Peut-on « perdre » un diagnostic d’autisme?

French Blogs

Originally written in English: Losing an Autism Diagnosis

Je suis une femme autiste de presque 60 ans et je suis relativement à l’aise en société, à un tel point que certaines personnes sont étonnées quand elles apprennent que je suis autiste. J’ai passé mon adolescence en institution, parce que personne ne savait quoi faire avec mes « comportements », ni avec moi. Aujourd’hui, je travaille à mon compte : je suis auteure, conférencière, consultante et artiste et je détiens une maîtrise en travail social.

Question : Est-ce que j’ai perdu mon diagnostic d’autisme?

Réponse pragmatique : Oui et non.

Non, il n’est pas possible de « perdre » un diagnostic d’autisme

Officiellement, une fois qu’une personne reçoit un diagnostic, peu importe lequel, ce diagnostic est ajouté à son dossier médical. Les médecins ne peuvent pas reculer pour effacer un diagnostic, ni changer quoi que ce soit à ce qui est déjà inscrit au dossier. En fait, c’est interdit! On ne peut qu’ajouter des renseignements.

Oui, on peut « perdre » un diagnostic d’autisme

Dans la pratique, un diagnostic est établi en faisant correspondre des symptômes observés à une liste de critères diagnostiques particuliers et bien définis. Avec le temps, si les symptômes s’atténuent, les critères utiles au diagnostic peuvent devenir imperceptibles. Pour certains, cette réduction des symptômes observables équivaut à une perte du diagnostic.

Le cerveau autiste

Il est généralement reconnu que le cerveau humain est « malléable » au cours de l’enfance. On sait aussi qu’un diagnostic précoce permet une intervention en bas âge et que les résultats d’une telle intervention précoce peuvent être très positifs pour certains enfants autistes, c’est-à-dire si l’on considère comme positif qu’on obtient de ces enfants autistes qu’ils peuvent se comporter comme des enfants non-autistes. Ce qu’on ignore encore, c’est l’effet de ces changements comportementaux sur le cerveau – le cerveau autiste de l’enfant a-t-il réellement été modifié, est-il devenu un cerveau non-autiste? Selon mes recherches, il n’existe aucune documentation qui en atteste.

Mon vécu

Chaque jour où je dois sortir pour aller dans le monde, des difficultés m’attendent. En fait, la plus grande part de ma vie à ce jour a été employée à résoudre ces difficultés. Mon système sensoriel ne fonctionne pas comme celui d’une personne non-autiste dans sa façon de recevoir, de traiter et d’extraire l’information du monde qui m’entoure. La lumière est aveuglante, les sons sont amplifiés et ma perception du mouvement est souvent accompagnée d’une distorsion. Je suis souvent distraite ou heurtée par une multitude de détails sensoriels que personne d’autre ne remarque, parce que leurs sens ne les captent pas; souvent ils me causent aussi de la douleur.

À l’occasion, je porte des bouchons pour les oreilles ou des lunettes de soleil. La plupart du temps, certaines méthodes d’intégration sensorielle sont également utiles, comme l’utilisation d’une couverture lourde, la massothérapie ou la thérapie de pression intense. Mais la meilleure solution que j’ai trouvée consiste à planifier de fréquentes périodes de repos, c’est-à-dire sans bruit et sans interactions, pour que mon système puisse intégrer le surplus déstabilisant d’expériences sensorielles qui composent mon quotidien. En termes pratiques, quand je passe la soirée à la maison, il est très rare que je regarde la télévision, que j’écoute de la musique ou que je parle au téléphone. Parfois, je prends un médicament qui sert à soulager le mal des transports.

Je suis épuisée à la fin de chaque journée de travail, parce que je dois continuellement faire de grands efforts pour calmer mes réactions aux stimuli sonores, visuels, olfactifs et cinétiques que la plupart des autres personnes ne remarquent pas. Je dois porter une attention particulière aux mimiques sociales conventionnelles, par exemple ne pas oublier de regarder la personne avec qui je converse, surveiller le sens des mots pour savoir lesquels ressortent du « langage professionnel » et quels autres forment du « remplissage social », puis répondre de la façon correspondante. Je fais des efforts en ce sens parce que j’aime pouvoir m’intégrer et parce que, sous de nombreux aspects, ils sont essentiels pour le maintien de mon emploi.

J’ai développé une vraie compétence pour bien doser les périodes de repos, les moyens de protection sensorielle utiles en fonction de l’environnement et les méthodes d’intégration sensorielle nécessaires pour bien gérer mes différentes journées. Avec l’âge, j’arrive à me deviner de mieux en mieux, mais encore maintenant, il m’arrive d’être épuisée à la fin de la journée parce que j’ai tenté de « suivre la parade » (dans ce cas-ci, la parade des non-autistes!)

En m’observant, certains diraient que j’ai perdu mon diagnostic d’autisme, mais c’est simplement parce que j’ai appris à inhiber, quand je suis en public, la plupart des réactions qui me viennent naturellement. Il est rare que j’agite les mains, que je couine, que je gémisse ou que j’émette d’autres « bruits parasites ». Parce que je veux avoir l’occasion de participer à la société, j’ai appris, au fil des ans, à me comporter comme une personne de la majorité neurotypique. C’est un privilège dont je suis bien consciente – en effet, ce ne sont pas tous les autistes qui sont capables d’inhiber leur comportement suffisamment pour être acceptés en société. Cela dit, si je suis capable de m’intégrer, j’en paie le prix chaque jour : après des dizaines d’années de pratique, il m’est aujourd’hui plus facile de maintenir un comportement « acceptable », mais c’est une faculté qui ne me vient toujours pas sans effort.

Considérations futures

Sur le long terme, je crois qu’il est essentiel de revoir et de repenser la façon dont nous mesurons la réussite pour les personnes autistes. Ce débat évoluera sans doute si la science arrive un jour à prouver que le cerveau des enfants autistes, si malléable, peut réellement se transformer en un cerveau non-autiste à l’âge adulte. Mais en attendant, nous devons nous interroger : l’objectif, pour l’autiste, de se fondre à son entourage au point qu’il soit impossible de le différencier de ses pairs est-il vraiment souhaitable, valable ou de quelque façon une mesure de réussite? Et si c’est le cas, pour qui cette mesure de réussite compte-t-elle, au juste?

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RÉFÉRENCES

Endow, J. (2019).  Autistically Thriving: Reading Comprehension, Conversational Engagement, and Living a Self-Determined Life Based on Autistic Neurology. Lancaster, PA: Judy Endow.

Endow, J. (2012). Learning the Hidden Curriculum: The Odyssey of One Autistic Adult. Shawnee Mission, KS: AAPC Publishing.

Endow, J. (2006).  Making Lemonade: Hints for Autism’s Helpers. Cambridge, WI: CBR Press.

Endow, J. (2013).  Painted Words: Aspects of Autism Translated. Cambridge, WI: CBR Press.

Endow, J. (2009).  Paper Words: Discovering and Living With My Autism. Shawnee Mission, KS: AAPC Publishing.

Endow, J. (2009).  Outsmarting Explosive Behavior: A Visual System of Support and Intervention for Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorders. Shawnee Mission, KS: AAPC Publishing.

Endow, J. (2010).  Practical Solutions for Stabilizing Students With Classic Autism to Be Ready to Learn: Getting to Go. Shawnee Mission, KS: AAPC Publishing.

Myles, B. S., Endow, J., & Mayfield, M. (2013). The Hidden Curriculum of Getting and Keeping a Job: Navigating the Social Landscape of Employment. Shawnee Mission, KS: AAPC Publishing.

Translation/traduction: Marie Lauzon, C. Tran./trad. a. (Canada) marielauzon.com

Losing An Autism Diagnosis
Originally written in English
Judy Endow, MSW

Autistic Meltdown or Temper Tantrum?

Autistic "Behavior"

Most young children have tantrums. Typically as they master new skills and become more savvy with expanded communication abilities the tantrums dwindle away. Autistic children have meltdowns and these meltdowns can happen across the life span. For some autistics they never totally disappear. To the casual onlooker an autistic meltdown and a temper tantrum may appear to be the same behavior. It is not. Here are some things to consider when trying to sort out whether the behavior is a temper tantrum or an autistic meltdown. The strategies helpful for tantrums versus meltdowns are different so it becomes important to understand what you are dealing with to effectively impact the situation.

Goal Driven Tantrum Versus Response to Overwhelm Meltdown

Tantrums in young children typically occur when the youngster cannot have something he wants or cannot do something he wishes to do. A tantrum is goal driven behavior designed to persuade the adult in charge to give in to the desires of the youngster.

Autistic meltdowns typically occur as a response to being overwhelmed. Sensory overload is one way being overwhelmed occurs, but becoming overwhelmed can happen in many other sorts of situations. Because the processing of the autistic brain often is not in sync with real time, anything from too many choices to not being able to pull up solutions to an in-the-now problem to an intense emotion that is stuck rather than dissipating over time can be triggers for a meltdown.

Example
Let’s use sensory input as an example. Imagine a glass that is filling with water. The glass is like the autistic person and the water is like the sensory input. As the sensory input accumulates the glass fills. When the glass is full it spills over. The spilling over is the meltdown. There are many ways to prevent meltdowns – to prevent the glass from filling up, but once a meltdown has started there isn’t a way to make it stop at wish – we cannot undo the overflow once there is too much water for the glass. Just as the water must overflow the glass when there isn’t enough room for it in the glass, so must so must energy be spent or worked off to reduce the overwhelm so life can again becomes manageable.

Behavior During the Tantrum Versus Behavior During the Meltdown

While tantrums are a goal driven choice a toddler makes, autistic meltdowns are not goal driven. This plays out with some noticeable differences. For example, a toddler engaged in a temper tantrum will only display the behavior if someone is near enough to see or hear the behavior. If there is no audience the behavior will stop. In fact, the toddler will often pause the behavior, checking to make sure the parent is still there, and then resume the temper tantrum behavior.

Autistic meltdowns will occur with or without an audience. The audience is largely immaterial. In fact, if the adult in charge walks away during a meltdown the meltdown will continue until the energy is spent. The individual engaged in a meltdown does not stop to check for an audience.

Because the autistic meltdown is the body’s attempt to gain equilibrium by expending energy safety concerns often loom large. In fact, safety becomes the focus of attention during the autistic meltdown. The goal for the support person at the height of a meltdown is to ensure safety, knowing the meltdown will continue until the energy is spent. There is no stopping a meltdown in progress.

Ending the Tantrum Versus Ending the Meltdown

All parents learn the quickest way to end a toddler’s tantrum is to give in to the demands. Most of us have had the experience of immediately averting the tantrum in the grocery store by putting our youngster’s item of choice in our shopping cart! When a tantrum occurs in the home we can end it by simply removing ourselves from the immediate vicinity or in some other way ignoring the behavior. As a parent or adult in charge we have the power to stop the tantrum by our own behavior. Our choice in making it stop is either to give in to the demands or withdraw our attention from the tantrum behavior.

A meltdown can occur across the lifespan and will not stop until the energy is spent. In fact, giving an individual a favored item or promising a special privilege will not stop a meltdown once it has begun. Likewise, withdrawing your attention will not stop the meltdown. In fact, some individuals experiencing meltdowns may not be able to calm themselves even after the meltdown energy is spent. They may need assistance to calm. This is where a learned calming routine comes in handy. Many benefit from a routine for re-engagement in every day life – a way to get back on track after a meltdown.

Preventing the Tantrum Versus Preventing the Meltdown

Even though the tantrum may be over it is remembered and the experience called up the next time the youngster wants something he cannot have. As parents we have all experienced having to deal with the next bigger and better tantrum after having given in to a previous tantrum! This is because the tantrum is goal driven willful behavior. Because it is willful behavior we can shape it by rewarding desired behavior while ignoring undesired tantrum behavior.

Meltdown behavior is not impacted by reward systems or by shaping efforts because it is not willful, goal driven behavior. However, meltdown behavior, because it is escalating behavior with beginning, middle and end stages, can be mapped out. This is important because different supports are effective at the different stages of escalation to enable individuals to manage their overwhelmed experiences while in the initial stages. Meltdown behavior can be affectively worked with by preventing the escalation (Endow, 2009).

Outsmarting

BOOKS  BY JUDY ENDOW

Endow, J. (2019).  Autistically Thriving: Reading Comprehension, Conversational Engagement, and Living a Self-Determined Life Based on Autistic Neurology. Lancaster, PA: Judy Endow.

Endow, J. (2012). Learning the Hidden Curriculum: The Odyssey of One Autistic Adult. Shawnee Mission, KS: AAPC Publishing.

Endow, J. (2006).  Making Lemonade: Hints for Autism’s Helpers. Cambridge, WI: CBR Press.

Endow, J. (2013).  Painted Words: Aspects of Autism Translated. Cambridge, WI: CBR Press.

Endow, J. (2009).  Paper Words: Discovering and Living With My Autism. Shawnee Mission, KS: AAPC Publishing.

Endow, J. (2009).  Outsmarting Explosive Behavior: A Visual System of Support and Intervention for Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorders. Shawnee Mission, KS: AAPC Publishing.

Endow, J. (2010).  Practical Solutions for Stabilizing Students With Classic Autism to Be Ready to Learn: Getting to Go. Shawnee Mission, KS: AAPC Publishing.

Myles, B. S., Endow, J., & Mayfield, M. (2013).  The Hidden Curriculum of Getting and Keeping a Job: Navigating the Social Landscape of Employment. Shawnee Mission, KS: AAPC Publishing.

Originally written for and published by Ollibean on January 13, 2015

In Sidewalk Cracks: Autism and Authentic Relationships

Growing Up Autistic, Social Considerations

You on your NT sidewalk square
Me, on my autistic one.

You jump to my square to help me out
Because
Heaven knows
(and so does everyone else)
That I need all the help you can give.

You teach me to copy your ways.
I learn to do so.
I jump to your square and copy you.

You are happy because I am learning
To look like you
To copy your ways in the world.

I am empty.
All I have is you helping me
And me copying your ways.
Is it a wonder the feeling of alien predominates?

There is more to jumping over the sidewalk crack.

Instead, let’s jump in it!
You from your square
And me from mine
Together jumping into the crack between

A real relationship in the making
Not you helping
Not me copying
But instead
Both together

Each ourselves
And together
Friends being!
(Endow, 2013, pg. 204)

Dear Reader,
“I have come to understand relationships by looking at sidewalks. I imagine people each on their own sidewalk square. Growing up I had many helpers. People who were helpers would jump from their own sidewalk square over to my sidewalk square. They would stand by me on my sidewalk square and help me. Eventually, I came to learn their ways.

Once I learned to copy the ways of other people I was allowed to jump over to their sidewalk square and occupy space with them. This jumping around on sidewalk squares happened in various ways for most of my life. It wasn’t very fulfilling. I often felt like an alien, other-ed, sometimes allowed and always oddly different.

Then I learned something new! I learned about jumping into the sidewalk crack with another human being. I discovered that in sidewalk cracks is the place of real relationship. It is the place where we each come as we are and it is perfectly fine. We are at home with each other in this space regardless of which version of self we bring that day. As we jump from our square into this sidewalk crack we find that together we are more than the sum of our individual parts and we find that each is necessary to the other. It is a relationship of equality based on our separate commodities of uniqueness.

I have come to learn that even though I do not measure up to be very many inches when the yardstick of NT normal used, I no longer use these very little bit of inches to define my human worth. Instead, I count all of my inches that nobody has yet found a way to measure.” (Endow, 2013, p.208)

In the process of sharing with you I have come up strong and tall. I grew tall, rising up out of the sidewalk cracks of meaningful friendships. I grew strong in the sharing with you by deciding to count the inches of my tallness that the NT yardstick cannot yet measure. I am blessed. My heart is full. I have you, the reader to thank. If you are still reading, thank you for walking this journey with me. I appreciate you!
Judy

99SidewalkCracksPainting is In Sidewalk Cracks 2
available in packs of 5 greeting cards
and 3 print sizes
under the Art Store tab at
www.judyendow.com

BOOKS  BY JUDY ENDOW

Endow, J. (2019).  Autistically Thriving: Reading Comprehension, Conversational Engagement, and Living a Self-Determined Life Based on Autistic Neurology. Lancaster, PA: Judy Endow.

Endow, J. (2012). Learning the Hidden Curriculum: The Odyssey of One Autistic Adult. Shawnee Mission, KS: AAPC Publishing.

Endow, J. (2006).  Making Lemonade: Hints for Autism’s Helpers. Cambridge, WI: CBR Press.

Endow, J. (2013).  Painted Words: Aspects of Autism Translated. Cambridge, WI: CBR Press.

Endow, J. (2009).  Paper Words: Discovering and Living With My Autism. Shawnee Mission, KS: AAPC Publishing.

Endow, J. (2009).  Outsmarting Explosive Behavior: A Visual System of Support and Intervention for Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorders. Shawnee Mission, KS: AAPC Publishing.

Endow, J. (2010).  Practical Solutions for Stabilizing Students With Classic Autism to Be Ready to Learn: Getting to Go. Shawnee Mission, KS: AAPC Publishing.

Myles, B. S., Endow, J., & Mayfield, M. (2013).  The Hidden Curriculum of Getting and Keeping a Job: Navigating the Social Landscape of Employment. Shawnee Mission, KS: AAPC Publishing.

Originally written for and published by Ollibean on December 30, 2014

 

Autism and the Importance of Stabilization

Autistic "Behavior", Sensory Solutions, Visual Supports

As an autism consultant I am often asked how I sort out what to do when I see an autistic client who is struggling in school or in life. As an autistic person I know first hand if stabilization needs are not met, regardless of the supports in place an autistic person will struggle. Stabilization consists of three areas that interplay – internal and external regulation in the context of a positive relationship.

Internal Regulation ~ Sensory Diet
Internal regulation has many components, but for stabilization I look at the sensory system. When a person has an autism neurology we can know that the sensory system very likely does not automatically regulate as it tends to do in a person without autism. Instead we must bring intentionality to sensory system regulation. So, the first order of business is to ensure sensory regulation. This can be accomplished through use of a sensory diet as prescribed by an Occupational Therapist well versed in sensory regulation and autism.

External Regulation ~ Visual Schedule
Most autistic people are quite visual. For many of us our native language is visual. It is how we make sense of the world around us. Words become understandable only when they are represented by something we can see either in our head or in the world outside our skin. Before anyone can learn in school or participate in life, besides being internally regulated, he needs to know that a structure exists. An autistic neurology doesn’t often automatically pick out and use salient information from day to day so as to be able to predict what will happen when from day to day. Therefore, use of an interactive visual schedule is quite powerful in establishing external regulation.

Positive Relationship ~ Person-First Attitude
Use of a sensory diet and a visual schedule are necessary for basic regulation. However, for individuals to truly reach their potential the daily working out of sensory supports and use of a visual schedule must happen within the context of a positive relationship.

People matter. People matter to autistics. Because of our differences in not automatically regulating, our style of thinking and cognitive processing differences we often appear to not be attending to others around us. Over the years, those looking at us have erroneously decided that because we do not interact the same way with people as others interact that we do not want or need other people in our lives.

As a result autistics are often not even thought of as fully human. Many times people talk about us in front of us as if we cannot hear or understand what they are saying. Did you ever wonder about that predominant theme among autistics of feeling as if one were an alien? I believe much of that comes from the interplay of not being regulated, not knowing what will happen next and, most importantly, not being regarded as a fully human person by others around us.

Conclusion
If you want the scoop on internal and external regulation and all the practical ways to put that in place the information is laid out in the book Practical Solutions for Stabilizing Students With Classic Autism to Be Ready to Learn: Getting to Go. When the context of service delivery, so to speak, becomes a positive relationship with person-first attitude the stage is set for an individual to reach his potential. Here is a section from the Foreword by Brenda Smith Myles to illustrate this concept:

“This book is replete with information that will help individuals meet their potential. One of the underlying constructs here and, indeed, in everything Judy does is “person-first attitude” (Endow, personal communication, June 27, 2010). We are all familiar with the concept of “person-first language” – talking about the person before referencing her exceptionality (i.e., a “child with autism” instead of the “autistic child”). “Person-first attitude,” according to Judy, is what some of us get after using “person-first language.” Unlike “person-first language,” it cannot be mandated. “Person-first attitude” is not about how we use the power of our words to benefit people with disabilities. Instead, “person-first attitude” is a reflection of what we become while in relationship with each other. It is the elusive substance of how our hearts respond to our common humanity rather than the correctness of our language in response to their disability.” (Endow, 2011, pg.1)

IMG_3250

BOOKS  BY JUDY ENDOW

Endow, J. (2019).  Autistically Thriving: Reading Comprehension, Conversational Engagement, and Living a Self-Determined Life Based on Autistic Neurology. Lancaster, PA: Judy Endow.

Endow, J. (2012). Learning the Hidden Curriculum: The Odyssey of One Autistic Adult. Shawnee Mission, KS: AAPC Publishing.

Endow, J. (2006).  Making Lemonade: Hints for Autism’s Helpers. Cambridge, WI: CBR Press.

Endow, J. (2013).  Painted Words: Aspects of Autism Translated. Cambridge, WI: CBR Press.

Endow, J. (2009).  Paper Words: Discovering and Living With My Autism. Shawnee Mission, KS: AAPC Publishing.

Endow, J. (2009).  Outsmarting Explosive Behavior: A Visual System of Support and Intervention for Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorders. Shawnee Mission, KS: AAPC Publishing.

Endow, J. (2010).  Practical Solutions for Stabilizing Students With Classic Autism to Be Ready to Learn: Getting to Go. Shawnee Mission, KS: AAPC Publishing.

Myles, B. S., Endow, J., & Mayfield, M. (2013).  The Hidden Curriculum of Getting and Keeping a Job: Navigating the Social Landscape of Employment. Shawnee Mission, KS: AAPC Publishing.

Originally written for and published by Ollibean on December 21, 2015

Person First Attitude Trumps Language

Activism/Advocacy, Social Considerations

Am I a person with autism or autistic? Does it matter? And why?

Some years back Kathie Snow was instrumental in bringing us into a person first language. It was a way to show respect towards a person with a disability. This continues to be important to many today who want to be known as more than a wheel chair user, the blind gal or the seizure patient. All people like to be on par with the human race – to be counted one of the tribe of homosapiens in our world.

The way many people with an autism spectrum diagnosis wish to be recognized is with the word autistic. For us, autism is not simply an add on to our personhood, but is in fact, foundational to our identity. Just as we would not refer to an African-American as a person with Blackness, to a person of the Jewish faith as a person with Jewishness or a boy as a person with maleness, many of us do not want to be referred to as a person with autism. For us the neurology of autism is part of our identity in the same way race, religion or gender is part of a person’s identity. Just as we refer to people as Black, Jewish or male many autistics want to be referred to as just that – autistic. It is who we are in this world.

Even so, not ALL people with an autism spectrum diagnosis want to be referred to as autistic. My friend Jacob, for example, explains that autism visits his body in such a way that when people see him coming they SEE the autism. Jacob feels very strongly that when others use person first language they are more likely to see him – Jacob, a fellow human being – rather than the hard of his autism in his body.

I want to respect all my friends and refer to them in the way they wish whether that be autistic or person with autism. This is easy to do when I am one on one with a friend. It is very difficult to do when in a larger group where honoring one means offending another.

The more I thought about this the more I began to see that even though friends may wish to be referred to in different ways this language is not really a dichotomously posed choice where we need to decide which is better and choose accordingly, being ready to defend our choice to whomever asks and especially to those who made the opposite choice.

Rather than seeing the polarized language of person with autism and autistic, I see a unifying construct. I now see that when Kathie Snow invited us to use person first language she was actually inviting us to come into a person first attitude. And it is this person first attitude that unites the word usages of person with autism and autistic. We all want to be included in the human race.

Today when I am do public speaking on autism related topics I on purpose use both person with autism and autistic, honoring all my friends preferred language while realizing that a person first attitude is the important construct. Thus, “I invite you, as the reader, to use whatever language supports you in a person first attitude toward fellow human beings who happen to have an autism spectrum diagnosis.”  (Endow, 2013, pg. 14)

prsn frst attde

BOOKS  BY JUDY ENDOW

Endow, J. (2019).  Autistically Thriving: Reading Comprehension, Conversational Engagement, and Living a Self-Determined Life Based on Autistic Neurology. Lancaster, PA: Judy Endow.

Endow, J. (2012). Learning the Hidden Curriculum: The Odyssey of One Autistic Adult. Shawnee Mission, KS: AAPC Publishing.

Endow, J. (2006).  Making Lemonade: Hints for Autism’s Helpers. Cambridge, WI: CBR Press.

Endow, J. (2013).  Painted Words: Aspects of Autism Translated. Cambridge, WI: CBR Press.

Endow, J. (2009).  Paper Words: Discovering and Living With My Autism. Shawnee Mission, KS: AAPC Publishing.

Endow, J. (2009).  Outsmarting Explosive Behavior: A Visual System of Support and Intervention for Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorders. Shawnee Mission, KS: AAPC Publishing.

Endow, J. (2010).  Practical Solutions for Stabilizing Students With Classic Autism to Be Ready to Learn: Getting to Go. Shawnee Mission, KS: AAPC Publishing.

Myles, B. S., Endow, J., & Mayfield, M. (2013).  The Hidden Curriculum of Getting and Keeping a Job: Navigating the Social Landscape of Employment. Shawnee Mission, KS: AAPC Publishing.

Originally written for and published by Ollibean on September 3, 2013