8:34 Watch Later
Les Brown – How To Live Your Dreams
Motivational speaker gives tips on how to live your dreams
Away for a bit
We’ve been away a bit to take care of some personal business and family matters. This blog will continue its service to the Autism community and dedicate all future blogs to the enhancement of early detection programs. See ya next week. Eric T Wright Sr.
Early Detection 2
Early Detection of Autism May Lead to Better Interventions
By David McCracken, MA, LPC Managing News Editor Reviewed by John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on October 14, 2011
New research is finding symptoms of autism spectrum disorders in babies as young as 12 months, raising the possibility that earlier intervention may even stop them from developing the disorder, according to an autism researcher at Michigan State University. “In the field, there’s this new excitement,” said clinical psychologist Dr. Brooke Ingersoll of Michigan State University. “We’re starting to get a picture of what autism looks like in the first years of life.” Because autism normally isn’t diagnosed until a child starts to show delays in talking and other milestones that typically occur after age 2, it’s been difficult to look at what children are like in the first years of life. Until recently, scientists have only been able to learn about the children’s behavior as an infant and toddler by asking their parents, and sometimes looking at home movies. But now results are coming in from studies that followed large numbers of children from 6 months to age 3, when a formal diagnosis could be determined. Some children later developed autism and others didn’t. “The group of children that eventually develop autism spectrum disorders looks different from typically developing kids,” Ingersoll said. At 12 months, children who will later develop autism are less likely to show “joint attention behaviors” — paying attention to both a toy and another person, for example. They are also less likely to imitate. If young children have problems with social behaviors, it may then explain some of the later problems in autism — if they don’t imitate, for example, that could help explain why they have difficulty with language later, Ingersoll said. “If there’s some early disruption in these mechanisms that are involved in social learning, the children have many fewer opportunities to learn about their environment,” she said. Because social learning is so important, some psychological scientists are trying to develop ways to work with toddlers who show early signs of autism. For example, several interventions have been developed to teach joint attention and imitation in very young children with ASD. In one such intervention, reciprocal imitation training, a therapist might play with the child by imitating what he is doing, then encourage him to imitate her. “We try to teach them, imitating other people is this great social thing,” Ingersoll said. These techniques are also taught to parents to practice at home to expand opportunities for learning. Early results have been good, although the studies on several of these interventions won’t be finished for a few years, Ingersoll said. “I think there’s a lot of hope that if we can figure out the right behaviors early enough, and intervene early enough, we may be able to prevent the development of autism.” The article is published in Current Directions in Psychological Science. Source: Association for Psychological Science
Just wanted to share this information with everyone. The time is know, to make early detection programs mandatory!
How to live your dreams
Purpose in Life
When I first started this blog I didn’t know where it was going to lead me. As I continue to write each Sunday, I’m beginning to understand my direction and purpose. This purpose is two-fold, it is to help kids with Autism and other related disorders, and to also promote personal development and growth. I continue to grow every Sunday, as I submit my new post. When I tell friends or family that I’m writing this blog, they kinda laugh and say what are you doing that for. They say nobody is going to read it, people are just going to laugh at you. I don’t understand why you keep trying all these new things. I learned sometimes the people who are closest to you can be non-supportive in your new goals or purpose. They may show discontent or try to prove you wrong for following something you believe in. “Do not let anyone’s opinion of you become your reality.” This is why I encourage anyone who reads this message to find your purpose, and go after it even if you have to leave others behind. It took me 40 years to find that purpose, and I will never look back. I will keep moving forward in helping kids with autism and personal development. Everyone’s purpose is different, it wasn’t until I had my son that I found mine. I believe that God blesses us with things and he will also take things away. When my son was diagnosed with autism, my wife and I felt as if it were our fault, we were overwhelmed with guilt. I know believe that God gave us a special gift, and God felt like we would bless this child with everything. I also feel that by having Eric, God wanted me to help others like him. This is just my view of things, many of us will find our purpose in a different ways. Do everyone find their purpose this way? Do we all ever find our purpose? To answer the first question, many of us will find that purpose, but it is up to us to honor that purpose. To answer the latter , it is sad to say that all of us will not be able to find ourselves, it will be too late before many of us even find their purpose in life. #learningforlife
Success
” Success seems to be connected with action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don’t quit.”
Changing the Language
In a recent blog I got a reply from concerned advocate of autism. It stated that we need to “change the language ” of how we talk about autism. This really made me think of how I was using or stating specific terms. I used the word (debilitating) and after reviewing the definition, I felt the word was used out of context and changed my statement. Debilitate means (verb) to make weak or feeble; enfeeble: In no way would I ever state that a child with autism is weak or feeble. I have a son with autism and he does not represent any of the latter. I will change my language in efforts to promote that our kids are “unique achievers” and “forward thinkers.” These are two of the words that I feel needs to be apart of changing the language. This platform needs a voice and I will do my part to promote the awareness of the language we use. There are many of us still learning about autism, so I feel that semantics may promote the wrong use of a particular word or phrase. The next few lines is from the person that inspired this blog post:
Hi Eric,
You write, :… debilitating disability (autismspeaks.org). …”
May I suggest alternative insight about just what autism is — though it’s different for everyone who is autistic, isn’t it?
Hence the image of a “spectrum”, though I think of the spectrum as multi dimensional, and only half of it is “disability” compared to “normal”, with the other half being super-ability compared to “normal”.
This came in my email yesterday:
[ From Grief To Relief: Change The Autism Lexicon ]
“… Susan Walton, author of Coloring Outside Autism’s Lines, was told she should mourn her son’s autism diagnosis — to “grieve for the loss of the child [she] dreamed of having.”
While a diagnosis can come with unique challenges, there’s no reason to imply a parent has “lost” a child.
Children with autism possess extraordinary talents, aspirations and potential — they should be celebrated.
Children with autism aren’t a loss — negative, hurtful descriptions like this demean who they are as human beings.
Help change the way we talk about autism and pledge to be conscious of the language you use today. …” Peter Blaise.
I really appreciate the concern from Peter and I hope we can work together to inspire the world to change their language. It is important to read and do research before we speak about autism or any other disorder. Thanks to Peter I have changed my language and hope we all do the same. Till next time, #learningforlife
Sincerely, Eric T. Wright
Eric T Wright Foundation
At the end of the day
It is always important in life to help those who are less fortunate. It is our job to help people who cannot help themselves. There has to be alternative reasons for us to wake up everyday. Although we know that death and taxes are inevitable, everyday we wake up it should mean something to us other than just a pay check. If the only thing we look forward to is bills, money , and working; this life will not hold much value. The point is that we must add value to others is when we begin to appreciate the things about life. I do understand that bills, money, and working are important factors in surviving day-to-day. If this is all we have to live for, then our lives are shallow and really don’t mean as much. We have to be involved in adding value to others, it is a key component to living a truly blessed life. I will challenge anyone who is reading this message to make a committment to adding value to someone’s life. We must wake up everyday with this thought in our mind. It could be as small volunteering, teaching, donating, or as big as putting your life at risk to save someone elses. I know there are some that may say “I’m not putting my life at risk for no one” but truth of the matter is many of us will risk our lives to save a family member. I would not think twice if my son was in danger; I would sacrifice myself in order for him to be okay. This all may sound like a cliché’, but I wanted to state it anyway. The life we live is not long, so we must add value to the people we share it with. My son Eric is 12 years old and he was diagnosed with autism at age 4. I love his approach to things and the way he lives life. Eric’s personality is the same everyday. He does not wake on the wrong side of the bed, nor is a hater of anyone. He could careless if someone doesn’t like him or if someone is talking behind his back. Eric goes on about life as if he is teaching me something. Although he does not know he’s teaching me, it is relevent to me. I learn a lesson from Eric everyday about not sweating the small things, or not caring who likes you . This kid and other kids like him are teaching us things we do not realize. It is up to us to interpret the message that being sent, not them. Life is hard enough worrying about everything else that is going on. It is important to add value to others, because (at the end of the day) all the negative things don’t even matter. Until next time, keep #learningforlife.
“Knowing is not…
“Knowing is not enough we must apply, willing is not enough we must do.”
-Bruce Lee-
” In life it do…
” In life it dos’nt matter how many times you stumble and fall down, what really matters is how many times you stumble and get back up.”
Eric T Wright Foundation 