Winter - Autism Ontario

The Autism
newslink
Autism Society Ontario
Winter 2004
VOLUME 1 • NUMBER 1
the
amazing
ride
Autism Awareness Day at Skydome
The Knights
Gerry Bloomfield Awards

The Autism
news
Chapter Presidents of ASO
Brant & County
Clifford Gowan 519-759-8891
Cambridge
Dianne Fitzgerald 519-621-4839
Chatham-Kent
Elizabeth Carnegie 519-358-1823
Dufferin
Susan McCreary 519-942-2348
Kim Armstrong
Durham
Leah Myers 1-866-495-4680
Grey/Bruce
Linda Dow-Sitch 519-371-7180
Kingston
Barb Dafoe
613-546.6613X388
Halton
Chuck Learn 905-825-1344
Hamilton-Wentworth
Teresa Simms-Obidi 905-545-9643
Huron Perth
Kim Souch
London
Patricia Gallin 519-685-8702
Metro Toronto
Luc VanderMeeren 416-489-0702
Niagara Region
Mike Gowan 905-682-2776
North Bay & Area
Yvette Bellefeuille 705-472-6807
Ottawa
Elizabeth McRae 613-230-6305
Region d’Ottawa
Huguette Boisvert-Secretary 613-722-2482
Bernard Delisle
Peel
Joyce Lang 416-390-9193
Peterborough
Beverly Randall 705-748-4793
Renfrew County
Diane Ferguson-Osterholm 613-687-4301
Sarnia/Lambton
Sarah Busby 519-332-2611
Sault Ste. Marie
Barbara Gjos 705-782-6379
Simcoe
Helen Aitken
705-326-2214 X251
Sudbury & District
Joanne Thistle 705-682-0983
Sunset Country
Kim Cariou 807-467-8414
Thunder Bay & District
Michelle Murdoch-Gibson 807-344-9830
Upper Canada
Debbie Keillar 613-347-2488
Waterloo County
Val Johnson 519-742-1414
West Nipissing
Anne Gingras 705-753-5326
Wellington County
Natalie Veltmeyer 519-822-0279
Windsor/Essex
Laurie Golocevac 519-250-1893
York Region
Cindi Buick 905-780-1590
Autism Society Ontario is a registered charitable
non-profi t organization (#11924 8789 RR0001).
Our Vision: Acceptance and opportunities for
all individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders
(ASD). Our Mission: To ensure that each individual
with Autism Spectrum Disorder is provided the
means to achieve quality of life as a respected
member of society. The Autism Newslink is published
four times per year. Subscription to The
Autism Newslink is included with ASO membership.
Newslink welcomes contributions from its readers.
Send your articles, reviews, letters, comments,
announcements, etc., to Margaret Spoelstra,
Newslink Editor. Inclusions of information not
directly related to ASO are for information only
and individuals, events, therapies, treatments, etc.,
are not necessarily endorsed by ASO.
Autism Society Ontario
1179A King Street West, Suite 004
Toronto, ON M6K 3C5
Phone: 416-246-9592
Fax: 416-246-9417
mail@autismsociety.on.ca
link
8
the amazing ride
Snapshots from last
summer’s bicycle
marathon across
Canada
The inside story...
3
30 Years of Making It
Happen
Eleanor Ritchie presents
a historical summary;
a karaoke snaphot shows that it wasn’t
all serious business at the AGM
A Win/Win Situation
The Autism Newslink has a new look! To get our message across
more effectively to a wider readership, we have gone to a fullcolour
magazine layout. In our quest for excellence to solve
the puzzle and raise awareness of Autism Spectrum Disorder
(ASD), GEPM Group Inc. has worked with us to provide editing,
design and printing services. They have also secured ads from
businesses and the corporate sponsors listed at the bottom of
this page. Because of this new source of revenue and the narrowing
cost gap between two-colour and full-colour printing,
this magazine comes to you at a lower per copy cost than our
former newsletter. Enjoy the new format. We welcome your
responses and suggestions.
Margaret Spoelstra, Executive Director
12
The Knights
Developing social skills in children
with ASD
by Am Badwell
Other features
The curious incident of the dog in the night-time by Mark
Haddon, Book Review by Alex Meyer
Autism Awareness at SkyDome
Emergency Response and Crisis Intervention
CAIRN Review helps parents “navigate the research
maze” Five Awards for New Sibling ScholarshipGerry
Bloomfi eld Awards 2003
Poetry Corner: Life, by Jean Grandbois; I am a happy and
proud boy, by Joshua Sibley
Photo acknowledgements
ASO would like to thank Maria Harrison and Jeff Belanger for many of the Cycle for Autism photos.
Autism Society Ontario is grateful to the following corporate sponsors for
their support of this publication
GrabUGraphics - www.grabugraphics.com
Ho Lee Chow Chinese Food Restaurants - www.holeechow.com
National Service Dogs - www.nsd.on.ca
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7
10
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Editing, design and printing services, GEPM Group Inc. www.gepmgroup.com
30 years of making it happen
SPEECH GIVEN BY ELEANOR RITCHIE AT THE ANNUAL AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS
CONFERENCE, JUNE 20-21, 2003 AT CAMBRIDGE, ON. ELEANOR HAS A 34-YEAR-OLD
AUTISTIC SON, PAUL.
I’m honoured to be here to reminisce
about ASO’s past, express what really
matters to me, and tell you my
expectations for its future.
Our organization began as the
result of an article in The Toronto
Star announcing that Corinne Gross, the
mother of an autistic son, Adam, was hosting
a meeting at her house for parents with
autistic children.
Meetings were held and word of the
group’s existence spread. Parents in Ottawa
wanted to join and so plans were made to
form a provincial society.
Bob Hart did the paperwork for incorporation.
He modeled our chapter bylaws after
the ones used by the Women’s Institute of
Ontario. We were ready to expand.
Since the smaller cities had fewer families,
chapters were formed to cover regions, for
example Wellington and Durham. London
joined our group soon after, then York.
It was in 1983 that we hired our first Executive
Director. He was only part time due
to money constraints, but we were coming
of age. Since then the organization has continued
to grow and expand, not always at
the same pace, but always moving forward.
In those early years, we had successes and
failures.
Some parents wanted residences for their
children. Initial fundraising came from three
functions organized over three years by Jules
Gross, a Toronto member, hosted consecutively
by Kofflers, CREEDS and Zuckermans
who opened their properties for viewing.
A rural setting was deemed to be the most
appropriate for their needs. The location
was to be between Toronto and Ottawa so
all members would have access. Property in
Thomasburg near Tweed was purchased.
When the government was approached
for funding, they would not give money to
the provincial group. In response, some of
the parents then formed Kerry’s Place and
when Ottawa opted out of the project, the
property was eventually transferred to them.
Soon Ottawa followed their lead and started
residential care in that area.
Fundraising was an ongoing endeavour.
We always need money. Many activities took
place—selling roses, picture frames, lottario
tickets, raffles, and lots of rummage sales. In
the late ’70s, the chapters joined together to
hold a telethon. This would be an opportunity
to raise awareness and of course, just
like Jerry Lewis and Sick Children’s Hospital,
raise lots of money. With lots of enthusiasm
but inadequate planning skills, such as trying
to organize the event over a 90-day period,
it was a total disaster. We were still paying
the bills two years later, but the publicity of
the telethon raised public awareness as had
no other activity up to that time.
Our organization has undergone three
name changes over the past 30 years. It
began as the Ontario Society for Autistic
Children. Sometime during the ’80s it was
changed to the Ontario Society for Autistic
Citizens. This was done because many of our
children were now adults and we wanted
our name to reflect this while at the same
time keep the same initials. In the ’90s it
was decided to change our name to begin
with Autism. The other provincial organizations
across Canada were asked to do the
same. This was done for two reasons: so
that people wanting information about autism
could find us in the phone book under
autism, and to provide uniformity across the
country—Autism Society Ontario, Quebec,
Manitoba, Canada, etc.
From my experience and observations, let
me tell you what really matters.
I joined the Metro Toronto Chapter in
1974-75. In those years there were very few
services for autistic children. All the recreational
programs were organized and run by
the parents and very dedicated volunteers.
From September to May we had a swimming
program and a cub pack. In the summer we
had a day and residential camp. Since the
swimming and cub programs were only one
hour long, the parents usually stayed and
socialized during that time. The positive
annual general
meeting
p Eleanor Ritchie was
honoured for her contributions
with the establishment of the
Eleanor Ritchie Post-Secondary
Scholarship for Students with ASD.
Being a participating member in our organization
matters.
2\ The Autism Newslink Winter 2004 The Autism Newslink Winter 2004 /3

The AGM wasn’t all serious business.
Delegates displayed their talents
and sporting sense of humour with
an evening of karaoke.
benefit of this was two-fold: (1) we could
watch other autistic children in action and
compare them to our own, and (2) we chatted
as parents and gave practical and moral
support. We found we were not alone in our
struggle to raise our child. Others faced the
same challenges.
Those benefits are still found today at the
chapter level. There are meetings where we
connect with other families; guest speakers
offer us new information about education,
health and diet. Some chapters host workshops,
place representatives on the school
boards, and run recreational programs.
The provincial office does not provide
hands-on programs but performs other very
essential services, most importantly, linking
the chapters so they know what’s happening
in the 30 groups. It also lobbies
the provincial government which
provides the money for health
and education programs. It
provides educational material
for families, professionals and
students wanting information
about autism, and it coordinates
provincial events such
as Toonies for Autism, etc.
Sometimes we members,
especially parents, become
so focused on chapter activities that we
forget about the provincial part of our organization
and what it does for us. We must
remember that the parts are only as strong
as the whole. We must stay connected in
partnership with it because that is the glue
that holds us together.
Being a volunteer matters
I became involved with the Toronto chapter
in 1974-75. I was treasurer and then president.
I organized rummage sales, raffles, and
with my late husband ran bingos. Volunteering
is fun. It helps you grow as a person, it
challenges you and makes you more caring.
Organizations like ours cannot exist without
many, many dedicated volunteers. Over the
years they have kept the chapters active, run
recreational programs, put on fundraising
events, produced information publications
and government proposals. The list goes on
and on. I’m one of the lucky parents whose
child is being taken care of by a wonderful
agency—Kerry’s Place. I volunteer for them
but I’ve never stopped volunteering for ASO,
especially at the provincial level. Why? Because
our organization is the only one that
represents all autistic people living in Ontario,
regardless of age or ability.
Never giving up matters
We parents have learned to fight for our
special child, often from the time they were
born. None of us has trod the same path.
Each has had different kinds of success and
difficulties. Having support from family,
friends, teachers, doctors, etc. has helped us.
There are more school programs, improved
medical treatment and government help for
our children. But still it never seems to be
p Ron Adea, 11-year-old pianist, entertained guests at
the ASO Gala event
enough. We want more. Why? Because we
want the best for our children. We want them
to reach their maximum potential.
When you become discouraged, reach out
to other parents who have “been there, done
that.” Get involved in organizations that can
help you. Be active. If your community is
small, tap into the resources of “sister agencies”
such as the Association for Community
Living or recreational programs run by the
The Celebration
Continues with
Gala Event
30 Years
Strong
On October 24, warm evening breezes
and good fun and food greeted
guests at the first gala event supporting
Autism Society Ontario. Music
students from Earl Haig Secondary School
provided a wonderful backdrop of jazz and
classical music, setting the tone for an intimate
evening at The Civic Garden Centre
in Toronto. The provincial gala committee
consisted of volunteers Kelly LeCouvie as
Chair and Master of Ceremonies, Christine
Dade, Monica Richardson and staffer Jean
Woolford.
In celebration of the abilities of individuals
with ASD, guests were entertained by
the extraordinary musical gifts of 11-year
old pianist Ron Adea, who played several
well-known classical pieces. The mother/
daughter duo, Kim and Sara performed several
songs from their recently released CD
– KiSara. Guests also had opportunity to
view works of art created by students with
ASD, recently displayed at the Ministry of
Education Conference, Teaching Students
with Autism – Enhancing Capacity in
Ontario’s Schools.
Following a delicious dinner, prepared
and presented by A La Carte Kitchen, Bonjour
Brioche and Gail Dickson Catering,
guests were given opportunity to bid on
live and silent auction items, most notably,
the marvellous paintings acquired by Al
Rain for this special occasion. Friends and
supporters of ASO will remember Al’s work
for the past seven years in finding great art
for ASO’s annual art auction.
Maria Harrison’s artistic gifts were
highlighted in a poignant presentation,
celebrating this past summer’s Cycle for
Autism. Cross-Canada cyclists Luc VanderMeeren
and John Keating, and their
support drivers Ron Harrison and Jeff
Belanger, were acknowledged for their
tremendous contribution to autism awareness
and research (see story page 8).
The gala committee happily reports
that this memorable event not only raised
awareness of ASD, but $30,000 to assist
ASO in its efforts to achieve acceptance
and opportunities for all individuals with
ASD.
Note: Our thanks to ASO Windsor
Chapter who provided us with tips from
their own highly successful gala event.
WATCH FOR DETAILS ON NEXT YEAR’S GALA
EVENT TO BE HELD FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22,
2004.
city. But be cautious. Don’t “burn yourself
out.” Know when to reach out and ask for
help or stop and take a breather. Always
remember that the services our children
receive today didn’t just happen. They are
available because parents, professionals and
volunteers just like you fought for them.
Keeping up to date on what’s available in your
community matters.
Always be on the lookout for programs, both
educational and recreational, that your child
can participate in. Read the newsletters, attend
meetings, ask to be placed on mailing
lists to receive relevant information, and be
on top of things.
Having more services for adults matters
When our children turn 20 they no longer
receive service from the school system. Adult
programs are scarce, residential placements
are few. We need to find or create more work
placements, day programs, recreational opportunities,
and respite care. We can do this
on our own, as a group or in partnership
with other agencies.
Finding time for yourself and the rest of your
family matters.
After telling you to keep fighting for the
best of everything for your autistic child, I’ll
now caution you to not make him or her the
centre of your life. Find time for the rest of
your family; encourage them to participate
in your special child’s activities. Find time
for yourself.
In conclusion, I would say that our organization
is now the strongest it has ever been.
We have 30 active chapters, a dynamic provincial
board, a super executive director and
office staff, hundreds of energetic, knowledgeable
and compassionate volunteers,
a newsletter that keeps us up to date with
what’s happening in the province and a good
working relationship with the government.
These are the resources that will shape the
future of our organization.
The future looks bright. New developments
in the treatment and understanding
of autism are appearing every day. But we
must never stop wanting, searching, and
asking for more for that very special person
in our lives.
4\ The Autism Newslink Winter 2004 The Autism Newslink Winter 2004 /5

ook review
The curious incident of the dog in the night-time
by Mark Haddon, Doubleday Canada. ISBN 0-385-65979-2. $29.95
Autism Awareness at SkyDome
September 6-7, 2003
In the September issue of Newslink we appealed to our readers for a voluntary review of this
extraordinary book, which reached 11 th on the New York Times best-seller list. We have two
reviews to share with you. The second review will appear in the next issue of Newslink.
reviewed by Alex Meyer
This remarkable book takes the reader
on a journey into the mind of an autistic
person through some ordinary and
not so ordinary moments in life. The main
character is Christopher, a 15-year-old who
is both wonderfully simple and complex
at the same time. He is logical almost to a
fault, but has very little understanding of
emotions. Christopher follows the path
of truth and logic as far as he can, even
though he occasionally knows that the
truth is not always desired or even
thought about by most people.
This ranges from simple things
like being socially acceptable
(not mentioning funny smells)
to insightful (he is classified
as Special Needs, but people
who need glasses or certain
sweeteners are not).
The book is written in
British English and is set in England,
which hints at some subtle differences in
language that are the perfect backdrop to
this situation. The little differences such as
“Hoovering” instead of vacuuming make the
reader pause and see the different perspec-
tive. That is what Christopher is all about. He
merely sees things differently from everyone
else. These little shifts in perception are wonderful.
He adores Sherlock Holmes, but does
not like Holmes’ author, Sir Arthur Conan
Doyle. Many ‘normal’ adults do not make
that kind of distinction. Does anyone remember
Leonard Nimoy’s I am Not Spock? These
distinctions should be celebrated rather than
ignored or reviled because they do not fit
into our pictures or frames of the way things
are or should be. “Many of the truths that we
cling to depend greatly on our own point of
view,” said Obi-Wan Kenobi. In reality, it is a
case of history being written by the victors,
or at least the people in charge.
Christopher’s father advocates for him
with both the police and his school. Advocacy
is its own full-time job, and plays
a part in the break-up of the marriage of
Christopher’s parents. As many of us know,
advocacy, support and care is often more
than a full-time job, with more overtime than
you could want. Christopher’s perspective
is that everything revolves around him. The
other characters in the book do not realize
that this is in fact the case, but it shows in
that whenever he is around, the entire
focus is on him.
Part of Christopher’s journey is learning
that very few things in life are absolutes,
including both truth and trust. Sometimes
they are very fragile, and it takes a lot of
hard work to fix them when they are
broken. Christopher finds his trust in his
father damaged and withdraws from him.
Steps are being taken to fix this as the
book ends but the emotional component
of this is left out. True to form, logical
Christopher remains confident in what
he can do and in both what and who he
is. The story does not end with things being
all roses, but instead briefly opens a
window for us to look in on Christopher’s
life. There is a still lot of work to be done
in his life. But hey, who said raising an
autistic child was easy?
Alex Meyer is from Windsor, ON, and is the father of
an autistic son.
ASO Awards 2003 Stimulus
Grants for Research in Autism
Spectrum Disorders
In September, Autism Society Ontario proudly
awarded its first annual Stimulus Grants to
three outstanding Ontario students. Patrick
Malenfant of Kingston, Jonathan Weiss of
Toronto, and Patrycja Czapinski of Toronto
each received $3,000 to encourage and support
their continued studies and research
into Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD).
Through donations received from individual
donors and monies collected through the
Toonie for Autism Day campaign, these
funds were made available to ASO’s research
committee for assignment to various ASO
grants and studentship awards advertised
within the past six months. A subgroup of
the research committee scored the 13 applicants
on their academic performance,
experience, relevance of the research and
Blue Jays player Orlando Hudson
joins with the Deschenes,
VanderMeeren and Keating families
to support Autism Day at SkyDome
through the sale and distribution of
800 tickets for the day. u
At the Police Services Games at Skydome
on Saturday, October 11, Constable Lisa
Westlake and Luc VanderMeeren did a
two-minute presentation while the Cycle for
Autism video played on the jumbotron. u
t Kim and Sara Souch of KiSara sang
the US and Canadian national anthems
on Saturday, September 6 for a ball game
between the Toronto Blue Jays and the
Detroit Tigers.
support from their research supervisors. The
successful candidates each expressed gratitude
for ASO’s encouragement and financial
support for diverse aspects of ASD research.
Watch for summaries of Patrick, Patrycja and
Jonathan’s research in upcoming issues of
Autism Newslink.
Patrick Malenfant, Ph.D. program,
Department of Physiology, Queen’s University,
Kingston, Ontario: Identification and
Characterization of Small Chromosome
Duplications and Deletions Associated
with Autism.
Patrycja Czapinski, Ph.D. candidate,
Clinical-Developmental Psychology, York
University, Toronto, Ontario: Detection of
Autism in Early Life: Facial Emotion in Infants
at Risk for Developing Autism.
Jonathan Weiss, Ph.D. program, Clinical-
Developmental Psychology, York University,
Toronto, Ontario: Intermodal Speech Perception
in Children with Autism.
6\ The Autism Newslink Winter 2004 The Autism Newslink Winter 2004 /7

the
amazing
ride
The Cycle has been a journey of hope—
hope within all of us and the spreading
of hope across the country. I feel richer
for knowing the Cycle Team. Our families’
futures are brighter because of all of you.
- Dr. Jeanette Holden
“You all should be very proud of what you
did and know that you raised awareness
of autism in Calgary and area. I have
been interviewed by the media more in
the last three months than anyone else
at Autism Calgary Association in the last
decade.”
- Steve Horner, President,
Autism Calgary Association
It seems hard to imagine that just over a year
ago we were gathered around a table with a
small group of enthusiastic individuals to decide
whether or not to go ahead with Cycle for Autism
– Canada. Luc VanderMeeren, John Keating,
Ron Harrison and Jeff Belanger have completed
their impressive journey across Canada to raise
awareness of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)
and funds for ASD research in Canada.
Each participant experienced this amazing
event in uniquely personal ways—with different
life experiences, expectations and perspectives to
the planning and unfolding of Cycle for Autism.
Each individual contributed something of themselves
along with great hopes for the impact of
the event. Each person had both publicly stated
and deeply held personal or private reasons for
participating. For some, it may be a long time
before they are fully able to grasp or articulate
those reasons.
Perhaps this Cycle for Autism represents, in a
very condensed way, the daily and often heroic
experiences of families living with children with
autism. Unprecedented awareness of the need
for ASD research in Canada was clearly achieved
with over 22 million media impressions created
through interviews in national, provincial and
local television, radio and newspapers and magazines
in at least four languages.
On a national scale, no single group in Canada
has ever done what has been accomplished for
autism awareness and research in about eight
months of committee planning and seven weeks
of cycling by two amazing fathers of children
with autism, along with their friends, families
and supporters. Thank you to the Core Committee
of Cycle for Autism Canada: Jeff Belanger,
Teresa Del Duca, Anna Donato, Maria Harrison,
Ron Harrison, John Keating, Deborah Kitchen,
Joyce Lang, Virginia Larson, Margaret Spoelstra,
and Luc VanderMeeren.
For the full story, daily
journal entries, corporate
sponsors and
lots of photos, go to
www.cycleforautism.com
t Dr. Susan Bryson of Dalhousie
University, Halifax
Thank you BMO, for your financial support!
8\ The Autism Newslink Winter 2004 The Autism Newslink Winter 2004 /9

&
Quotes,
Notes
An ec dotes
This project needs volunteers
to make it happen! A
comprehensive information
package was distributed
at the ASO President’s
Council on October 25,
2003. Copies are available
through all chapter presidents.
It is also available
electronically. If you can
offer assistance, please
contact:
Nancy Cherry
(519) 884-3309 or
nancycherry@sympatico.ca
Message from ASO Board President, Christine
Dade: On behalf of the ASO Board of Director’s
Nominating Committee, I invite ASO members
to nominate individuals for a number of openings
on the provincial Board of Directors.
Please contact the provincial office with
the names of interested nominees by
January 23, 2004.
Education Matters
Teaching Students with Autism. Enhancing
Capacity in Ontario’s Schools
One thousand educators from across Ontario
attended this excellent conference funded
by the Ministry of Education in September
2003,with state-of-the-art information on the
education of students with Autism Spectrum
Disorders (ASD). About 50 parents of students
with ASD participated, many as members of
ASO and their local Special Education Advisory
Councils. Dr. Rita Jordan of the UK spoke intelligently
and passionately about what matters
in teaching people with ASD.
ASO featured a striking display of artwork
by students with ASD from across Ontario. A
booklet, As Seen Through Their Eyes, describing
the students and their work was distributed
to every conference participant.
Regional Forums targeted for educators in
the classroom are anticipated in 2004.
ASO was present to hear the much anticipated
report of The Ontario Human Rights
Commission on Education released on October
27, 2003. Last year ASO submitted a report
(check out www.autismsociety.on.ca under
What’s New) to the commission produced by a
committee of parents and professionals which
was presented by ASO Board Member and
Wellington Chapter SEAC representative, Dr.
Mehran Alaee, at public hearings last November.
Check out The Opportunity to Succeed.
Achieving Barrier -Free Education for Students
Emergency Response and Crisis Intervention
Purpose
The purpose of this project is to ensure the safety of our
vulnerable population with respect and sensitivity and to
assist individuals with ASD to achieve a greater level of
independence.
Method
• A “9-1-1 protocol” as a printed guide or a web page as
a resource for families should the primary caregiver be
unable to place an emergency call. (This should also be
available to teachers, etc. who regularly deal with our
population.)
• A provincial communication system network for emergency
response in the event of a missing individual or
other crisis such as out-of-control behaviour. A 9-1-1
electronic alert (attached to the individual) would provide
background information on the person in need.
• A tracking device to locate individuals who wander or
with Disabilities (www.ohrc.on.ca/english/
consultations/ed-consultation-report.shtml).
The Commission’s Guidelines on Accessible
Education are scheduled to be released in
September 2004. The Commission has made
a number of commitments in the following areas:
Guidelines, Monitoring, Compliance, Education
and Communications. For more detailed
information, visit www.autismsociety.on.ca
and click on Education Matters.
Autism the child of social disconnection?
An article by Gabor Maté, appearing in The
Globe and Mail (Friday, October 17, 2003, p.
A21), has raised a storm of reaction. Bradley
and Cynthia Boufford of London wrote, “My
son has Autism. I do not know the cause. I do
know that it is not because the social connections
we depend on have been weakened.... We
have a secure and powerful emotional relationship
with our son. He is still Autistic. We cannot
love him out of it, we have tried.”
Among letters not published, Tracy Simmons
of Peterborough wrote, “After reading Dr.
Gabor Maté’s article …I thought for a moment
we were back in 1948. Of course, the article
does not come right out and say that parents
are primarily to blame; rather, it beats around
the bush with statements like, “Input from the
nurturing environment heavily influences the
chemistry of the brain... The most crucial of
these inputs are the subtle and often unconscious
emotional interactions between the
infant and his caregivers.” Being a mother,
I believe that “nurturing environment” is my
territory and anyone implying that I am not
nurturing is getting close to the ‘refrigerator
mothers’ theory yet again.”
Read the complete letters by Tracy Simmons
and Bradley and Cynthia Boufford on the ASO
website, www.autismsociety.on.ca.
become disoriented would be linked to the communication
system network via an accredited call centre.
• Registration of crisis plans at crisis clinics and/or
emergency departments to assist triage when admitted.
The location of this plan would be included in the
electronic alert. The admitting facility must have access
to the individual’s pharmacological profile. A wallet card
would be used if travelling out of town to signal the need
for further investigation.
An information package is available outlining the research
done on tracking devices, security systems, emergency response
capabilities, crisis plans, types of medical records,
and technological possibilities. We hope that this will be an
inspiration to other support groups to advocate for similar
systems. Because we deal with such a broad range on the
autism spectrum, a provincial system must be flexible to
accommodate varying needs.
CAIRN Review helps parents
“navigate the research maze”
Finding it hard to sift the wheat from the chaff
when it comes to information on autism?
Help is on the horizon in the form of a new
publication produced by The Canadian Autism
Intervention Research Network.
The CAIRN Review of Evidence-based Diagnosis
and Treatment in Autism is designed to
help both parents and professionals make sense
of all the conflicting research on autism so they
can make better choices around treatment and
services.
“An important part of our role is helping parents,
clinicians and others in the autism community
navigate the research maze,” says Sherry
Cecil, who directs public outreach activities for
CAIRN, a network of parents, researchers and
professionals dedicated to promoting evidencebased
practice in autism.
“There is so much information out there that
it’s overwhelming. We search the research and
let people know what the evidence is so they can
make informed choices,” says Cecil.
The first CAIRN Review is hot off the press and
includes articles on how to spot early markers for
autism, new developments in drug therapy, and
the increased risk of depression and anxiety in
adolescents with ASD.
Five Awards Given for
New Sibling Scholarship
At ASO’s annual general meeting, the
newly formed Jeanette Holden Post
Secondary Scholarship for Siblings of
Students with ASD was awarded to five siblings
of a brother or sister with an Autism
Spectrum Disorder (ASD). These young
people all applied with acceptance letters
to various universities in Ontario in order
to continue their academic pursuits. Each
successful applicant was awarded $1,000.
This year’s recipients were:
Jennifer Kloosterman, Hastings
Alicia McPhail, Pickering
Joanna Northover, Ottawa
Holly Pearce, Burlington
Kent Randall, Peterborough
Congratulations!
The following is reprinted from the CAIRN Review
of Evidence-based Diagnosis and Treatment in
Autism, November 2003.
RISK MARKERS (‘RED FLAGS’) FOR AUTISM
Failure to achieve any of the following milestones:
• Babbling by 11 months
• Simple gestures (e.g. waving) by 12 months
• Single words by 16 months
• 2-word phrases (a noun and a verb) by 24 months
Loss of any language or social skills at any age
Doesn’t respond when name is called
Rarely makes eye contact when interacting with other
people
Doesn’t point to show things he/she is interested in
Doesn’t smile socially
More interested in looking at objects than at people’s
faces
Seems to prefer to play alone
Doesn’t make attempts to get parents’ attention
Seems to be ‘in own world’
Doesn’t respond to or avoids parents’ attempts to play,
even if relaxed
Avoids or ignores other children when they approach
him/her
Has odd or repetitive ways of moving his/her hands
and/or fingers
Seems oversensitive to certain textures or sounds
Lacks interest in toys, or plays with them in an unusual way
(e.g. ‘lining up’, spinning, opening/closing parts rather
than using the toy as a whole)
Has compulsions/rituals (has to perform activities in a
special way or sequence)
p Scholarship recipient Alicia McPhail with Dr. Jeanette
Holden
Kent Randall who was one of the recipients through this
scholarship wrote, “It is an honour to receive this award.
My youngest brother who lives with autism, has taught
me patience, understanding and tolerance. He has
inspired me to set high standards and goals for myself,
and I am sure that inspiration will follow me.” u
The articles can be viewed
on the CAIRN website,
www.cairn-site.com.
Free subscriptions to the
newsletter, which will be
published three times a
year, can also be ordered
directly from the site or by
contacting the Editor at
info@cairn-site.com.
10\ The Autism Newslink Winter 2004 The Autism Newslink Winter 2004 /11

focus on social
skills
The Knights
by Am Badwall
Missing Links: Filling the Gaps to Autism in conjunction with Autism Society Ontario
Halton Chapter is running a comprehensive social group for children with Autism Spectrum
Disorder (ASD). The following explains the group design and profile, and provides
insight into the program’s goals and objectives.
Our Mission
Our mission is to provide a safe space for
children with ASD to engage in social opportunities
where they may reach their cooperative
potential in an encouraging and
facilitated environment.
Social Group Composition
Research shows that ability-based grouping
helps to teach explicit skills to children at
similar ability levels. We began with a Consolidation
Group, for those with basic social
skills but who need to consolidate these skills
across different environments and with different
peers. After reviewing questionnaires
in which parents were asked to focus on social,
behaviour, language and abililty level,
we interacted with the children, observing
them closely and chose six children of similar
functioning ability, ages 6-11.
Objectives
Three objectives developed into several
learning expectations:
• Foster spontaneous, mutually-enjoyed,
reciprocal social interaction with peers
• Expand and broaden children’s social,
symbolic and cooperative repertoire
• Enhance peer-mediated social activities
with minimal adult guidance.
Environmental Design
The carry-over between home and program
is essential. Our two-hour weekly sessions
are scheduled to run for four months, providing
time to work on key social skills. Our
community social environment provides a
wide range of motivating materials, activities
and themes. With consistent routines and
expectations, we hope to foster familiarity
and a cohesive group identity.
Social Program Assessment
Understanding where children are in their
ability level is critical in developing personal
goals for the children and overall programming
objectives. Initial assessments included
anecdotal observations and records, profiles
of individual social development and behaviour
checklists. Updates on assessments and
weekly records track progress and gains in
social, behavioural, communication and cooperative
goals for each child.
Communication
To maximize collaboration between home
and social settings, a log is sent home after
each session outlining key information
on skills learned, activities performed and
behaviours exhibited. At the end of our program,
we will hold parent/facilitator conferences
to discuss informal assessment, show
student work, discuss gains made and objectives
and strategies that parents can continue
at home.
“The Knights”
In our first session we discussed the objectives
for the group in child-centered
language, explaining the concept of “group
work” and “cooperative group work.” We
developed a “T-Chart” on what cooperative
group work looks like and facilitated a discussion,
recording their ideas on the T-Chart.
We helped the children create a list of expectations
on rules for our group—being kind
to one another, using manners, respecting
friends, and so on.
We encouraged the students to think
of different groups such as Beavers, Cubs,
Scouts, asking them to come up with potential
names for our group. After explaining
what a vote was and why a vote would be a
fair way to pick a name for the group, they
chose “The Knights,” a theme around which
many of our activities were developed.
How Children Learn
Each week we focus on teaching social
skills such as cooperative group work, negotiating
roles, working in teams/partners,
conversation/communication skills and play
skills, keeping in mind seven conditions that
set the stage for deeper learning:
• Immersion - to be immersed in a wide
variety of experiences
• Demonstration - to be exposed to direct,
explicit teaching; seeing concrete examples,
instructing and modeling
• Expectation - to be provided with clear,
appropriate expectations and messages;
to have consistency
• Responsibility - to be able to make choices;
have ownership; show responsibility
• Approximation - to experiment, guess and
become risk takers
• Practice - to use, reinforce, and have adequate
time on tasks
• Feedback - to receive constructive support
and feedback
Every moment becomes a teachable moment
through modeling and demonstrating
social skills. Each week we review group
rules and go over the expectations for
specific activities. In a caring environment,
student behaviour is not about us. It is disempowering
to students for us to assume
responsibility for their choices. We assist
students to identify the choices they have in
any situation and the consequences—good
or bad—of each choice. We encourage them
to be risk takers and to practice and review
the skills they have learned, providing informative
feedback on how they are doing
individually and as a group, but more importantly,
we ask them to talk about how they
feel they are doing.
Motivation
Understanding motivation and its effect on
behaviour is extremely important. We engage
students in individual and cooperative/
collaborative learning by relating activities to
the student’s personal interests, giving them
choices, and guiding them to participate in
activities that are meaningful to them.
Goal Setting
To encourage students to become self-reflective
and motivated, we ask them to develop
their own specific goals within activities. We
taught them what goal setting meant, and
how to work on these as targets. This took
behaviour management and evaluation away
from us, and put it into the hands of the
children. For example, during a social game
a student might develop goals such as:
• Cooperate with my friends
• Talk to my friends
• Listen the first time
• Follow the rules of the game, etc.
Before beginning an activity, we discuss
with each child individually, writing down
two goals they want to work on during the
activity. After the activity we discuss how they
did. This puts them in control of their own
expectations rather than having someone
else define those expectations for them.
We focus on cooperation, participation
and interaction. Following structured and
unstructured activities, students can rate
themselves on how they felt they did on each
target. Large scales (from 1-10) are posted in
the room and each child places their name
on the scale with a clothes peg according to
how they thought they did.
Session Outline
• Our opening consists of a group greeting
and sharing news (about your first week
back to school; about anything you did
since the last time we saw you). We go
over our group expectation and cooperation
guidelines, outlining objectives for
the session and recalling events from the
previous session.
• The body of our session has a planned cooperative
activity/project that the students
do in varied settings (whole group/small
groups/partners/individual) with clear
objectives for every activity. We increasingly
leave much of the planning to the
students. Activities have included making
a logo/banner, making a board game, designing
armour, making maps of castles,
creating a geometric castle, writing funny
captions, designing a group book, and so
on. We develop personal goals as well as
using the cooperation, interaction and
participation self-evaluation scale. Students
prepare our snack and engage in
social conversation during snack time.
• For the closing, often students pick a partner,
or stay in groups and play a variety of
games and social activities. This allows us
to spend more direct time with students
working on individual skills. We complete
“energizers” where each child finishes a
sentence starter such as, “Today I had fun
doing…,” or, “Today I learned….” Papers
are then crumpled and thrown into the
12\ The Autism Newslink Winter 2004 The Autism Newslink Winter 2004 /13

ecognition
awards
p Gerry Bloomfi eld with Eleanor
Ritchie and Christine Dade,
President of ASO Board.
middle of the circle. Each
child picks one to read and
we share these thoughts.
We review how our time
went and begin planning
our next session.
Observations of Children
In just 10 weeks we have already
witnessed social gains
with all the students. They
demonstrate more confidence
during group activities and their social
language has increased as they develop true
friendships within the group. Cooperative
work has become an acquired skill as they
gain a better understanding of how to negotiate
roles within an activity. The children
have become very aware of their own social
behaviours and are excited to tell their
parents how they did on each scale. Most
importantly, a true sense of group identity
has created a sense of belonging and they
genuinely look forward to each meeting. In
a recent survey all parents cited that they
were seeing a carryover in skills to other
aspects of their lives and that their children
were much more confident in their social
exchanges.
Setting Children up for Success
To be successful and effective it is important
to have a plan. We must complete assessments
on how students are performing in
order to develop appropriate objectives
for the group and for the individual child.
We must be flexible and allow for things to
change based on learning styles and needs.
Despite our overall expectations for the
group, modification and accommodation
need to be provided for those skills that a
child is working on independently. It is important
to recognize the difference between
theory and practice when teaching children
social skills. Using metacognitive strategies
as well as explicit instructional strategies
creates deeper transferable understanding.
A collaborative relationship between the
home and the program keeps the goals and
objectives consistent. As we work from this
framework we may be able to close the gap in
social functioning for children with ASD.
The Gerry Bloomfield Awards - 2003
In recognition of the critical role played by professionals in
the lives of people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
and their families, the Gerry Bloomfi eld Professional Award
is presented to an individual or group of individuals whose
efforts have contributed to improving the quality of life for a
person (or persons) with ASD and Pervasive Developmental
Disorder (PDD) through improving programs, research,
establishing guidelines and policies.
DENISE RYBUCK is a Senior Therapist for the
Provincial Intensive Behavioural program in
northwestern Ontario. She has worked with
children with Autism for nine years, three of
those with the Provincial IBI program. Denise
gives more than 100 percent, going well
beyond the call of duty in her job, travelling
over gravel, single-lane roads in the dead
of winter, often skipping dinner to attend
meetings. Full of energy and ideas, she is
passionate and deeply committed to helping
individuals with autism and their families.
Denise’s knowledge and professional advice
have given many parents a ray of hope
and made a difference in children’s lives.
She was instrumental in starting the ASO’s
30 th chapter in Northwestern Ontario and
has coordinated workshops for her regional
school districts. She is a key link for families
with autistic kids as she travels from Fort
Frances and Dryden to Red Lake and Kenora.
She is a very spirited person, deserving of
this award.
Other nominees
REBECCA PERLIN, Speech Pathologist and
TERRI D’ANDREA, Occupational Therapist,
Trillium Health Centre - Joint Professional
Nominees
MARY McMILLAN, Manager of Behaviour
Management Services, Durham Region
The Volunteer Award may be presented to an individual
or group of individuals whose efforts have contributed
to improving the quality of life for a person or persons
with ASD and Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD)
through promoting public awareness and understanding,
advocating on behalf of and supporting the families and
communities through outstanding work at the chapter
level. It may be awarded to someone whose efforts have
created a greater profi le for the Chapter or the Society
with the community at large.
MARIA HARRISON is a quiet, behind-thescenes
type, who never looks for recognition.
Without Maria’s obvious love for children
with autism, Toonie for Autism Day would
not have become as successful as it is. Her
creative design of the Toonie for Autism
Day package (both this year and last) has
given the campaign a professional look and
a high profile province-wide. Although her
company, PGE Tools, donated their services,
Maria went beyond the call of duty, working
into the wee hours designing and editing
hundreds of changes and promoting public
awareness, assisting with letters, collating
8,500 Toonie packages, creating poster
boards, hosting our 2002 Toonie Party at
her home, helping with labels, and “ironing”
envelopes just to save postage. This year,
she has also taken on Cycle Canada with the
same enthusiasm.
Maria Harrison has demonstrated integrity,
commitment and loyalty over the
course of several years, and is deserving of
this honourable award.
KATHRYN EVEREST has been a hands-on
supporter of ASO for many years, going quietly
about her activities on the ASO Education
Committee, with the latest of her many
accomplishments being her contribution to
the Navigating the Special Education System
binder.
As the ASO Representative on the York
Region District School Board’s SEAC, Kath-
Now in its third printing,
Navigating the Special
Education System in Ontario.
A Handbook for
Children with Autism
Spectrum Disorders
continues to be a
valuable resource
for parents and
educators. Next to
parents, school
principals are
the most fre-
quent purchasers
of the manual.
The second in a series of
manuals—Children Diagnosed with
Autism. What to Expect and Where to Get
Help—provides strategies and information
ryn spends countless hours teaching parents
how to be effective advocates. In her “spare
time” she created Kathryn’s Page, , a forum for
sharing information on educational issues,
on the website: www.bbbautism.com.
When Kathryn and her SEAC partner
surveyed the membership to determine
the main issues for their members. What
began as a Chapter project, developed into
a province-wide initiative and Kathryn resourcefully
solicited assistance from a web
company, who partnered with her to finalize
the survey format and hosted the site, making
it accessible across the province. Kathryn
then tabulated provincial survey results so
that the SEAC Reps could focus on areas of
concern.
Kathryn has sat on several Autism Society
Kids (ASK) Camp committees, handling the
daunting task of managing all aspects of
camp planning in her role as Camp Coordinator.
She designed staff application forms
and camper registration packages in a webfriendly
format so they could be posted to
the Chapter site for easy access.
Kathryn is inspiring and motivating,
willingly sharing her strengths with others.
Her enthusiasm is contagious and her sense
of humour makes others want to share in
her journey towards ASO’s vision of “acceptance
and opportunities for all individuals
with ASD.”
Other nominees
NANCY CHERRY, Waterloo Region
PATRICIA GALLIN, London and District
CINDY FARIA, Volunteer, Halton Chapter
ASO Manuals a Popular and Affordable Resource
particularly for Ontario families of young
children up to about age eight. These manuals
are part of ASO’s ongoing work. ASO gratefully
acknowledges funding provided by the
Ontario Trillium Foundation Grant. Regional
Support Leaders have been working in three
pilot areas—York Region (Liz Cohen and Lynda
Beedham), London (Robin Frkovic), and the
Ottawa area chapters (Jane McLaren and
Anne Wittich)—providing training on manuals
and one-to-one consultation for families of
children with ASD in relation to local services
and resources.
p Maria Harrison, a recipient
of the Gerry Bloomfi eld Volunteer
Award
The manuals are available
for $25 through the provincial
office, local chapters
or by downloading and
completing the forms
available on ASO’s website:
www.autismsociety.on.ca
and click on Order Form.
14\ The Autism Newslink Winter 2004 The Autism Newslink Winter 2004 /15

Poetry
Corner
Joshua Sibley
I am a happy and proud boy
I am a happy and proud boy.
I wonder if Summer dreams
I hear a loud cough in the room
I see the wind blowing
I want a slinky toy
I am a happy and proud boy.
I pretend to be a Super hero.
I feel like I am flying
I touch the sounds of the night.
I worry about the thunder in the sky
I cry when I hurt my knee
I am a happy and proud boy.
I understand right from wrong.
I say there is magic everywhere
I dream that Mickey Mouse will cast a spell.
I try to sing in a good voice
I hope that there will be no more war
I am a happy and proud boy.
Joshua Sibley September 3, 2003
Life
Life is like a road.
Think of your favourite vehicle and pretend
to drive it in your mind.
View problems like obstacles on the road.
Your goal should be to overcome the
obstacles
without hurting anyone or doing anything
wrong.
So do your best and enjoy the ride.
Thank you.
Written by Jean Grandbois
Jean is a 13-year-old boy who enjoys reading,
he likes to play chess. He enjoys horseback
riding with the Sudbury Therapeutic
Riding Program. He also enjoys playing
video games on his computer.
Supporters of ASO Entertain
The Toronto Accolades, a women’s barbershop-style chorus
group, provided lively entertainment for the chapter presidents
on October 25, presenting a cheque for $1,000 to support our
Jeanette Holden Scholarship for Students with ASD. Part of
Harmony Inc., The Toronto Accolades has been a keen supporter
through their charitable singing performances, particularly for the
Metro Toronto Chapter of ASO. For more information about this
group and their charity work, see www.harmonyinc.org.
Just Released!
Toronto parent, Roz Espin,
had an idea that might help
people better understand her
son. She wrote a wonderful
book about a computer that
was “wired differently.” Her
friend, Beverley Ransom provided
the creative illustrations
and Autism Asperger Publishing
Company helped make
this dream a reality.
At a recent Chapter President’s
Council meeting, Roz
shared her passion for her
writing, the
love of her
son and the
need to help people welcome differences.
Available in Canada through
Parentbooks (1-888-209-9182 or
www.parentbooks.ca) for a great price of
$22.50, this book is wonderful asset for
parents and educators.