image courtesy of Cam Hytche

Lessons I Learned Encountering a Lost Autistic Child at the Air Show

A Guest Post By Austin Harris, Emergency Medical First Responder,
Autism Specialist, CERT Instructor

image courtesy of Cam Hytche

image courtesy of Cam Hytche

Air shows can be fun for kids of all ages… but add autism to the mix and you may have a crisis in the waiting.

I worked as a medical first responder at an air show earlier this year that and learned some valuable lessons after encountering a wandering autistic child. First let’s start with some details:

The call came in to the first aid team from family members that their sibling had gotten away from them, which is somewhat of a normal occurrence at the air show each year. Unfortunately, we were overwhelmed in first aid at the time with several cases so I was not immediately brought in on this one.

My partners started the normal procedure for a lost child while I finished up my call. 30 minutes passed, and by the time I was finished the child still was missing. We were still getting information from the family members, who were kids themselves. Something just did not seem right; the family acted very nervous and seemed to not be telling us something. So I asked the question: “Is the child autistic?”

To our astonishment the answer was, ”Yes he is.” This changed the situation dramatically.

This is where lesson one comes in: interviews. When someone goes missing, it is vital at first contact to ask caregivers about the possibility of special needs and what type of conditions they may have. Brothers and sisters usually have some idea of what kind of needs their siblings may have. With me, my sister knows I am a heart patient and that I’m autistic. She can tell you a lot about my condition, the key is to ask.

It took several hours to locate the child – we had radioed all parties involved in the search the crucial information that the child was autistic. Finally one of our police officers made first contact and was able to bring the child back to be reunited. It had been a hot day and since several hours passed since the child went missing we knew there would be some medical issues.

As an autism specialist, I made primary contact with police as soon as they brought him to us. I identified that I was an autism specialist and would take the lead with the patient. This brings me to lesson two: in the event you have a specialist or officers trained in autism on site let them take the lead, because they can provide specific insight and support, where other team members may not be able to.

Once in my care I took the child to his family and I had two other team members from the Hope Animal Assisted Crisis, who had their K9 crisis intervention and therapy dogs with them, to provide care and comfort. This was the key to it all. The child did not open up to us immediately but opened up to the dogs first. This is my third lesson: use your resources and trust your team members – even your canine team members! They, too, can help you help your patient.

I’m so glad the situation ended on a positive note. It could have had an entirely different outcome. I learned a few lessons from this experience.  

Missing autistic child lesson 1:

When someone goes missing, it’s crucial at first contact to ask caregivers about the possibility of special needs and what type of medical conditions they may have. Even brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles or close family friends usually have some idea of what kind of needs the family member may have.

Missing autistic child lesson 2:

Autism specialists or autism trained officers are needed on site at large events and should be given the primary responder role because they can provide specific insight and support which other team members may not have.

Missing autistic child lesson 3:

Use your resources and trust your team members – even your canine members! They can help you establish a rapport that will pave the way for you to communicate with and provide care to your patient.

 

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Great ShakeOut Earthquake Drill – Who Will Be Joining My Family?

ShakeOutEveryone, everywhere, should know how to protect themselves, their family and their business in an earthquake. As a CERT member and vocal disaster preparedness advocate, I’m thrilled to be participating with my family in the world’s largest earthquake drill.

Earthquakes have certainly been a huge topic both in the news and in Hollywood. The April 2015 Nepal earthquake killed more than 9,000 people and injured more than 23,000. San Andreas, a 2015 disaster film, portrays how a seemingly ideal day turns disastrous when California’s notorious San Andreas fault triggers a devastating, magnitude 9 earthquake, the largest in recorded history. While the Nepal earthquake is an unfortunate reality, thankfully the movie San Andreas was mainly fiction. To help learn more about earthquake facts the several organizations have offered many resources, including for those who have family members with Autism or other needs. (I recommend that my readers go here first for information.)

I’m in Atlanta, Georgia. You may be thinking, “Atlanta? Earthquakes? I can see being prepared for a tornado, but come on. Georgia doesn’t have earthquakes.” It’s that kind of “it won’t happen to me” thinking that gets us all in trouble when it comes to emergency preparedness. Guess what – in the past year alone, Georgia has experienced seven earthquakes. In my research I also found a great deal of Georgia earthquakes that caused significant damage dating back to 1811.

The USGS provides much information about earthquakes on their website. Click

image courtesy of earthquake.usgs.gov

image courtesy of earthquake.usgs.gov

here to learn more.

Even if earthquakes are rare where you live, they may happen where you or your family travel. While earthquake hazard varies from region to region, most of the Southeast really is prone to earthquakes. You could be anywhere when an earthquake strikes: at home, at work, at school or even on vacation.

What you do now will determine your quality of life after our next big earthquake. Are you prepared to survive and recover quickly?

What is Great ShakeOut?

shakoutGreat ShakeOut Earthquake Drills are an annual opportunity for people in homes, schools, and organizations to practice what to do during earthquakes, and to improve preparedness.

By participating, you and your family can practice how to be safer during big earthquakes: “Drop, Cover and Hold On.” The ShakeOut has also been organized to encourage you, your community, your school, or your organization to review and update emergency preparedness plans and supplies, and to secure your space in order to prevent damage and injuries. Below I have listed the Seven Steps to Earthquake Preparedness. You may wish to copy these bright images and laminate them as part of your family preparedness plan to have on hand as an aid for communication. Laminating them will help them to last longer.

Also, remember that when a disaster hits one should be ready to either shelter in place or evacuate. For children and adults with Autism that means extra care in planning is required. It is a good idea to communicate with your local First Responders about the needs of your family and share with them some tips on how to help a child or adult with Autism during these stressful situations.

Read about Apps to help with disaster response when your family has a member with Autism

Why Register for ShakeOut?

Not only will you find many safety tips, like having a disaster kit that applies to tornadoes and hurricane safety as well, but families with individuals with special considerations or are non English speaking will find a plethora of resources.

  • Be counted in the largest-ever earthquake drill in the Southeast!
  • Be listed with other participants in your area (Optional)
  • Be an example that motivates others to participate & prepare
  • Be updated with ShakeOut news and preparedness tips
  • Have peace of mind that you, your family, your co-workers and millions of others will be better prepared to survive and recover quickly from our next big earthquake!

Don’t just register, get involved! Join the ShakeOut community and participate in the weekly Tweetchat on Wednesdays from 2-3 pm EST. This Wednesday, July 22nd, I will be tweeting live during the Tweetchat! Join me, @SpiritOfAutism, and be sure to use hashtags #ShakeOut and #DropCoverHoldOn. Don’t forget to upload pictures of you and your family registering for Great ShakeOut!

join us

Seven Steps to Earthquake Safety

PREPARE:

  1. Secure your space (a list of how to do that here)
  2. Plan to be Safe (and review and practice your plan with your family members)
  3. Organize your disaster supplies – don’t forget to add any special objects that help your child to transition or feel more comfortable. Especially if you are relocated to a shelter or another’s home.
  4. Minimize financial hardship. Remember that your basic home or renter insurance most likely will not cover earthquakes.

SURVIVE and RECOVER

  1. Here is where you Drop- Cover and Hold On! Remember to practice this during the ShakeOut drill and several other times during the year.
  2. Improve Safety. After an earthquake happens be sure to check on people nearby for any injuries. Evacuate if need be.

And after the Earthquake happens Step 7 is to Recover and Restore with daily life by repairing anything broken and assuming daily routine when possible.

Images for use and download to help with communication and to create social stories:

 

water heater cell
disaster kit documents
drop cover hold on recover
rebuild
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Help Me Illuminate the Future for Those with Autism

logo_waad-227x300As you know, I am extremely involved in the Autism community, both to support my son and in the Emergency Preparedness/Emergency Responder arena. I am blessed and honored to be training some of Georgia’s finest men and women in uniform – Law Enforcement, EMS, Fire Rescue and Disaster Responders – on how to recognize and safely interact with Autistic persons on the scene of a crime, fire, medical call or disaster. My goal is to have all of Georgia’s responders trained within the next 18 months. The Autism Society of Georgia is helping me do that by fully endorsing my training programs!

April 2 is World Autism Awareness Day. 

Please join the Autism Society of Georgia and me by helping us illuminate the future and create awareness for Autism.

For as little as $5.00 you can help us light a luminary for 1 child or adult.

There are over 150,000 children and adults in Georgia identified with Autism and we are making a difference. And, because my training programs are critical to the safety of the Autism community, the Autism Society of Georgia is giving 20% back to Spirit of Autism when you donate through my unique link so that I can continue to provide this training.

If you feel inspired to, you can click here to go to mydonation page or head over to Autism Society of Georgia’s The Future is Bright website to learn more about the campaign. From there you can choose Spirit of Autism on the right hand side by clicking my logo.

Thank you for being a part of MY community. I know you haven’t heard from me regularly in a while… I apologize! I’m almost done with Advanced EMT school and can come up for air soon : ) Now back to my IV drip conversions and drug calculations!

xoxo

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Autism: Our Future Is Bright

PrintWorld Autism Awareness Day is coming soon and I’m SUPER excited to partner with Autism Society Georgia for this amazing campaign.

If you live in Georgia, you can help us spread the message that the Future is Bright for everyone touched by Autism.Luminary 4

For a donation of just $40 you will receive 12 luminary kits (each kit = one container and an LED tea light candle).

On April 2nd, illuminate your streets, parks, schools, churches, businesses and neighborhoods throughout Georgia in celebration of World Autism Awareness Day!luminary 3

If you go to TheFutureIsBright.org or text “SAFE” to 71777 to make your donation, 10% of the money we raise will go directly to the Spirit of Autism to help us continue to provide Autism training for our first responders and families. Let’s help keep everyone touched by Autism safe and sound and let all of Georgia know that The Future Is Bright!

Please LIKE and SHARE this post so we can light one luminary for every person in Georgia with Autism. For a PDF download to print, click here.

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How My Son Leveled Up in New York

2014-12-28 13.37.32Happy New Year! A week ago we successfully and smoothly returned from a week in New York and New Jersey. Somehow we survived the 15-hour drive (no stops other than to gas up and stretch) each way with grace. And without killing each other.

So what do you get when you combine a single mom, a rental car, two special needs teens, a long-ass drive and a week of new experiences?

PROGRESS! That’s right, my (not so) little man leveled up in innumerable ways. This was my true Christmas gift and I am beyond astounded and grateful. Here are some of the awesome discoveries and moments of progress that occurred:

 An Eye for Beauty

Our initial journey took us from Atlanta to New Jersey via I-77 and I-81. We were2014-12-28 13.35.27 in the middle of Virginia at the PERFECT time of day and saw the most pristine and beautiful skies. I had never before heard my son describe things that were beautiful to him – I wasn’t even aware that he had an eye for such things. Not only could he not stop talking about the views and the heavenly cloud formations, but he took more than 200 photos with his iPhone! This interest grew exponentially as we traveled over various bridges from New Jersey into New York throughout our vacation. He captured scenes from a really unique perspective… perhaps a higher resolution camera is in his near future!

Embracing His Goofiness

J-Bird developed another related camera skill during this time – taking unflattering selfies. He made some of the strangest faces and proceeded to take selfies and assign ridiculously appropriate and hilarious hashtags to accompany them. And they say people with Autism have no sense of humor. Incorrect. It was glorious to see him be unapologetically himself and make others genuinely laugh in the process.

Independence Day

This may seem like no big deal to many, but any little steps toward independence are celebrated heartily in our house (or hotel room, in this case). Perhaps it was the new surroundings that encouraged him, but for the first time my son was able to wash his own hair in the shower. This success seemed to feed his confidence and he began dressing himself as well! It can be so challenging as parents to watch our gifted children perform amazing and independent feats in other areas, such as computer programming, yet struggle with daily hygiene tasks. This was huge.

New Communication

The morning of our hotel check out, my son and I went down to the hotel restaurant for breakfast, as we did most mornings. However, on this day it was downright MOBBED. It was New Year’s Day and there was a huge Asian tour group there as well as in influx of new guests from the night before. People were swarming around like bees, many of the menu items he had grown accustomed to were sold out, and it was LOUD. I repeatedly asked him to grab a pl2014-12-28 08.21.18ate from the food bar so I could try and get the last two pieces of bread for him to toast and he wasn’t moving. Instead of his normal response to such an overwhelming environment (verbal stimming, complete shutdown, crashing into me, etc.) he simply looked at me and said, “I feel really uncomfortable around all these people.” WHAT? Who was this well-spoken young man before me? I was SO proud of him. I immediately told him that I understood and ushered him to a table. I plugged his headphones into his iPhone and told him to watch a video while I navigated around the food area and got him what he needed.

Why So Many Level Ups?

This is all great news for us, and I’m sure you can relate to some of them or have hope for similar types of progress in your home. But it wouldn’t be fair to just share our success… here’s what I think led up to them:

Time Away

This was our first family vacation in many, many years. Since we acquired our2014-12-27 16.02.10 copy huskies. It was long overdue. Taking time away from the “chiseled in stone” daily rituals can sometimes provide a boost in new perspectives and abilities. I’m so glad I created this opportunity for us to get away. Keep in mind, though, that we quickly established some new routines while we were there, so it’s not like we went from the daily grind to complete spontaneity. Little things like going downstairs for breakfast together helped him stay focused and feel safe. The one morning I took the kids to the diner instead of just him and I having our normal breakfast created some real problems for him, so I had to really ascertain from his body language what should be routine and what can be free and spontaneous activity. Which leads us right into the next one…

Listening

I acknowledged that our quaint breakfast together was important to him each morning, so we went back to that for his sake. I was constantly watching for cues when it came to what he could handle and when he had enough of something. In one situation, he was in full meltdown mode and we were not in a place where we could leave, so I had to adapt and overcome! I created a small, quiet corner for him in the museum store and let the girls go off on their own for a bit while I stayed with him. These little things helped him feel heard and understood, and that made it easier for everyone.

Being Prepared and Being Flexible

I tried to think of all possible scenarios and issues when it came to planning this trip. I even planned to NOT plan some days so we could survey everyone’s mood and not be locked into an itinerary of sorts. So of course it was great for me to have familiar attachment items with us – even when he said he didn’t want to bring them – as well as many of the tools I mentioned in previous posts for travel. But some things just turn out differently no matter how much planning goes into it. For instance, I bought a travel charger for my laptop and brought several DVDs for him to watch in the car during our drive. Guess what. He wanted to watch live streams on YouTube. It’s a good thing I found out what he was doing when I did, because I had to call our wireless provider and purchase a wildly larger data plan so we didn’t have overage penalties!! But this kept him occupied when he wasn’t taking selfies and scenery photos. On the flip side, he didn’t want to bring his Mario plush but I ran back in the house and grabbed it at the last minute. This item was by far the most used throughout the entire week.

Encouragement

When I learned of his new photography skills I encouraged and complimented him. And they were really good, too! Sure, it was a bit much to get shown each of the 200+ photos every time he snapped one. Many of them were extremely similar. But I looked at them all and found something unique to say about each one. I also encouraged his independence but did not push him into something he was not ready to do or uncomfortable with.

As a result of these decisions or actions on my part, my son achieved some awesome new skills… something we may never have discovered if we didn’t take a crazy drive to New York.

Over to You…

In what ways can you shake up your routine a bit and see how your child responds? You just might be surprised at what’s possible with a little preparedness, flexibility, listening and encouragement!

 

SOA E2

Spirit of Autism Web TV Episode 2 – Improv for Autism

What’s a fun way for people on the Autism spectrum to learn vital life skills and mind flexibility in a safe and unique environment? Find out on the second episode of Spirit of Autism Web TV , where I interview my good friend Sandy Bruce, founder of Shenanigans!

Thanks for tuning in! Look for the next episode on Wednesday, September 10 at 9:45 pm on AmericanHeartsRadio.com. If you have a topic you’d like to see covered or are struggling with a certain issue related to Autism, drop me a line and I’ll see if I can answer your question on the show!

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Neurodiverse Actors Sought for Autism-centric Short Film in Atlanta

Shenanigans-logo-rev2-smMy long-time friend, Sandy Bruce, founder of Shenanigans is very excited to be a part of this amazing project! It’s my honor to share it with you.

MOVIE MAGIC MEDIA PRODUCTIONS, in association with SHENANIGANS, is seeking actors and actresses with Autism and related conditions for their groundbreaking short film CIRCLES, to be filmed in Atlanta, GA in January 2015.

CIRCLES follows Ollie, a teen boy with Autism, through one day at school as his best friend Cam prepares to transfer away. As he navigates the varied crowd of both his peers and teachers, Ollie struggles to convey his true feelings about his friend’s imminent departure.

With realistic characters and a naturalist script, CIRCLES authentically showcases a day in the life of neurodiverse individuals, without any of the stereotypes and melodrama often highlighted in popular culture and cinema.

CIRCLES will feature both neurotypical and neurodiverse actors, cast appropriately in related roles. Upon completion, the finished film will be submitted to film festivals worldwide in anticipation of a feature-length project of similar subject matter.

In all, MOVIE MAGIC MEDIA PRODUCTIONS is seeking over 30 neurodiverse actors for both speaking and non-speaking. Interested actors must have appropriate expressive language for his or her potential role and be able to take verbal direction. Previous acting experience, whether on film or stage, is not necessary, but a willingness to experiment and be enthusiastic about the project is a must. Although compensation is not available, meals will be provided. All potential actors must be available for the following production dates (in 2015):

  • Rehearsals Wednesday, January 14, 6:00 – 9:00 pm
  • Thursday, January 15, 6:00 – 9:00 pm
  • Shoot Days (3) Saturday, January 17 – Monday, January 19 (MLK Weekend)

Auditions will be held by appointment only on Saturday, August 30, 2014 (12 – 4 pm) and Sunday, August 31 (11 am – 3 pm). Audition scenes will be provided in advance.

CIRCLES is written by Jesse Cramer, co-directed by Jesse Cramer and Micah Levin, produced by Mark Cramer, and executive produced by Leslie Cotton-Smith and Jesse Cramer.

Interested actors should send an inquiry to Circles@MovieMagicMedia.com. Please include the actor’s name, age, gender, relevant acting experience, and a recent headshot or photograph.

ABOUT MOVIE MAGIC MEDIA PRODUCTIONS

MOVIE MAGIC MEDIA is an award-winning, independent production company based out of Los Angeles, CA. Founded in 2005 on the principles of new media and the ever-evolving entertainment industry, MMM explores new and innovative ways of storytelling in all its projects by blurring the lines between genre and format. MMM is a full service company that specializes in creating and delivering content for modern distribution models. Clients include Warner Bros Music, Nissan, Capital One, Happy Socks, Snapchat, Pantene, Herbal Essences, Vidal Sasson, Taco Bell, Starkist, and Maya Toys.

ABOUT SHENANIGANS

SHENANIGANS uses improvisational theatre to help individuals on the Autism Spectrum unveil the mysteries of social communication, develop more flexible thinking, adapt to change, and respond in context to people and situations. SHENANIGANS is a community-based program of Spectrum Arts, Inc., and is growing throughout the metro Atlanta area and beyond. The program also partners with local schools, municipalities, and Autism-related organizations.

For a list of available characters and age ranges, click here (PDF download).

You can catch more of Sandy and me on Episode 2 of my Spirit of Autism Web TV Show this Wednesday, August 13 at 9:45 pm on American Hearts Radio!

SOA Web TV

Spirit of Autism Web TV Episode 1 – Summer Safety

As parents and caregivers of someone with Autism, you know as well as I do that safety is a concern year-round. However, it is heightened during the summer. This premier episode of Spirit of Autism Web TV focuses on two vital aspects of summer safety: wandering and emergency preparedness. Join me as I interview Erin and Bruce Wilson of QR Code ID and my friend, Austin Harris, about how to prepare your 72-hour kit to be prepared for what this crazy severe weather may bring to your neighborhood!

Thanks for tuning in! Look for the next episode on Wednesday, August 13 at 9:45 pm on AmericanHeartsRadio.com. We’ll be talking about transitioning back to school among other great topics!

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Tune In to My New Autism Web TV Series

AutismWithebiTaylorJuly9th1stEpisode2014Has it really been over TWO months since I’ve reached out to you? Wow. My sincerest apologies. Lots has been brewing in Spirit of Autism land! I’ve had the honor of providing in-service Autism training to the Stone Mountain Police Department as well as the District 8 Georgia Police Chiefs in Villa Rica, GA. All officers that attended received P.O.S.T. (Peace Officer Standards and Training) credit for the course, so we are really making strides in the Emergency Responder training arena!

Coming up I will be doing a “Train the Trainer” Autism course for the Georgia Institute of EMS, in which they will also receive continuing education credit. We will soon be launching an online version of the training course with a test and certificate of completion available for Law Enforcement and EMS.

Now for the really fun announcement… I’ve got a new web TV series! I’ve joined forces with American Hearts Radio, a family-friendly company on a great mission, offering live worldwide radio broadcasts, live events and WEB TV productions to people with a real message to share.

My new 30-minute series will air on the second Wednesday of each month at 9:45 pm EST. Don’t worry if you can’t stay awake that late! As an Autism parent I know we need to grab sleep whenever we can get it ;) The show will be available to watch on the American Hearts Radio website, on YouTube and right here on my Blog.

Premiering July 9, the first show will focus on Autism and Summer Safety. I’ll have in the studio with me guest Austin Harris, my sidekick in the Fire Rescue Reserve and Emergency Responder training. We’ll be talking about Disaster Preparedness and how you need to be even MORE prepared when you have a child or family member with Autism. I’m also honored to be airing an interview with Erin Wilson from QR Code ID. We’ll be discussing all the great products they created for loved ones who wander. You won’t want to miss this! Summer can be a chaotic and harrowing time for Autism families… we’ll let you know how to make sure it’s a safe time!

Looking for Sponsors

American Hearts Radio produces commercials for your business that will be placed on live Radio show daily spins and re-runs, as well as a video version that will appear on all social networks, other shows and the AHR website.

As a local sponsor you will also be invited on local WEB TV Shows in Atlanta to promote your business.

If you’re looking for a way to drive potential buyers to your website American Hearts Radio.com does exactly that. Contact me for more info if you’re interested… it’s extremely affordable!