'A Double Shot Of Happiness': Book On Adult Autism by Judy Sharp

This book by Judy Sharp - 'A Double Shot Of Happiness' - is a real treat to read, for a gazillion reasons. For me, it resonates because I have a son with a mild autism diagnosis, and I am always curious when I meet the mothers of sons with autism. What will my boy be like? What will his world feel like? Each child - and each diagnosis - is vastly different of course, but I am always thirsty for knowledge on this rare insight.

Says Judy: 

“I live with three superheroes - my sons Tim and Sam and a colourful, funny, masked character called Laser Beak Man…”.

Laser Beak Man

Tim Sharp was just three years old when his mother, Judy, took him to a paediatric specialist and he was diagnosed with autism.  Judy was told the autism was so severe that Tim would never speak, go to school, learn to live in a normal household and would be incapable of love, even towards his own mother.  She was told she’d need to have Tim institutionalised and that she should just “forget about him”.

WOW. This is reminiscent of the scene in the movie 'Temple Grandin' where the lead character (played by Claire Danes) and her diagnosis (back then, autism was referred to as 'infantile schizophrenia' - can you even believe it?) is discussed by a specialist with her mother, and how institutionalisation was the route suggested for the child. If you've seen the movie - and read the myriad books by Temple - you'll know this is not the life path chosen by mother and child.

Likewise for Judy, this was not the path chosen for her son Tim.

Judy resisted expert advice… and, struggling to have Tim communicate with her, Judy one day picked up a pen and started to draw.  It was an action that would change their lives forever.

Now in his twenties, Tim’s leading a fulfilling life as a world-famous artist, creator of the joyful ‘Laser Beak Man’. It’s a true testament to the instincts his mother trusted all those years earlier. BLESS YOU, JUDY!

Tim’s art has been exhibited internationally in some of the world’s greatest galleries, has been the cover of a band’s CD, turned into an animation for TV and is an off-Broadway play in New York. 

'A Double Shot Of Happiness' is Judy’s beautiful and heartfelt account of Tim’s odyssey from that terrible diagnosis to his emergence as an acclaimed artist and a fulfilled, loving and loved young man.  This is a story full of many hurdles, moments of despair and incredible hard work from Tim, Judy and his brother Sam, but ultimately their story is one that’s moving, inspiring and triumphant.

“Most people are charmed by Tim but sometimes they aren't. When we come across these uninterested people I want to rush up and implore them to listen to him. ‘You should listen to his story, you really should. You won't hear another one like it. You will hardly believe it. Sometimes even I can't even believe it!’ I have shared every minute of this unbelievable adventure with Tim and that makes me feel like the luckiest mother in the world.” – Judy Sharp

More about Judy: she raised two boys, Tim and his younger brother Sam, as a single mother. Sam is a former state swimmer and trialled for the Olympics.  He now works as a high-level swimming coach.  Tim’s art is exhibited all around the world.  He spends much of his time helping organisations and schools that work with children with autism. They live in Brisbane.

'A Double Shot Of Happiness' by Judy Sharp will be published on 27 May 2015 (RRP $32.99 ) and will also be avoalble as an e-book.

An interview with Judy and Tim is on its way right here, so stay tuned.

Facts Are Your Friends -- Vaccinate Your Children, by Kristen Bell

Have you read the piece by Kristen Bell on vaccinations in 'The Huffington Post'? You should.

I have popped it on this blog page - the 'Our Autism Adventures' blog page - without thinking too much about it. I could have put it on my 'TwinnieWorld' blog page, or my 'Josie's Juice' blog page, as the latter is celebrity-driven content.

But when you say autism these days, people can equate it with another emotive word: vaccinations.

And so, here we are.

I read this post a few days and was rather blown away.

I think it's the most thoughtful, non-ranty, educated, well-researched position on vaccinations I have read, and I am kinda in love with Kristen. Even more than before.

Read the start of the piece here, then scroll down for the link to read it all. You won't regret it.

Facts Are Your Friends -- Vaccinate Your Children, by Kristen Bell

I didn't think I was going to vaccinate my children. I've always been earthy, crunchy, whatever. Fair trade? Artisanal? Free range? I love it all. I care about what I put into my body, and when I got pregnant, I became acutely aware that my decisions affected someone else. Someone who I had a duty to protect.

I'm a fairly confident person, but I was filled with so much uncertainty when I became pregnant. I was thrust into a world of choices: home birth? Drug-free? Inducement? Caesarian? Eat my placenta? And when I shared my birth plan with other moms, I would often feel shame, like I wasn't willing to go as far as others. Every conversation felt like a million little tests that questioned my motherhood. The consensus seemed to be that anything short of a drug-free home birth in water was child abuse. It was a lot of pressure, but ultimately I felt like having a human pass between my legs was stressful enough. I didn't need the added trouble of something going wrong and screaming, "Why am I squatting on a silk pashmina surrounded by wind chimes; where are all the doctors!?"

The doubt and difficult decisions didn't dissipate after the birth. The responsibility of keeping another human being alive was often overwhelming. Each little choice felt like it had the power to irrevocably shape her entire future. The weight of that often brought out strong, emotional responses to even the most benign decisions. The important decisions felt almost paralyzing. What if I messed up and chose wrong?

At first, I leaned toward keeping our kids vaccine-free. I thought the concern about vaccination made sense. There are countless reasons to distrust the pharmaceutical industry, and I didn't want to put anything artificial or unnecessary in my child's body. Least of all something questionable that protects from diseases that don't even exist anywhere near us these days. Still, I felt a nagging responsibility to hear both sides of the argument (largely because I had my heart set on a "mother of the year" mug).

I decided facts were my friends. I couldn't rely on word-of-mouth, friend-of-a-friend information. It was going to require actual research from vetted sources; I wanted the truth.

It wasn't easy sifting through all the false and deceptive studies to find them, but now that I have, I feel compelled to share them with any of you who may be struggling with this tough choice.

First, tell me why I need a vaccine.

Vaccines train your immune system. They give it a chance to build up resistance to dangerous diseases, so that if you are ever exposed to the real thing, your body is able to fend it off.

Vaccines DO contain disease particles, which is not only gross -- it's scary. However, the disease particles are dead or severely weakened, which renders them unable to cause the original disease. Even very young children can easily handle them.

The immune system is far more effective when it knows how to identify and fight off what doesn't belong. Vaccines are like a wanted poster hanging in the saloon. They train the bartender to spot the bad guys and kick them out.

What's the deal with "herd immunity"?

I found the clearest explanation of herd immunity in a comic! Find it here, but essentially, epidemics are prevented when at least 80-90 percent of people are vaccinated. This means that the most important factor in promoting universal health is creating access to vaccination. Even those who are not vaccinated against a disease -- because they are too young, or have a weakened immune system due to chemotherapy, etc. -- are protected, because there are so many individuals with resistance that the disease doesn't spread very far. It takes a village, people. (Not the actual Village People, but like a village of people... anyway. Let's continue.)

What are the side effects?

Like all medicines, vaccines have some side effects. The common ones are mild -- redness, slight swelling right around the injection site, brief headache or fever. But these are actually GOOD to see -- these symptoms reflect that the body is responding to the treatment, and is learning how to deal with it. This is exactly what we want our bodies to do, so that we can react if we ever encounter the real thing. These common side effects are fire drills. Should the real thing happen, your child's body will know exactly where the nearest exit is.

There are rare cases of more severe side effects. Most often, these are essentially allergic reactions. These are serious, and scary, but occur almost immediately, and can be addressed by your doctor on the spot. This is why all patients receiving vaccinations are asked to be observed for a period of time before leaving the doctor's office. There's a point to making you flip through their back issues of Good Housekeeping magazine. They're keeping an eye on your little one.

Some side effects are so rare that it is impossible to tell if they are actually side effects of vaccines, or just coincidences. Interestingly, autism doesn't fall into that category. Autism occurs frequently enough that it can be studied, and it has been -- extensively. During my search for information I have found that the overwhelming majority of medical scientists agree that there isabsolutely no causal link between autism and vaccination. I know this can be a big one for many, though, so here are a fewmorearticles to read if you are concerned about autism and vaccines.

Read more about 'What are the side effects', and the rest of the article here.

The Bugalugs Bum Thief - Relaxed Performance and Review

Just recently I took my seven year old twins to see a show called 'The Bugalugs Bum Thief'. We went along to the Monkey Baa Theatre in Darling Harbour, and you guys… it was sensational! Highly recommended.

The show is based on the children's novel by acclaimed Australian author Tim Winton - a comedic mystery story about Skeeta Anderson.

The story goes that when Skeeta woke up one morning, he found his bum (I love that the word bottom or tush is not used… nope, bum!) was gone.

This was just the beginning! In one day, he discovered that his was not the only bum missing in the town of Bugalugs. In fact, all 496 citizens of the town of Bugalugs are bumless!

And so, Skeeta decides to undertake his own investigation into who the bum thief is, and fix the situation!

Skeets enlists the help of his best mate Billy Marbels and Mick Misery, set out to discover where all the bums have gone and to find the culprit of the crime. After much mayhem, Skeeta finally solves this big mystery. Well… kinda!

The show toured last year and is back for 2001, with several shows left at the Monkey Baa, before continuing for more shows. It's perfect for kids aged four -10.

Prices: $25 per ticket + $2.50 booking fee per transaction. (Family discounts available).

And, the show has a 'RELAXED PERFORMANCE' available! Perfect for kids with special needs (autism, for example).

My son has mild autism, although we went to the standard performance, and he loved it. Yes, there were some parts that he put his hands over his ears, but it WAS loud! For a child with obvious sensory needs, this more relaxed performance is perfect. The volume is decidedly lower and the house lights are dimmer, and the tone is more relaxed.

Here are the details for this special show: Tuesday April 14 at 1pm, and it's described as:

This performance is the opposite of the quiet carriage on the train. Patrons are welcome to come and go as they please, the theatre lights remain on and audio is adjusted accordingly. We welcome patrons with young children and those that may have special requirements.

For further information, go here.

The cost for this relaxed performance show is: 

$17 per student for school group bookings.

And, teachers can download booking form HERE.

Vacation Care Groups can download booking forms HERE.

And, you can even access a free teaching resource right HERE!

Come to the show at Monkey Baa, and go find it again when the season there is done. The kids - and you - will love it!

Luke Shambrook Found Alive: Report

News just in: the young boy with autism who had wandered off from the campsite on Good Friday where he and his family were staying at Candlebark camping ground, near Lake Elidon, has been found, according to Seven News.

Luke Shambrook, age 11, had been missing for four days.

In a breaking news report, the little boy is safe and sound, with hypothermia and dehydrated, but alive!

SES crews have been searching for Luke since the alarm was raised by his family.

Luke's beanie was found late yesterday.

Police said he was spotted by the air wing just before midday in an area off Skyline Road.

Rick Newton from Victoria Police said Luke was being treated by paramedics.

"[The] police helicopter spotted Luke walking in bush about three kilometres from where he went missing on Friday," he said.

"The helicopter has directed police and paramedics and searchers into that area and recovered Luke.

"We are told Luke is well, [but] he is exhausted, he is suffering hypothermia and he is also dehydrated.

An earlier, background report here.

Here is Luke (left) and his family. Photo: Victoria Police.

Subtle Signs of Autism 0-7 years old: VIDEO

In honour of World Autism Awareness Day, here is a video I found called:

'Sublte (sic) Signs of Autism 0-7 years old'. 

People often ask me these questions about my son (Rafael, age 7):
- How did you first know your son had autism?
- What were the signs? How did he act which told you he had autism?- At what age was he diagnosed?
- How has he progressed over time?
- How is he doing at school now? (my son is in year 2)

While every child 'on the spectrum' is different, this video gives some good insight into the profession a child with autism can make.

Says the video description:

"This video shows the subtle signs of autism from one child as he ages and his tremendous growth from years of therapy."

Watch and tell me what you think (and light it up blue today for our beautiful kids with autism and Aspergers:

Seaworld Review: Autism-Friendly And Loads of Fun

Visting Seaworld in Queensland, Australia as part of our first big family holiday adventure was an event we highly anticipated. However, as a mother of a special needs child (my son Rafael has mild autism), my husband and I were a little worried about how he'd perceive particular attractions at the theme park.

As we were staying at the adjoining Seaworld Nara Resort (an incredibly beautiful, medium-priced hotel), the Seaworld theme park was our first stop, the second we arrived, changing into our cossies and leaving our bags with the wonderfully friendly hotel concierge.

We headed in, armed with the park map and hopping onto the adjacent monorail (the first of its kind opened in Australia by QLD pollie Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen), and there we were in a aqua park heaven.

Heavily themed with all the kiddie fave Nickelodeon characters including Spongebob Square Pants, Dora The Explorer, and many more, it's an instant fave with the kids. And my TV aficionado twins were no exception.

As all good theme park experts will tell you: check the times of all the shows and happening of the day so you maximise your day there. You will become an expert in an instant, and park staff can help you find where everything is, plus all the clearly marked signs around the park.

A little tip: have the kids (and you!) dressed in either swimming costumes with little cover ups, or quick-dry fabric clothes; you'll need to dry up quickly when you go on the famed Castaway Bay and Viking Revenge rides.

Halfway through the day (and I know readers of this blog will relate), it was proving difficult to wrangle my son's demands to be a part of the action. (My son has a mild autism diagnosis, and his perception of what's possible and what he can participate in is sometimes skewed) So, for example, we'd see the amazing daredevil ski-jump show, and he'd want to be a part of it, not understanding that the danger level to participate is very high (and it's not even possible for the audience, bar some audience interaction with the performers on the edge of the water/arena).

The same went for seeing dolphin show - it got tricky with explaining he could not be a part of that show.

I did uncover however, thanks to the super lovely, helpful staff, a daily special needs program run by Seaworld. Here is some information on the program:

 -  the cost is $114.99, and the program duration is 45 minutes in total, with 20 of those minutes in the water. Each participant must have a carer with them (mum or dad or a guardian) who can participate free of charge (as they are there purely to assist).

A photo is included in the price, and the DVD of your experience is an optional extra, at $24.99. (This information is correct as of 14 January 2015, and is subject to change).

Before booking, it's highly recommended guests contact the Seaworld Guest Services team on 07 5588 2423, and they will be able to better assist with further information on the program.

Here are some photos from Seaworld, as well as my own happy snaps (taken on my new iPhone 6 - I am so pleased with the shots).

Oh, and for more on Seaworld including ticketing and accommodation and showtimes, scroll down for link.

Would I recommend Seaworld to families? Absolutely. In a heartbeat. So, so much to do. Get there early, grab a map, and plan your day. If you are staying next door at Seaworld Nara Resort (and I recommend you do), it's a super short stroll to the monorail. The theme park is attached to the hotel. And the hotel itself? Fantastic. Kids will love the nighttime fun in the hotel waterpark, and just quietly, the spa is heaven after-hours.

Keen on seeing the other famed theme parks there (Movieworld, Seaworld, Wet 'n' Wild)? Go the multi pass! Click here to buy.

For questions on marine life at Seaworld and how they're looking after them, click here.

The seal show below! So much fun:

The Dora show! Must-see. And, look out for the meet and greet also available post-show:

Ohhh, Seaworld Nara Resort breakfasts. To-die. Yum:

Hello, breakkie pastries!

The Penguin Encounter! You will love watching how these cute critters interact. Go at feeding time!

The famous Affinity dolphin show:

The truly hilarious 'Fish Detectives':

Dora meet and greet!

My kids at the Dora and Diego meet and greet! They were stoked:

The view from our room:

The truly fun waterpark. Open all day. Closes at night. Then open again for a mini waterpark disco:

The characters pop into the Seaworld Nara Resort hotel lobby for a snap:

More meet and greet!

Helicopter rides. Ask at the hotel desk:

Ninja Turtle fun:

A note on getting the airport: we used Town Cars (see www.towncars.com) - call the 24 hour call centre (Sydney metro area) on 02 8874 5000. Go to this link for more info and to book. It's an affordable, fuss-free way to get to the airport. The best part? You don't need to leave your car in an airport carpark for days, and the bonus is that for kids with special needs, it's a low-stress experience.

For more info on Seaworld, click right here.

Our Autism Adventures was a guest of Gold Coast Tourism. For all your GC needs and questions, click here.

You guys, there is a reason the sunny Gold Coast is famous for families - it is kinda unbeatable, and there are a gazillion things to do. To that end, next up: more QLD theme park reviews, on TwinnieWorld and Josie's Juice. There's so much to do, so much we got up to! Stay tuned for more.

'A Different Brilliant': Aspect Autism - VIDEO

(As appeared on sister blog page 'Josie's Juice'). If this post had a 'like' button, I'd hit it a million times over. If only just for the fantastically brilliant header just above.

Aspect has released a positive awareness campaign on its Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn pages called, 'a different brilliant.' The campaign includes a centrepiece film and microsite (www.adifferentbrilliant.org.au), which celebrates our differences by introducing viewers to seven quirky real-life characters on the autism spectrum in a beautifull shot, positive and inspiring montage. 

Seven real-life ASD heroes tell the story

The captivating short film captures the stories of seven unique individuals as told by them, their friends, families and communities:

CALLUM THE PUZZLE WHIZ. 14 year-old Callum is enthusiastic about puzzles and completes them in record time without looking at the finished image on the box. He represents the unique talent for sorting and visual problem solving some people on the spectrum possess.

CHELSEA THE DRESS-UP SUPERHERO. Like many girls her age, four year-old Chelsea loves pink, dressing-up, and playing with Barbies™. But thanks to her unique way of expressing herself, rather than dressing up as a fairy like all the other little girls going to a birthday party, she arrives in a self-designed superhero outfit. Those with highly sensitive nerve endings as part of their ASD often delight in specific fabrics and textures that are gentle and familiar to their touch.

SUPERMARKET SURVIVAL, NATHAN. For an ASD child with super-hearing powers, like seven year-old Nathan, supermarkets are a deafening cacophony of disharmonious sounds: buzzing fridges, in-store announcements, checkout noises and errant trolleys. A two-year old is shown sitting in a trolley with ear defenders as an example of how many children on the spectrum with auditory sensitivities, like Nathan, bravely tackle the experience.

SCHOOL BOYS AT HEART, BEN. We see 10 year-old Ben () at the school gates as other children come and go around him. Both he and his brother, Nathan (7) attended Aspect schools and have now successfully transitioned to the mainstream education system. The scene reminds us that people with autism don’t look any different – they could be any school friend or classmate; but take the time, and you’ll discover a different brilliant.

ALEXANDRA, THE DREAMER. Sometimes people on the autism spectrum have trouble with communication, social interaction and sensory overload. The story of 29 year-old Alexandra is told in a café scene. She gazes out the window while conversations happen around her, brilliantly finding a “safe place” in her own mind to block out the overwhelming nature of her surroundings, but eagerly joining in the conversation when a friend asks her a direct question.

ROBBIE, THE VISUAL ARTIST. Passionate photographer and business owner Robbie is in his early 20s. His story is told creatively via a class field trip montage. As others take similar shots to each other, Robbie sees the world through a different brilliant lens.

CAMERON THE WORKER. Cameron is in his 40s and an active member of the workforce. Aspect supports both Cameron and his employer via the Aspect Capable specialist employment service, which offers person-centred employment training and support to jobseekers with ASD, and their employers through coaching, mentoring, job preparation and training.

“So often wonderfully talented, brilliant people with autism spectrum disorder are overlooked by society as being odd, or quirky, or obsessive. With our a different brilliant campaign, we hope to inspire a wider understanding and respect for how people on the autism spectrum are just like you and me, in many ways, but with their own uniquely brilliant take on the world,” says Adrian Ford, CEO of Autism Spectrum Australia (Aspect).

The 'a different brilliant' short film was released to the public via social media today, on Thursday 13 November on the Aspect Facebook page facebook.com/AutismSpectrumAustralia, as well as via Twitter and LinkedIn.

The public is encouraged to ‘like’ and ‘share’ the 'a different brilliant' short film with the hashtag #adifferentbrilliant and include links to the a different brilliant microsite in any social media posts: www.adifferentbrilliant.org.au/

And so, I am doing my part, to honour my beautiful son Rafael, who is six, and (to borrow a line from one of the best films on the planet, and one of my fave flicks ever, 'Temple Grandin') "different, not less", here is this exceptional video: