Autism Around Alberta

Autism Families Looking For Jobs in Smaller Centres

Moving Mountains – My AGM Experience

It was not five hours of budgets and reports – it was time spent learning and celebrating the other events and initiatives happening all over Alberta. For myself, on a personal level, it was a chance to spend time and connect with other parents and grandparents from across the province who are actively working to make the lives of all people touched by autism better. They are working tirelessly on policy, fundraising, and awareness. Most importantly (for me), I get the privilege of sitting in a room with parents who have children who are significantly older than my daughter and gaining knowledge and tips from them for when we get there. The advice, in my mind, is invaluable. My Matea is ten years shy of adulthood, but what a fast ten years I know it will be. I am forever thankful to this group of men and women who give of their time and their experience to help me and my daughter.
 

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Fort McMurray Community Discussions

Autism Alberta, the University of Calgary, and community leaders and partners are working together to better understand the information and resource needs related to autism spectrum disorder (ASD) for rural, remote, and northern communities in Alberta. On April 20^th and April 21^st, two terrific in-person meetings, led by Kirsti Mardell and Tosha Moore, identified areas to advance in Fort McMurray. Approximately 40 community members with a range of experiences participated in the meetings, including family members of individuals with ASD, service providers, and even a local media representative! Click here to see the media story.

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Alberta’s Autism Community Pulls Together in Support of Fire-Affected Families

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Is Your Partner on the Spectrum?

Is your relationship clearly difficult, but you feel you love each other? Are you like a couple trying to dance but not hearing the same rhythm?  This year, Autism Edmonton started a drop-in discussion group for adults in relationship with individuals with ASD. Members learn about high functioning autism and have the opportunity to discuss their own experiences with others in similar situations. An official diagnosis of autism is not required.

In the past year we have had two special information nights with professional speakers. Diane Hinves, PhD, a marriage and family therapist and psychologist with a special interest in neurology and how brain function may be affected by autism, and Cory Hrushka, psychologist and sex therapist, spoke to our group and answered questions. Other discussions were led by Support Services staff and volunteers. Topics we focused on were core aspects of autism, social needs of the neurotypical partner, lack of clarity around needs, and socializing as a couple.

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Appreciation and ASD: Lessons Learned from a Brother with Autism

My older brother Ian was diagnosed with ASD before I was born. Long before I knew what ASD actually was, I knew what it looked like. My brother has many behavioural quirks, which make him who he is: difficulty speaking, loud outbursts, volatile moods, and weird dietary preferences are the first things that come to mind when I remember the early years. But the behaviour that I remember the most was how Ian watched movies.

Ian would fast forward to a scene in a movie that he liked, and watch it over and over again. There was nothing he enjoyed more than sitting two inches from the TV, rewinding and playing the same ten seconds of Toy Story and Aladdin. When I was kid there was nothing more annoying. Why would he want to watch the same scene repeatedly without watching the rest of the movie? A week later he might come back to the same scene, still unconcerned with whatever else the film had to offer.

This behaviour is characteristic of many of the people with autism I have met. Fixation on a single activity at the expense of everything else can leave caregivers and friends with a constant feeling of disconnect from their loved one. It’s hard not to see this kind of behaviour as abnormal and harmful. But the key point to remember is that this fixation is for a reason – it is not random. Where the average person sees a calculator, a person with autism may see an expression of order and beauty. This year, I finally realized that where I see a movie scene without context, my brother sees a perfect recreation of the feelings produced when he saw the scene the first time. 

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Latest News from the Fort McMurray Autism Support Group

Fort McMurray Autism Support Group held an Autism Family Christmas Party sponsored by Sands Carpet One, Unifor Local 707A and the employees at Fort McMurray Kenworth. We also had donations from Walmart and Superstore. The Autism Family Christmas Party was held at the Syncrude Sports and Wellness Centre on December 20th. There were two bouncy castles, a craft table set up for making Christmas decorations, and snacks, including home made cupcakes. Kids had the chance to have their picture taken with Santa, who was also able to give each child a little gift bag which included stickers, colouring books crayons, a candy cane and some bubbles. We had roughly twenty families come out and enjoy a relaxing and fun time. Parents commented on how wonderful it was to be able to relax and have their kids have fun, too. 
 

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