Autism Awareness in Nigeria: Meet Nobelova Gradani

IBCCES Certified Training Partner Nobelova Gradani is educating the Nigerian community about autism in effort to reduce stigma about ASD.

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Meet Helen Obiageli Oshikoya, the founder of Nigerian-based Nobelova Gradani. Nobelova Gradani is an IBCCES Certified Training Partner that was created to help train and educate professionals that work with individuals with autism in Nigeria.

As part of their self-funded effort to address the burden of autism in Lagos Nigeria, the organization has been involved in many efforts since 2012, including school-based awareness programs, screening of at-risk children and training of middle-level intervention service providers.

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Guest Blog

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Reputation Matters: Personal Branding for Autism Professionals

LidaBy Lida Citroen, IBCCES Board Member, LIDA360

Everyone has a personal brand – whether you are a politician, celebrity, physical therapist, or teacher  — that forms their reputation, in person and online. Right or wrong, other people’s perception of us determines whether they want to work with us, hire us, partner with us, or interact with us.

In the 20+ years I’ve worked as a personal branding and reputation management specialist, I’ve helped define, design and re-direct the perceptions of my clients in industries across education, technology, healthcare, finance, coaching, and many more. I can say with all certainty that your personal brand is directly related to the opportunities you attract and the credibility you hold in your field.

As an Autism professional, you interact with educators, students, parents, administrators and other colleagues, who form perceptions of you that directly influences whether they see you as valuable and relevant to them.

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Guest Blog

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Featured Certified Autism Specialist: Dr. Ann Marie Leonard-Zabel

Featured Certified Autism Specialist: Dr. Ann Marie Leonard-Zabel

Featured CAS or ACAS Name: Dr. Ann Marie Leonard-Zabel, CAS, ACAS 1 and ACAS 2; Full Professor of Psychology; School Neuropsychologist; Clinical Instructor and Clinical Supervisor

State/Country: Massachusetts

School/ Organizations: Curry College Department of Psychology; NEALAC Clinic – private practice; KidsInc School Neuropsychology Post-Graduate Certificate Program

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Featured CAS

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International Autism Training and Certification for ASEAN Professionals in Singapore

International Autism Training and Certification for ASEAN Professionals in Singapore

St. Andrew’s Autism Centre (SAAC) in collaboration with the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards is presenting a two-day conference in Singapore September 8-9 to bring a world class autism training and certification to professionals in Southeast Asia. The internationally-recognized program is regarded as the gold standard in certification that recognize individuals with advanced knowledge in autism.

During the two-day training conference, attendees will take part in hands-on activities and group sessions with other education and therapy professionals from around the world. Collaborative sessions will teach how to leverage autism traits and characteristics as potential springboards for success in education and health care. Attendees will also take part in engaging discussions on effective self-advocacy, meaningful engagement in the community and how to effectively model training for individuals with autism. Through a series of two-day conference sessions, they will provide attendees with expert knowledge centered around the IBCCES 10 Areas of Autism Competency.

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Press Release

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Arm in Arm with Autism in August? Beat the Heat

By Elayne Pearson, Special Needs Safety/Preparedness Specialist

Elayne's daughter, Miss Heidi Pearson.

Elayne’s daughter, Miss Heidi Pearson.

With temperatures over 100 degrees in much of the United States, most families are challenged simply keeping everyone comfortable, hydrated, and content.  Then, if you add into a household the mix of individuals affected by autism, with their tendencies to be overly-sensitive to temperatures, frustration when routine is disrupted, and struggles with impulsivity—August can be a very tricky month for everyone.  This was too true for our family when Heidi and her three older sister were growing up.  With her dual-diagnosis of Down syndrome and autism, she was cute as a pixie, but often kept us on high-alert, (or “Heidi-alert”). I recall countless summer vacations, where it sure didn’t feel like a vacation.

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Guest Blog

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New School Year Resolutions

By Brigid Rankowski

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Once again, we are at the time of year that brings about so many mixed emotions for professionals in the education field; The beginning of a new school year. The smell of fresh markers, the sight of a completely clean classroom, a desk without piles of paperwork are all soon to be fleeting things as the momentum of the school year kicks things into high gear. For some educators who are taking on new positions or responsibilities this year, there may we waves of apprehension wondering how everything will manage to get done on time. Others who have been in the field for a while may wonder how they can incorporate new ideas into their lesson plans to keep students interested. There are so many different situations going on and everyone is different.

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Guest Blog

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Bridging the Gap Between Autism & Healthcare Providers

Bridging the Gap Between Autism & Healthcare Providers

By Anita Lesko, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, Autism Advocate, Author

I am a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist for the past 27 years.  I’ve been working full time ever since graduating from Columbia University in 1988 with my Master’s in Nurse Anesthesia. I specialize in anesthesia for neurosurgery, organ transplants, and orthopedic joint replacements. Oh, yes, there’s something else I’d like you to know!  I’m autistic, and I didn’t even know this until I was fifty, yes, 50, when I “accidently” discovered it.  I knew my entire life that I was different and never fit in.  I knew that I had endless social obstacles, and a myriad of sensory issues that baffled me and often interfered with my daily life.  I never had any early intervention of any kind.  Nothing.  My mom was my best friend, my sole support system, and my life coach.  She enabled me to find my inner strength and accomplish all that I have done.  My career literally forced me to interact with people, which was my “therapy!”   I’ve done over 50,000 cases to date, and I’ve had over one million social interactions with operating room staff, patients, and families! I’m also an internationally published military aviation photojournalist, and have flown in military aircraft including an F-15 fighter jet!

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Guest Blog

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Meet the First Certified Autism Center in Nigeria: Patrick Speech & Languages

Meet the First Certified Autism Center in Nigeria: Patrick Speech & Languages

In the year 2000 at the age of two, Mrs Akande’s son was diagnosed with autism in Nigeria. After the diagnosis, there was no information on the way forward. With the help of a mother (her son’s pediatrician) she found a speech therapist to work with her son three days a week while she taught her son all the other skills needed with assistance by his school teacher. Slowly over a period of six years, combined with music therapy, her son emerged from his shell a mathematics genius. With this revelation of hope she decided to set up a centre in Nigeria.

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Featured CAS

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I Can’t Read Without My Glasses (an analogy)

I Can’t Read Without My Glasses (an analogy)

By Lois Jean Brady, Author of Apps for Autism – www.itherapyllc.com

 

If you take my glasses away – I can’t read

If you encourage me – I still can’t read

If you give me a verbal model, I know what to say – but I still can’t read

If you give me cues or prompts, I have an idea of what to say – but I still can’t read

If you offer chips and skittles (reinforcers), I still won’t be able to read

If you test me, I will fail and be labeled illiterate or, worse, cognitively delayed

I may referred to resource or special education

If you give me my glasses

I can read!

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Guest Blog

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Tips for Attending a Successful & Affordable Autism Conference

By: Taveesha Guyton, Social Worker, Future CAS

In July, I was an attendee of the Autism Society National Conference held in the beautiful city of New Orleans, Louisiana. I am a social worker who specializes in working with the intellectually disabled and autism community. When the opportunity arose for me to not only go to New Orleans, a city I have admired for many years, but also attend a conference I professionally attached too, I became Super Man, “Faster than a speeding bullet! More powerful than a locomotive! Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound”!

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