, following directions, focus, and memory. Not to mention the thrill of performing and the adrenaline rush that comes with the applause from the spectators.

Next up....The Dad

Jan. 31, 2011 - Moving Forward

Lori-ann — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 01:32:00 GMT

Well, here we are. Jan 31, 2011. The first month of the new year has flown by!

It's been quite a while since I have written any posts for this blog but I am here to say that I am moving forward. With new resolve I will pick up where I left off and put one foot in front of the other (metaphorically speaking).

The past few months have been an amazing journey of self-revelation and personal growth and of course as always filled with amazement at watching Kurtis and the other children develop. Yes, even the grown up ones continue to amaze me. Last but certainly not least is the joy I derive from my little ray sunshine, my granddaughter.

Looking ahead into this next year my goal is to focus and get serious about blogging and stay on top of it. I have a lot of great ideas for resources and products that you will benefit from.

In the past, this blog has been based on taking some of the more personal pieces from the website and putting them here for people to read as an alternate source for viewing. I want to change that up. I want to make this blog more personal and allow you to get to know us. To get to know us as people, as individuals, as a family. I want you to rejoice along with us in our successes and see our day to day struggles with raising not just the two boys with special needs, but the whole family unit, the four older girls, my granddaughter, my husband, myself. In some ways we live a very glowing, blessed existence and in other ways it’s a moment to moment roller coaster ride. We can be reveling in the accomplishment of Kurtis taking his first step and in the next minute we are dealing with my 18 year old telling me he is going to commit suicide or kill his dad. It’s tough stuff, REALLY tough stuff.

Anyhow, I just wanted to take some time to put this into words. I’ll be in touch with you soon.

"S-O-S Rescue Series on Social Skills” Giveaway

Lori-ann — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 19:35:00 GMT

As an adoptive mother of two children from Russia Danette M. Schott's own personal struggles have required her to research many diagnoses and treatments. Danette soon discovered that although there is a wealth of available information, most parents do not know where to start.

Danette says, "I realized that there wasn’t any resource that walked a special needs parent (adoptive or biological) through the process of finding help for their child". This is how and why she started S-O-S Research.

Here's the scoop:

“S-O-S Rescue Series on Social Skills” Giveaway: Danette will give a complete set of the Social Skills guides (Stages 1, 2, and 3) to five parents. To enter this giveaway, either

If you sign up at both places, you will be entered twice. (Subscriptions must be confirmed-thanks.) To be fair, anyone currently on either list will automatically be entered to win, unless they opt out. The giveaway will end Friday, June 18^th at 11:59pm PST. Five unique winners will be selected using Random.org and then emailed. Each winner will have 48 hours to respond. If there is no response, the guides will be forfeited and a new winner will be selected. Giveaway is open to U.S. and Canadian residents.

It's that easy!

Good luck!

Ride in style with the California Chariot

Lori-ann — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 18:06:00 GMT

Do you have a child with Special Needs that yearns to be part of the fun with the kids in the neighbourhood out on their scooters, bikes and skateboards? Does your child have balance or mobility issues that interfere with the ability to join in? Well, look no further! Introducing the “California Chariot”. This amazing product made by Marky Sparky Inc. is an incredibly versatile product. Recommended for children over the age of six up to adults it is a combination of a BMX bike, two skateboards and a shopping cart. Just grab hold of the handlebar, step onto the “skateboards”, give a push with your foot and glide away. You control the speed and direction. The California Chariot has a hand brake to aid with speed control and stopping. Available in 4 great colors - Red, Blue, Purple and Classic Black. What a great way to get some exercise and join in the action with friends and family!

Click on the link to order one for your child!

Speech-to-Speech National Relay Service for people with speech disabilities

Lori-ann — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 19:25:00 GMT

Most people are aware of the relay service available for individuals with hearing impairment. Many have even had experience using the service. Are you aware there is a similar service for individuals with a speech disability? This free telephone relay service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

This service is Speech-to-Speech or STS. It is available to all citizens of the USA, Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Australia, New Zealand and Sweden and does not require any typing in order to access the service.

Speech to Speech provides communication assistants for people whose speech is difficult to understand on the telephone. You can use the service for any type of phone call you require. There is no registration process; all you need to do is pick up the phone and dial 711 and request a Speech-to-Speech operator. The service can be requested by friends, family and businesspersons to make a call to you as well.

For more information go to http://www.speechtospeech.org/about_us.html

Hippotherapy works for children with Special Needs

Lori-ann — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 17:47:00 GMT

All parents have dreams for their children. I know for myself I dream that my children will grow up to be independent, confident, contributing members of society. To that end I continue to research various therapies and "out of the box" solutions to help my boys become as successful as possible in their lives.

One of the therapies that I have done with my younger son is Hippotherapy. The goals that we had for this therapy were related to his Cerebral Palsy but I do know that many parents use this for their children with Autism and Down Syndrome with great success. K loved his sessions. The warmth from the horse's body worked wonders at relaxing his tight inner thigh muscles and the rocking motion of the horse's walk encouraged development of K's core muscle group and the result was improved sitting skills.

You can get more information about Hippotherapy from http://www.americanhippotherapyassociation.org/aha_about_aha.htm and for a list of centres offering this therapy check out this site http://www.cpparent.org/hippotherapy/states.htm#Canada. There is also the http://www.narha.org/ for even more information.

Here is a story on CNN about a family that have seen great results from hippotherapy.

'Horse Boy,' family find respite from autism in Mongolia

Story Highlights

Family travels across Mongolia so autistic son can ride horses, meet shaman
Experts say riding horses can be effective in gaining access to autistic children
Rowan Isaacson's language and temper improved with horse/shaman therapy
His parents never abandoned more orthodox treatments for Rowan's autism

Training Dogs helps Autism

Lori-ann — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 03:39:00 GMT

Every once in a while someone comes along that just "gets" it.
Dr. Debbye Turner reports that dog trainer Kathy Santo teaches children with autism how to train their dogs. This helps the children develop social bonding skills such as eye contact.

Watch CBS Videos Online

My Name is Autism

Lori-ann — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 05:32:00 GMT

My Name is Autism

Hello. Allow me to introduce myself to you. My name is autism. Perhaps you know me or know of me. I am a condition, "disorder" that affects many people. I strike at will, when and where I want. Unlike Downs Syndrome or other birth "defects," I leave no marks on those I strike. In fact, I pride myself on the ability to infiltrate a child's life, while leaving him or her strikingly handsome. Many people may not even know I am there. They blame the child for what I cause him or her to do. I am autism and I do as I please.

I am autism. I strike boys and girls. infants and toddlers. I find my best victims to be boys around the age of 2, but any child will do. I like children and they are always the true victims, though I take hostage the others in the child's family as well. It is a bit like getting two for the price of one. I affect one child and "infect" the entire family.

I am autism. I strike rich and poor alike. The rich combat me with education and therapy. The poor shut their children away and cannot afford to fight me. I am able to win in the lives of poor children more than I am those of the wealthy, but I will try to take root anywhere.

I am autism. I am an equal opportunity disorder. I strike whites, blacks, Mexicans, Ukrainians, Russians, Poles, Slavs, Japanese, Koreans and Fins. In fact, I strike everywhere on Earth. I know no geographical bounds.

I am autism. I do not discriminate based upon religion either. I strike Jews and Christians, Muslims and Buddhists, Atheists and Agnostics. I do not care what religion a person is or what beliefs he may hold. When I strike, there will be little time for any of that anyway. When they find me, they will question everything they believe in, so why would I strike only one group? I have affected followers of every religion on the planet.

I am autism and I am strong and getting stronger every year, every month, every day, every minute and every second. I am concerned that money might be allotted to combat me and my takeover of children, but so far, I have little to fear. Some countries like Kuwait are spending quite a bit of money to assist those who I have targeted and some, like the United States, would rather spend money on such ludicrous things as discovering the number of American Indians who practice Voodoo, as opposed to combating me. In an atmosphere such as that, I can flourish and wreck havoc at will. In places such as that, I rub my hands with glee at the problems I can cause to children, their families and to the society at large.

I am autism. When I come, I come to stay. I take the dreams and hopes of families and trample them with delight. I see the fear and confusion in the eyes of my victims and see the formation of wrinkles, the worries and pain on the face of their parents. I see the embarrassment their child causes because of me and the parents unsuccessful attempt to hide their child, and me. I see tears the parents cry and feel the tears of their child. I am autism. I leave sorrow in my wake.

I am autism. I taketh away and give nothing but bewilderment and loathing in return. I take speech and learning. I take socialization and understanding. I take away "common sense" and, if I am allowed to flourish, I take away all but their physical life. What I leave behind, is almost worse than death.

I am autism. I fear nothing except courage, which I thankfully see little of. I fear those who take a stand against me and attempt to fight me and bring others into the fight as well. I fear those who try to make it safe and easier for my victims in the community, and their families. I fear those who push ahead, despite the fact that I am in tow. I fear the day I will be eradicated from the planet. Yet, I do not fear too much right now. There is no need.

I am autism and I bet you know me or know of me. If you don't, you probably will soon. I am marching forward faster than I ever have before. I am looking for new children all the time. I am looking for new children to consume and new lives to destroy. I dread the day I will be looked upon with pity or worse yet, understanding, for that day, is the day I will begin to die.

But in the mean time I am safe, free to prowl onward. Free to cause the pain and suffering that I do so well. I am on a mission and have much work to do and thankfully no one is stopping me yet.

Hello. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is autism. Perhaps you know me or know of me, if not don't worry, you will meet me soon.

~Author Unknown

Request for photos of children and adults with Autism diagnosis

Lori-ann — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 19:27:00 GMT

Dear Families,

My name is Morri-Lynn Buchanan. I have a dance studio called Aer-Elite Dance that consists of 26 families with many dancers who have been with me for over 10 years. Our studio mandate is to offer quality classes to everyone regardless of size, ability or age. I have been teaching for over 35 years and work in the community centers and schools as well. I have a dance troupe comprised of seniors as well as a special needs adult group that I incorporate into my dance studio shows and activities.

Each year we focus on a cause. Sometimes we dance about it, sometimes we fund raise for it. This year we have decided to focus on increasing awareness for Autism.

I believe that things happen for a reason and it’s our job as individuals to do what we can with the things that are sent our way. I was an advanced reader for my age and when I was 12 I began reading psychology books about children. Some of those books were about autism. I did not know anyone with autism at the time, but I was fascinated with the topic. In the early years as a dance teacher I never came across anyone that I was aware of with this diagnosis but I do remember different children that I went to school with that I suspect now may have had it. I now live in Richmond, British Columbia and over the last 4 years I have taught at least 7 children with an ASD diagnosis and a few I suspect without one. My son had an autistic boy in his class that went undiagnosed until grade one. My best friend had her son in my dance classes; I commented on how he spun around under the ceiling fan in the opposite direction for minutes at a time and didn’t get dizzy. He wasn’t diagnosed until 11 years old. Her youngest son was given a diagnosis early because they were able to recognize and understand the behaviors. Recently I approached a mother and told her that her 7 year old son has symptoms of autism. She cried and thanked me. They are now waiting on an appointment for a diagnosis. I went out on a limb by telling her this but she had no information about autism to be able to make those observations herself. I have seen the movie Autism, the Musical and recognize the similarities between that project and what I have been doing for the last 6 years with my RSCL Adults. It is truly about ability not ‘dis’-ability.

All that said, this year I decided that I could do more to help the cause. My dancers will perform a dance about autism that we can take to shows and competitions and perhaps perform for events related to autism. We were given permission from Mark Leland to use his song “Missing Pieces”. During this dance we plan to have two sections where we hope to hold up photos of children who have been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. We are also going to make giant puzzle pieces that will have your children’s faces on them. We are hoping that you will be willing to send us a head shot of your child that we can use in our dance. It will give you one more voice to let people know that these children have value and ability in our world and help inform other parents who may not know what is wrong with their child.

We would also like to acknowledge the fact that these children grow into adults and that just because they reach the age of majority it does not mean they are “cured”. They are adults with a diagnosis of ASD. If this is you or someone you know please consider submitting a photo for a special segment of recognition.

Although most of our performances are free, if a situation arises that we receive a gratuity for this dance routine we will gladly donate the proceeds to the autism cause. This is a labor of love for me as I watch my good friend deal with the daily battles of having two children with this diagnosis. I can see the need for more public education and this is my small contribution to that end.

Please send a headshot of your child with their name/age and anything else you would like to tell us about them to: aerelitephotosubmit@live.ca

We will in turn send you a DVD copy of our dance when it is performed.

Thank you in advance,

Morri-Lynn Buchanan
Aer-Elite Dance