Category Archives: Autistic “Behavior”

Autism and Stubbornness

July 24, 2015Activism/Advocacy, Autistic "Behavior", Social Considerationsautism, autistic experience, Diversity, first person account, neurology, transitionadmin

I am an autistic woman. Most of my life people have let me know they think I am stubborn and controlling. Over time I have learned to hide the behaviors so people do not think I am stubborn and controlling. I understand you view my stubbornness as a bad thing so I have learned to hide it.

Today I would like you to consider that what you label as stubborn and controlling is often a solution to help us manage our anxiety and fear.

Whenever we have a fearful or anxious moment – and those moments tend to happen quite often -– we try to manage it. Everyone does this. One of the ways we all try to manage anxiety and fear is to take some control of the situation. This works for most people because they share a social understanding of just how to take control in a way that doesn’t tick people off.

Here is an example:

Imagine being in a situation where three friends have decided to go to a movie together. Jane offers to pick up Mary and Cathy. Both Mary and Cathy do not want to ride with Jane because Jane has been in several accidents due to inattentive driving.

Mary thinks about how she does not feel comfortable riding with Jane. Just thinking about it makes her feel anxious. She thanks Jane for her offer to drive and then tells Jane since she will be doing some errands near the movie theater she will meet her at the theater. Mary made up the part about needing to do errands. It wasn’t true at all, but Mary had the social understanding that it was perfectly fine to tell this sort of untruth so as to spare Jane’s feelings. Mary managed her anxiety and fear around Jane’s driving.

Cathy thinks about how she does not feel comfortable riding with Jane. Just thinking about it makes her feel anxious. She calls Jane and relays all of the points she can remember from the driving manual she used to study when preparing to take the driving test. Cathy insisted that Jane follow the information in this driving manual. She told Jane that if all drivers would follow the manual there would be fewer accidents. Cathy further tells Jane that she will not be a passenger in Jane’s car unless Jane agrees to follow all the safe driving rules as outlined in the manual. Cathy managed her anxiety and fear around Jane’s driving.

Mary and Cathy both felt anxious about Jane’s driving and needed to take control to relieve their anxiety. Each of them did so in their own way. Mary’s way worked and Cathy’s way did not.

For the autistic, the social understanding of how to be controlling without ticking others off doesn’t come naturally. Thus, our attempt to master anxiety and fear by using the universal strategy of taking some control tends to backfire for us. In fact, autistics are blamed for being too controlling as if it is a bad thing!

In the above example, Mary was just as controlling as Cathy. However, Mary’s behavior would never be labeled as stubborn and controlling, while Cathy’s behavior would quickly be labeled that way.

In our society we have decided that being stubborn and controlling is a bad thing. Most neurotypical people have learned to be stubborn and controlling in a socially acceptable manner. They are able to get away with it because their neurology supports an automatic social understanding, allowing them to act in a way that does not get labeled as stubborn and controlling even though they are being stubborn and controlling. Autistic people most often do not have this luxury of automatic social understanding. Hence, they manage their anxiety and fear with different behavior. Even so, just like the neurotypical person, they are managing anxiety and fear.

I am not condoning one set of behaviors over another – merely explaining that all people stubbornly use controlling behavior to manage fear and anxiety. The difference is that nonautistic people know how to do this in socially acceptable ways.

Next time you label an autistic as being stubborn or always needing to control things I am hoping that you might shift your thinking. Rather than blaming the autistic for bad behavior might you see the autistic is employing a solution to alleviate fear and/or anxiety? Might you join with the autistic in helping expand the repertoire of how to manage fear or anxiety?

The truth is, at the end of the day, nobody benefits from the blame game. The person being blamed for bad behavior feels awful. The person doing the blaming winds up getting stuck and unable to help solve a problem. Nobody wins in the blame game and yet we feel comfortable in playing that game because we can throw up our hands and declare it is the other person’s fault – nothing we can do about that!

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 July 22, 2015. To comment on this blog click here.

Autism and a Changing Sensory System

July 1, 2015Activism/Advocacy, Autism and Aging, Autistic "Behavior", Sensory Solutionsautism, autistic experience, Diversity, first person account, movement, neurology, sensoryadmin

One of the challenges of autism is sensory system difference. These differences are so prevalent that they are part of the diagnostic criteria for Autism Spectrum Disorder (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). This difference comes into play because an autistic neurology typically doesn’t automatically regulate sensory information. This can happen in a variety of ways and accounts for the sensory difference variation we see amongst autistic people.

Sensory information from the world around us is taken in, processed, stored and retrieved by all human beings. In those of us with autism there can be differences in any, some or all of these areas. This often translates to mean our sensory systems are “on edge” pretty much all the time (Endow, 2013, 2011, 2009, 2006).

To live more comfortably in a world that is not set up with our sensory needs in mind we must learn to bring intentional regulation to our sensory system because our body does not do that for us automatically. For youngsters this means an OT (Occupational Therapy) Sensory Evaluation is often done with the results of recommendations for a sensory diet. What is on an individual’s sensory diet plan are those activities, if engaged in, will help to manually regulate that person’s sensory system. Most older autistic adults have not ever had a formal sensory evaluation, but over time have figured out what sensory regulation modalities serve them best.

Something about autistic sensory difference that I do not see addressed in the literature is the fact that sensory system needs change over time. This is important for many reasons. Here are a few to keep in mind:

When youngsters get sensory evaluations that result in sensory diet recommendations that are actively utilized in daily life they become better regulated. This results in more engagement, increased learning and a happier child. However, over time, implementing the very same sensory regulating strategies doesn’t keep on delivering the same results. This is because the sensory system needs change over time (Endow, 2011).

For example, of the seven items on Madison’s sensory diet in second grade only two of those items serve her needs in third grade. Because four of the sensory regulation choices no longer worked for Madison she didn’t want to engage in those activities. She didn’t have the words or the communication ability to explain why she would push the “no” button on her talker. When I went in to consult the staff expressed frustration because Madison was clearly disregulated and yet, she refused to do her sensory diet, pushing “no” on her talker when offered choices.

Once the staff understood that Madison’s sensory needs had changed, rather than being stuck in blaming her for her lack of cooperation, they got an updated sensory evaluation. With the new sensory regulation strategies matched to her changing sensory system, Madison became more regulated and once again began making academic progress.

It is important for autistic adults to be aware of the fact that their sensory needs will likely change over time. When you think of it, it makes sense because all human beings experience this. When you are autistic and have a very sensitive system that does not often regulate automatically you need to be aware of this possibility and watch for the changes.

For example, Justin (age 52) was in the habit of taking two half-hour daily walks, keeping his TV volume level at 9 and having three hours each evening with no auditory input. This plan served Justin well for almost three years.

By age 55 he found that he had to increase the TV volume to 11 in order to hear it clearly) and only needed one hour each evening with no auditory input. He continued taking two half-hour walks each day.

Then, at age 56, taking walks became troublesome to Justin because his fluidity in movement had become more problematic. After trying several strategies Justin discovered that going back to three hours each evening with no auditory input along with listening to a music track of nature sounds that had a definite beat allowed him to sync his walking to the beat, and thus, was able to continue his two half-hour walks each day without experiencing the movement glitches.

Regardless of age, all autistics need to be kind to themselves when their sensory system changes. It isn’t easy because sensory differences, whether overload, not enough input, distorted input or a processing, storing or retrieving difference – all of it winds up affecting the way we behave.

I haven’t yet met an autistic that hasn’t, at some point in their life, been blamed for bad behavior. We can see behavior. We can’t always see what is causing the behavior. Whenever someone has a history of being blamed for bad behavior they learn to blame themselves whenever their behavior changes – even when the behavior change is a direct result of sensory system difficulties.

When we see the behavior before we recognize the sensory system change we cannot connect the cause and effect dots. For many of us, the learned pattern is to blame ourselves for our bad behavior. Anytime we attribute character flaw or blame to behavior we get stuck in problem solving.

In the above example, I started seeing Justin because he was having problems at work. He worked in an office and had started throwing office supplies. At first he threw paper clips across his desk, then pens and finally, when he threw a coffee cup that broke something, his job coach called me in. Justin’s job was on the line.

It took some time, but in the end we all learned that Justin’s throwing was helping his movement stay fluid and the nature music sound track helped his movement difficulties both at work and during his daily walks at home.

If the change in Justin’s sensory system with the resulting change in sensory diet hadn’t been discovered the outcome could have been very different. Justin could have been fired from his job and his life would have become smaller without work. In addition, he would have eventually needed to cut out going for walks as that movement became less fluid. Clearly, the movement support needed to be in place.

So, whether you are working with an autistic or are an autistic, please know that sensory system needs change over time. Often, your first clue that this has happened will be seen by a change in behavior. Whenever behavior changes the number one rule I have is to BE KIND.

When people are unkind to autistics they tend to assign negative intentionally to the autistic for the behavior and then blame the autistic.
When autistics are unkind to themselves they tend to blame themselves, assign character flaws (which are permanent and unchangeable) and over time become depressed over something that is nothing more than a symptom of their disregulated sensory system.

Whenever you are unkind in response to behavior – either to an autistic or to yourself (if you are the autistic) – you don’t do anyone any favors. Unkindness, blaming, assigned or taken on character flaws all lead to getting stuck in solving problem situations. Sensory system needs change over time. Know this; count on this. Your first clue will likely be something in the behavior arena. When behavior happens, BE KIND. Whether the behavior is sensory related or not it is most expedient to interface our best selves with solutions and positive regard for fellow human beings rather than being defeated by our own unkindness.

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 June 22, 2015

Autism, Sensory Regulation and Movement Fluidity

April 27, 2015Autism and Aging, Autistic "Behavior", Communication, Sensory Solutionsautism, autistic experience, Diversity, first person account, movement, neurology, sensoryadmin

Many any individuals with classic autism seem to have neurological movement differences. When these movement differences play out in our bodies, it is easy for onlookers to see, as we may get stuck in one position or in repetitive movement. Sometimes there can be difficulty in getting a body movement going, and at other times once our body is in motion, we cannot stop even if we want to.

These movement differences can also play out in thoughts, speech, and emotions, areas that are not as readily observable to onlookers, yet can be daily obstacles to outsmart for some of us.

I think of myself as being either well regulated or not well regulated. When I am well regulated, I am able to fully engage in what is going on around me. My physical movement and my thought processing are fluid. My reaction time to the spoken words of others and to extraneous stimuli is not much different from the reaction time of neurotypicals around me.

When I am not well regulated, I am less able to engage in what is going on around me. It takes me much longer to process my thoughts and, thus, my reaction time to the spoken words of others is much slower, and my reactions to extraneous stimuli become bigger and louder and last longer. I am told that my voice becomes louder and that I have a startle response to stimuli that normally would not cause me to startle.

When I am not well regulated, I also have significantly more movement issues. I must bring conscious thought to my physical movement, such as walking, grasping, and chewing. It becomes difficult to engage in multiple movements at the same time, such as walking over to a person and handing him something. First, I have to walk over to the person, stop, and then execute the handing- something motion. It also becomes difficult to combine physical movement with thinking. This means that I have to stop moving in order to think any thoughts unrelated to the actual act of moving my body through space. As a result, it is nearly impossible for me to walk and talk at the same time.

Until science advances enough to enable us to better understand and impact our neurological movement glitches – physical, thinking and emotional fluidity – many of us with autism can learn to proactively outsmart at least some of the movement difficulties we experience by addressing our regulation needs.

The book Practical Solutions for Students With Classic Autism to Be Ready to Learn: Getting to Go addresses these issues. Specifically, Chapter 3 addresses internal regulation and Chapter 4 addresses external regulation. Learning what I need to do to maintain better regulation in my body has gone a long way to prevent a lot of the neurological stuckness my autism visits on my body, my thoughts and my emotions. I hope others will benefit from this information and ultimately, to be able to live their lives more comfortably being and accessing all they want in this world.

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 April 19, 2015

Autistic Adults Do Not Look Like Autistic Children

March 23, 2015Autism and Aging, Autistic "Behavior", Communication, Growing Up Autistic, Sensory Solutions, Social Considerationsadmin

I recently presented to a room full of people on the topic of Autistic People and Literacy. A few days later I again presented to another group of people on another autism related topic. It doesn’t matter the autism topic or whether the group I am presenting to be educators, therapists, or parents of children with autism – I am almost always approached by someone wanting to know how it is that I do not look or act anything like the autistic children they know.

There are many reasons autistic adults do not look like autistic children. Here are some to consider:

1. The first reason is that all children grow up. Adults, whether autistic or not, generally do not behave in their everyday lives the same way they behaved as small children. We all grow and change with maturity. Autism does not prevent a person from growing and changing over time.

2. Autism means, in part, developmental delay. When we are children this delay can be huge, making us look very different from our same-age peers. However, delay does not mean stagnant. It simply means delay. Developmentally appropriate things that cannot be done at the correct age can often be accomplished later in life. Typically, this takes a lot of support and effort, but over time that support, effort and direct instruction tends to pay off, as we grow older, being able to do many things than we couldn’t as a youngster.

3. Autism means there are communication challenges. Even so, everyone communicates, including nonspeaking autistics. Challenges are the biggest when they are the newest. Over time communication challenges can be addressed, accommodated and supported. This takes time and much effort. The result is that the communication challenges seen in a 3 year old or a 12 year old will likely not look the same when that child is 30, 50 or 70 years old.

4. I personally have not met any autistics (and I have met a lot of people from my tribe) that have not been challenged by their sensory differences. Again, the challenges are the greatest when we are youngsters because we have not yet learned how to manage our sensory system in a world that is geared for people with “typical” sensory systems. By the time we are 40 or 60 years old we are more in-the-know and can plan for meeting our own sensory needs much better than we could as youngsters.

5. Autistics want friends just like everyone else. As youngsters, most of us do not have the skills to make that happen. Also, children are grouped together according to age and due to our developmental delay we are often not social peers with same-age children. This compounds the difficulty in making friends. Early adulthood can be especially challenging as we are often socially and emotionally at a much younger age than people expect when they look at us. It is often taboo for young adults to have friends who are children, even when the young adult is the same emotional age as a 10 or 12 year old. It takes a lot of years for this to get better, but it can and does get better for a lot of autistics. Just think about it – it would be considered “inappropriate” for a 22 year old to befriend a 14 year old because of the eight-year difference, but when you are in your 30’s or 50’s nobody cares if there is an eight-year or more difference in age between friends.

These are just a few of the reasons why autistic adults do not look like autistic youngsters. In my case, there are a few more points to consider. Not only am I autistic myself, but autism is my profession. I work in the field, have written several articles and books and have made more than 300 presentations in the States and internationally. To do my work I must be diligent in my sensory regulation every day, I have mentors who I can turn to around communication struggles and other challenges, and I generally know what I need and how to ask for it should the occasion arise.

Even so, I am just as autistic as ever. I no longer live in an institution or use body slamming to communicate my needs. Over the years I have learned to work with my autism, honoring who I am in this world. Some days I am better at this than other days. I am nearing retirement now and when people approach me and are befuddled that I do not look anything like their autistic youngster these are the things I would like them to consider. Yes, autism can be difficult. I know. I live it everyday. It is my life. It is my profession. Yes, I agree – autistic adults do not look like autistic children. It is because autistics have unlimited potential.

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 February 23, 2015

Autistic Meltdown or Temper Tantrum?

February 7, 2015Autistic "Behavior"admin

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).

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