If there was any doubt....Autism shines strong

If there was any doubt my sons are both firmly footed on the Autism spectrum (which by the way there was not), today they each declared the Aspieness in neon lights at the supermarket; and then again at home.


Let me set the scene for you.


PART 1 : the supermarket


Friday afternoon is almost always 'supermarket afternoon', so there was no change in the routeen there. Yet I found myself answering the question "what are we going to do now?" easily 4 times in the 10 minutes between picking up my younger son (10 years)  and the older, and then another time on the way to the supermarket; AND 2 times for my older son (13 years), who also wanted to know detailed facts about the upcoming event like 'how long is the list?", "What time will we be leaving?" "What time will we be home?" "Will we be going down every aisle?" and so on. This was not a new scenario for us. We go through it every day in one shape or form, so the series of questions were answered calmly and as best I could with out being too vague so as to insight further stress nor too specific so as to provide problems later.


Problems? I hear you think. What problems could come from being too specific? Where do I begin.
Say for example I was to say we would go down   aisle. Well i can guarantee you that at aisle 11 I would be told we were finished now. Or if I said something like "we should be home by 4.30" but we get to the car and it is already 4.45, well the lecture and stress that will immediately be forthcoming is well worth avoiding at all costs.


I like to think that I have actually perfect the vaguely specific response to such mastery that a medal is most certainly warranted. But no linguistic prowess was to prepare either the children nor myself for what was to come today.


APPARENTLY COLES IT REFURNISHING AND RE-ARRANGING THEIR WHOLE STORE!!!!!
So we walk in the door to be greeted by eggplants where plants used to be, in new (and frankly I think much better) display boxes. My beloved son did not share my enamored view of the change.


"What have they done!" He asked concerned as if glue had transfixed him to the floor. "They are just upgrading. It's OK" I said and entered bravely into the store having a very good idea at the nightmare that lied before me.


After making it through the fruit and veg section and only saying "I think these are much better, look I can reach the back" or positive words to that effect at almost every single stop to one or other of the boys as they declare to all in ear shot statements like "But why did they change" "When did they change it" "Did you know they were going to do this!"...now to the deli!


"There are gaps between the fridges" Aj declared (the younger child). "Yes, these are temporary, while they build the new one behind the wall there" "But there are gaps, look they are this big, see there are gaps. Mum do you see. Look...." and so on. I will admit I was surprised at just how agitated he became by the gaps, which Dy (the older son) had no concern over...he was still a little preoccupied by the Fruit and Veg boxes I think.


Round the corner and up and down we go..."Why is this here" "This never used to be here!" "These things are not normally with these other things" and up and down and up and down.


Aj rapidly becoming more difficult, climbing shelves, lying on the floor and of course constantly reporting on the differences. Aj normally pushes the trolley and loves it. This was not going to happen today.


I decided to ask Dy to push the trolley. I was right the activity focused him and he dealt much better almost immediately; leaving me to make an in vain attempt to keep Aj from literally climbing the walls.


OK. Shopping done. It was a short list..should have taken about 45 minutes...we took 1.5 hours, but that's ok, we are done now. Load up the car..get told we are later than normal...about 4 times...get home...Dy as always helps unpack the car without being asked..great! Chris (husband) collect bags from Dy at the door, accidently drops one...though Dy would cry...appoligises profusely..even though it was Chris who dropped it...ok emotions highly strunge..thats ok ...home now.


As always 1/2 to himself and Dy is fine. Aj bounces around for a while...chats to Chris...all good.


PART 2 - Emotions - Do you know what one that is?
Chris had written a new mobile phone app (he is a programmer) that is a game for children where they they are shown pictures of faces and must select the word and/or sign that matches the face.


Chris gets Aj to sit down and play it. Great work dad, that grounded him. 74% right, well done, try again.


Dy's turn. Happy, sad ok..but all the others..the less extreme were impossible for him. Even cheeky and angry...got less than 50%. Not really surprised, he has so much trouble with faces and emotions.  But what was really really interesting is that he got really confronted by all the 'incorrect' answers, so tried to "get everything wrong". There were three words for each face, so statistics would expect a 33% statistical average for correct answers, or in the case of Dy trying to get all wrong answers you would expect him to get 60-70% incorrect. Yet he was still at around 30% incorrect.


This was interesting as I could really see how he really struggles with faces and emotions and often selected the 'right answer' thinking it was the most likely to be wrong. Ie the one "so not it!"


And so we return to the beginning of this blog
I have no doubt that both my boys find there own place on the spectrum.
But that's cool. After all I am pretty attached to my own place on that spectrum, and see my husbands Aspie traits like a flashing neon sign. So in my house it is normal to be aspie and it is you non-aspies out there that are weird. Of course the changed supermarket was stressful. Thats understandable and ok with me. I can help my kids recognise their stress and triggers and hopefully manage them. I love that Dy could not see his stress, but saw mine and gave me a shoulder massage at the tomatoes and told ME it was all ok.


I LOVE MY KIDS. 

Comic Fun - with a sign twist

Just thought I would share some great comics I found online. 

They all have a sign language theme...but none of them are actually the comic I was looking for!  

Don't you hate that!?

You think, I will just look up "bla" and two hours later you have found hundreds of other things, lost your entire evening and have not even gotten close to finding what you were looking for in the first place. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the fruits of my fruitless searching :)

Ohh and PLEASE, if you have any great sign based comics add them to the comments

And the winner is....Hearing Awareness Week Product Awards are announced

I can not believe another year has passed already and we find ourselves celebrating Hearing Awareness Week once more.


I am so very surprised and excited by the Product awards this year...and can not believe our new dictionary won! Not only did it receive the "Most Popular Dictionary" Award but it also took out the "MOST POPULAR AUSLAN PRODUCT FOR 2010"!!


Go Chris! I'll admit I had my hesitations when Chris fist suggested we bring out a full dictionary, but you have all spoken and I thank you all for your very positive feedback and encouragement.  Special thanks to everyone who helped us get it together as well...you all deserve this prize. THANKS


Now for some self congratulations, as I am just so proud that by baby sign guide for parents of newly diagnosed deaf children;  "Baby Sign For Australian's" has been awarded the Best Baby Sign Product award two years running...go me :)


Other winners included James and Marie Kerwins Auslan DVD for beginners A Time To Sign, which took out Most popular Auslan DVD. Congratulations Marie and James...you should both be very proud it is a fantastic DVD and well deserving of more than just this award.


Lastly our Feelings Poster won Most Popular Auslan Poster, well done to the whole team who worked on that one - great work guys!