Kylie Keller
This is the second of a two-part series about how inclusion and support for autistic individuals and their families fared in Olympia this past legislative session. Part 2 provides an overview of support and inclusion for adults in our state. Part 1 addressed support for children and youth.
In 2021 we were bracing for severe cuts to disability services. Thanks to federal rescue funds and a quick turnaround from a state revenue nosedive, not only were services protected, we saw modest investment in long-term supports. Going into the 2022 session, advocates were ready to push for better access, and some legislators were ready to listen. Read full post »
Jennifer Mannheim, ARNP
We continue our Autism Month blog series with Autism Awareness, Acceptance and Action- Autism Month from a Provider Perspective from Jennifer Mannheim, ARNP at the Autism Center.
In 2000, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1 in 150 8-year-olds had autism. The most recent numbers from the CDC (based on data from 2018) show that now 1 in 44 8-year-olds have autism. Here is a link to the CDC website with those numbers. So, what happened in those 18 years? This is a question many people have Read full post »
Kylie Keller
In celebration of Autism Acceptance Month, the Seattle Children’s Autism Blog shares a story about a mother of twin daughters who both have autism and who shows her gratitude for the Seattle Children’s Autism Center by conducting an annual Autism Gratitude Project
Earlier this year, my dear friend, Belma Slatina, came to me with the idea of conducting a toy drive for autism. Belma Slatina knows the journey I have been on with my twin daughters, Aliya and Kira, who were diagnosed with autism five years ago, and she has other close friends whose children have autism. It is because of her connection to autism and the fact that she continues to look for new ways to give back to the community through her foundation, the Slatina Foundation, that she decided to do so through a donation drive for autism. Read full post »
Kylie Keller
We present guest author John Wennberg’s blog From Surviving to Thriving: What Autism Acceptance Means to a Self-Advocate in celebration of Autism Month.
What does autism acceptance mean to me? For me, it means finally accepting my diagnosis at the age of 40. It also means to stop masking (the act of trying to hide one’s autistic characteristics), because masking is denying.
The first time I heard the word ‘masking’ was when I was watching an Autism 200 Series video and I realized I was doing it, but I didn’t know what it is. Masking is a strategy that autistic people use for learning neurotypical behaviors and doing our best to copy them in social settings. I did it as a kid because I wanted to fit in with everybody, but now I know there’s a name. I was an honor student, so I was known for getting my work done perfectly and on time. I was involved in many school activities and sports, and I got my Letterman’s jacket. I loved choir, but I did these activities to fit in. Read full post »
