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AUSTRALIANAUTISMASPERGERSNETWORKMAGAZINE522AUSTRALIANAUTISMASPERGERSNETWORKMAGAZINEfeatureTravellingoverseasisseenasariteopassagetomanypeopleandespeciallytoAustralians.Peopleockoverseastomanydestinationsorholidaysorevenoremploymentbuttravellingcanbedauntingespeciallytothoseonthespectrum.Whatcanbeeasyoronepersoncouldbeatotallydierentexperienceorthenextperson.IhavetravelledtomanyoverseaslocationsromascloseasTasmaniaorNewZealanditheycountasanoverseasdestinationstoasarastheUnitedKingdom.MyrstlocaltravelwaswithmyparentsventuringarounddierentpartsoAustraliabutonceIhadsteadyemploymentandthemoneyIwasototraveltoarodestinations.WhentravellingoverseasIdidnothaveexpectationsastowhatIwouldndorwhatthesecountrieswouldbelike.NottosaythatIdidnthaveplansbutIdidntwanteverythingtotakeallday.Thereisonlysomuchyoucandowhenreadingaboutlocationsbutexperiencingthemrsthandissomethingquitedierent.Atertimepackingbagsdoesbecomeeasierespeciallywhenyouhaveweightrestrictions.BeinganAspergianmakesplanningtripsreallyun.ItendtobookeverythingromtransporttoursandaccommodationwellinadvancesothatIcanhaveeverythingorganised.Thisdoesnotmeaneverysinglethinghasbeenorganisedespeciallyithingshappenthatareoutoyourcontrolandplanscanchangeslightly.Whatyouhavetodoistryandadapttoeverysituationthatoccurs.WhenIwasyoungerthiswasalothardertodobutasIgrowolderandwiserIhavelearnedtoadapt.Planningdoeshelptoeasethesmallearsowhatareyougoingtodoandwhereareyougoingtostay.Iworkoutthedistancetotheaccommodationtowherethenearestbusstoporrailwaystationislocated.Youdonotwanttowalktooarwithheavybagsonyourbackorevengetlosttryingtowalktooarinlocationsyouhavenotbeentobeore.Mapsdohelpespeciallyiyouaregoingtothelocalhostels.Localscangiveyouadviceoncesettledintowhereyouarestaying.Onereasonorbookingmonthsinadvanceismanyplacescouldbebookedout.OneexamplewasmyrecenttriptothecityoChristchurchwhereeveryplaceIseenhadthesignNoVacancyonthem.TherehavebeentimeswhereIhavedeterminedthelengtholongplanetripsbyonebookandtwobottlesowaterotherwiseknownasaneighthourtrip.Justgettingtotheairportcanbestressulintherstplaceasyouhavetimelimitstoadheretoandcrowdstonavigatethenthinkingohowtoanswerthecustomsofcersonceyouarewaitingtoexittheairportontheotherside.Checkingincanalsobeamusingespeciallywhenthebagtravelatorbreaksdownandeverythingcomestoagrindinghalt.Beingatravellerandanaspiemakesmewanttoarriveatanyairportbeorethecheckinperiodopenssoyoucanwanderaroundairportsthatcanbehugeorverysmall.ComparedtotheGoldCoastairportmanyarevirtualbeehivesoactivityandverydierentwhereyouneedapackedlunchtondyourgate.OthersmakeyoutakeonelookandndthewholeairportissmallandnotverymuchtherewhichwoulddetermineAnaspieabroadThetaleoatravellingaspie.ByBRADBEADELAUSTRALIANAUTISMASPERGERSNETWORKMAGAZINE7featureAUSTRALIANAUTISMASPERGERSNETWORKMAGAZINE7eatureeatureButweotenwonderedwhattomakeothoseewautisticchildrenwhostoodoutromtheothersbecausetheywerenotjustcleverbuttheyhadexcellentverbalabilities.Howdidtheyftintothepicture84AUSTRALIANAUTISMASPERGERSNETWORKMAGAZINEChoosingAppsforchildrenwithautismWithover700000appsforbothiPadandAndroidtabletsitiseasytobecomeoverwhelmedbythetaskofchoosinganapptosuittheneedsofachildontheautismspectrum.Whileitisveryeasytobecomecaptivatedbyexcitinggraphicsandanimationsweneedtoensurethattheappswechooseforourchildrenhavetheabilitytoachievepositivelearningoutcomes.Itistemptingtojustpurchasethefreeappshoweverwemaymisstheopportunitytobuyafantasticappfor99cents.ByBRONWYNSUTTONprofessionaladviceManagingchallengingbehaviourinchildrenwithByPROFESSORTONYATTWOODSevereAutismChildrenwhohaveasevereexpressionofautismcandevelopbehavioursthatareconstructiveadaptationstotheircircumstancesandabilitiesbutunfortunatelysuchbehaviourscanbeperceivedaschallengingbyparentsandteachers.Whenchallengingbehaviouroccurstherewillneedtobeacarefulobservationandanalysisofthefunctionofthebehaviour.Usuallythishastooccurwithoutbeingabletosimplyaskthechildwhydidyoudothatandwithouttheopportunitytoreceiveasimpleandaccurateanswer.WhenexploringthefunctionofchallengingbehaviourforchildrenandadultswithsevereautismIexamineeightdimensionsofabilitythatareassociatedwithautism.TheseareSocialunderstandingCommunicationabilitiesSensorysensitivityAnxietyCopingwithchangeDevelopmentallevelLearningprofleMovementdisturbance12AUSTRALIANAUTISMASPERGERSNETWORKMAGAZINEfeatureWhenIwasgrowingupinthe60sand70stherewasntmuchtosayaboutayounggirlwithAspergerssyndrome.Weweretheeccentricswhoplayedalonewithourrockcollectionortookoveraroomlikeadirectoronalowbudgetlm.Iwasabitoboth.AthomeIplayedwithmyrockcollectionandmyencyclopediasoraavouredtoyothetimebutwhenIhadanaudienceIlikedtotakechargeoeveryoneandeverything.Iwasthebigmouthinstudentgovernmentwhowouldpressapointuntiltherestothestudentsacquiesced.IIwasinadramaproductionImadesureIhadthepartIwantedandthesetsweredecoratedlikeIenvisionedthem.NooneknewIhadAS.TheyknewIhadabigcaseothebossiesanoddsenseostylequestionablehygieneweirdhabitslikerubbingmynoseasiitwerepizzadoughandtalkingtomyselinthehallsbutnoonecouldhaveknownIhadadevelopmentalHappyHealthydelay.Iwasatalkeradoer-thedirectorincharge.Ihadtheappearanceocondenceandthegalloalameduckpolitician.IwasinthegitedclassesandImadegoodgrades.Wellnotinmath.MymathdisabilitiesareobvioustheminutesomeoneasksmeaquestionasseeminglysimpleasWhats7x9TalktotheriendsIhadgrowingupandyoullheartalesomebeingaquirkykidwhoseemedtohaveitalltogetherevenishewasofkiltercomparedtoeveryoneelse.Iwasamasterodisguises.Aprincessopretend.Mimickingotherscameeasytomethanksinlargeparttoyearsodramaticartsclassesandperormancesbothinandoutoschool.MysecretnoonebutmyjournalknewwaslikesomanyotheremaleswithASDSomethingisdiferentaboutmeandIcantletanyoneknow.SurvivalisaskillIinheritedrombothmyparents.MyparentssurvivedgreatabusemyatherbecauseohisASandmymotherbecauseoheramilysplaceatthelowestendosocio-economicstatus.TogethertheytaughtmehowtobuckupandshutByLIANEHOLLIDAYWILLEYEdDonaHorse62AUSTRALIANAUTISMASPERGERSNETWORKMAGAZINEfeaturexceptional2ETwiceExceptionalThisisthestartofmystoryofoureldestsonJackwhowasbornin2003inAnchorageAlaska.Thesecondmymothersawhimshesaidhesbeenherebefore.Ithoughtshewasnuts.TurnsoutIthinkshewasright.IrememberhimneverdoinganythingthatwasinthemultitudeofmotherhoodbooksIhadandreadfaithfully.Hethrewupatthesightofanymashedfoodsscreamedforhourswalkedandtalkedlatebutthencaughtupquickly.Jacktaughthimselftoreadbytheageofthreecouldtalktoadultsonsomanysubjectsitwasembarrassingbutcouldntdresstoilettrainorgotosleepeasily.IspentwhatseemslikedaysanddayswithPaediatriciansintheUSAyouseespecialistsnotGPsuntiltheyare16.Icriedandsobbedhowhewouldmeltdownforhoursmanydaysoftheweek.Butthentheywouldtalktohimlikehewas20andtheyseemedtojustforgetwhatIhadbeensaying.Autismwasnevereverboughtupinconversation.IwasdiagnosedwithbreastcancerthesamemonthhestartedPrepinQueenslandin2009.Itwasadiscombobulatedstarttohisschoollife.AftertwoweeksIhadascreaminganti-schoolchildonmyhands.IfoundouttheydidntdoanyreadingatthatschooluntilhalfwaythroughPrep.Hedidntcraftsohewasboredoutofhisbrain.Italkedtotheschoolanddistrictandhadanassessmentdonetheythenmovedhimintoyearone.AmonthlaterwemovedschoolsaswesettledintoahouseinNambourontheSunshineCoast.ByLEEPONDER70AUSTRALIANAUTISMASPERGERSNETWORKMAGAZINEparentingPlaygroundsorAutisticKidsByKARENGHIDELLAAsaparentorcareritcanbequitedicultndingthingstodowithAutistickids.ThelabelAutisticjustdoesntprovidepeoplewithaperectroadmapohowachildisgoingtobehavetheirlikesordislikes.Yourchildmayhateswingingmychildmayseekoutspinningandjumping.Yourchildmaylovesandminemightnotbeabletotouchit.Yourchildmaybescaredohighequipmentminemightactasthoughhessuperman.WhentryingtondthingsthatareappropriateorAutisticchildrenyoureotenpresentedwitharealchallenge.Itsageneralisationthatjustdoesntwork.ParentsoAutistickidshaveonethingincommonweknowourchildrenandweknowwhatslikelytocauseameltdownwhattheywilllovewhattheywillhateandwhattypeothingsarelikelytohaveyoushakingyourheadthinkingahhhnowthatsjustaskingortroubleonmostdays.ThereareplentyounactivitiesorAutistickidsweregoingtostartbytalkingaboutplaygrounds.AllAbilitiesPlaygroundsWalksThereareseveralAllAbilitiesPlaygroundsWalksinQueenslandandmorearebeingplannedandbuiltbytheBrisbaneCityCouncil.TheseplaygroundsaresomeothebestaroundandextremelypopularwithallkidsTheyincorporateeaturesorallkindsoSpecialNeedsKidsandaretypicallysaerthanalotootherplaygrounds.PioneerParkatLandsboroughisaantasticlittleplaygroundullyencedwithafyingoxthatkidscanbestrappedintoPrattenParkdowntheGoldCoasthasalotoequipmenttosupportchildrenwhoperhapsarentabletomanoeuvretypicalplaygroundequipment.RavenStreetReservehasasensorytrailthatencourageslisteningsmellingseeingandtouching.Theonlydownsideisthatduetotheirpopularitythereareotenalotokidsanditcanbequitenoisyawarningincasethisisanissueoryourchild.SECURELYTHROUGHOURWEBSITEwww.aaanetwork.com.aumagazineEMAILUSATmagaaanetwork.com.auorCALLUSon0754463790withinAustraliaHOWTOORDERASUBSCRIPTIONOneYearPrintSubscription30.00OneYearDigitalSubscription20.00SingleIssuePrint8.95ONLY7.50printOr5.00digialperissueAvailableinPintandDigitalFomatsfoiPadiPhoneAndoidandereadesCostperissuewhenayearlysubscriptionispurchasedSUBSCRIBEANDSAVE4IssuesperYear