Wrong Planet

Jerry Webster is our newest columnist. Jerry will be serving as WP's official Special Education expert. Here's his first article:

I remember well the first time I heard the title of Oliver’s Sack’s book, An Anthropologist on Mars (1995.) I had seen the movie Awakening and read a couple stories from The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat. I remember hearing that it was how a woman with autism described her experience in the neurotypical world. It was only later I discovered it was Dr. Temple Grandin.

It comes back frequently, as I am in my fifth year of teaching students on the Autism Spectrum, now in Las Vegas, Nevada. I find I spend a lot of time trying to understand how my middle school guys (all boys in my class) see and understand the world.

Unlike most modern countries, the Autism Spectrum in France is viewed as a disease that can and should be cured. The dark-ages culture of neglect and abuse remains extremely strong. The documentary The Wall or Psychoanalysis Put to the Test for Autism reveals how outdated theories haunt Autism there.

David Heurtevent is a 32 year-old autistic self-advocate from France. He has travelled extensively and even got a degree from Georgetown. We invited him to share his views on the issue of autism in France and to explain how you too can help.

Alex, Jack, and Kirsten spend this entire episode talking about supports for people with autism who are attending college or university. This is the third and final part of our episodes at the ASA 2011 conference in Orlando. We talked with Marc Ellison of Marshall University's disability services and Michael McManmon of the College Internship Program.

Also, Jack and Kirsten's relationship and our show were recently featured in a New York Times article by pulitzer prize winning reporter Amy Harmon. You can check out the article here.

Watch Ep. 19 of Autism Talk TV

Our quirky autistic columnist, John Scott Holman, interviewed Henry and Kamila Markram, originators of the Intense World Theory. Read their compelling and refreshing insights in this Wrong Planet exclusive…

1. The Intense World Theory sheds light on the mystery of autism, and offers fascinating and refreshing insights. This theory may baffle those with a limited understanding of neuroscience. How would you explain Intense World Theory to the layman?

The Intense World Theory states that autism is the consequence of a supercharged brain that makes the world painfully intense and that the symptoms are largely because autistics are forced to develop strategies to actively avoid the intensity and pain. Autistics see, hear, feel, think, and remember too much, too deep, and process information too completely. The theory predicts that the autistic child is retreating into a controllable and predictable bubble to protect themselves from the intensity and pain. The theory originated from neuroscientific discoveries on an animal model of autism and was extended by accounting for previous research on autism in humans. It is a unifying theory because it takes into account and explains the many different results and interpretations from a spectrum of studies on autism.

Alex got the exclusive at the Autism Walk in Los Angeles, CA. He interviews the cast of NBC's hit show Parenthood, starring Peter Krause, Lauren Graham, Dax Shepard, and Monica Potter. Parenthood's creator, Jason Katims (Friday Night Lights), has a son with Asperger's / Autism.

Max Braverman is an autistic character in the show. Parenthood covers issues surrounding the parenting of someone on the autism spectrum. This includes things such as obsessions, meltdowns, and issues with social skills. Alex talks with the cast (Monica Potter, Max Burkholder, Sarah Ramos, Miles Heizer, and Jason Ritter) about Autism, acting, and NBC's hit show Parenthood!

Watch the Parenthood Interview!

Kirsten has this to say:

Bullying is a problem that affects nearly everyone, autistic or neurotypical, children or adults. At one point or another we’ve all faced a bully, or been a bully ourselves. Bullying and the damage it can cause is a popular topic of debate right now—we’re finally leaving behind the archaic “it builds character” mentality—but for those on the autism spectrum bullying can be even more difficult to combat.

What is bullying? Pure and simple, bullying is harassment. A bully is someone who regularly makes others around them feel badly. Bullying can be physical (assault), mental (verbal abuse), or indirect (spreading rumors).

Alex, Jack, and Kirsten are back with a brand new episode of Autism Talk TV! This is the 2nd episode we filmed at the ASA conference in Orlando, FL. Alex interviewed Shonda Schilling about her new book, "The Best Kind of Different: Our Family's Journey with Asperger's Syndrome." Schonda is married to professional baseball player Curt Schilling. Jack talked with David Geslak about physical fitness and autism. Both Alex and Jack talked with Kerry Magro of Autism Speaks about his role as a social media consultant.

Sit back, relax, and enjoy the best episode of Autism Talk TV yet! Watch the HD version if your Internet connection is fast enough to view 3 autistics in 1080p.

Our columnist John Scott Holman has this to say:

"I'm going to be on Autism Talk TV," I declared absent mindedly, while flattening peas with my fork.

"Scotty, don't play with your food," my mother said, reaching across the table to swat my hand. I had told her all about Autism Talk TV that morning, though I doubt she was listening (my family has learned to ignore me when I discuss my special interests).

Newly diagnosed, I had quickly become obsessed with learning everything I could about autism. I stumbled across Wrong Planet, and devoured every article and Autism Talk TV episode on the homepage. Wow! After countless hours of researching Kanner, Asperger, refrigerator mothers, and vaccines, I happened upon a breath of fresh air - Alex, Jack, and Kirsten - the hip, fun and young faces of autism. These were my peers, they were autistic, and most importantly, they were cool!

Our new columnist, John Scott Holman, is a 25 year old Autistic. His column is entitled "The Adventures of an Optimistic Autistic." Here's his first article!

A peculiar collection of objects are scattered across a wide country field, as if they have somehow sprouted from the ground; an unfolded umbrella stands erect like an overgrown mushroom; elegant sofas gather around a busted television set; and an antique telephone sits atop a Corinthian column. Porcelain dolls and a headless mannequin are the only inhabitants of this dreamland junkyard.

My kid sister, Jeffi, stands overlooking this bizarre scene, awaiting my instructions. I fiddle with my parents' camcorder.

The following post is written by our female aspie blogger Kirsten Lindsmith:

It's that time again, folks! Another rambling blog post! Today's topic will be one I see discussed quite often on WP: dating. I want to begin by stating that no, I am not Alex's "new girlfriend"—and is that a question that would ever be asked of a male blogger?—I am just a person. I'm writing this blog because I work with Alex, and I like writing. I've also been told that I give good advice, though I don't know if this is true of if people are just being polite. Anyway, onwards to the topic we all know and love…

As I a child I just assumed relationships were something that just happened. As I got older and was enticed with fantasies of entering the dating scene, I discovered a seemingly essential piece to the puzzle that I had absolutely no idea how to master: flirting. Brainwashed by childhood that "liking" someone was a teasable offense, I was incredibly uncomfortable with the idea of making any sort of moves on my targets. This is an area where girls have the advantage over guys. I had no idea how to flirt or show interest, so I was often overlooked. it finally came down to it, I wasn't expected to make a chase. In the end, all I really had to do was wait.

Joanne Houldsworth is the parent columnist for WrongPlanet.net. She covers autism through the perspective of a mother of a young son with Aspergers Syndrome. She writes a weekly blog, entitled Aspergers: A Mom’s Eye View, where this article was originally posted.

OK, I’m a nerd….I’ll admit it. I’m one of those kids who loved school, adored books and even enjoyed a challenging homework assignment! (Can’t you just see that big “L” on my forehead???) For me as a child, the end of summer brought a mix of feelings. On one hand, I adored the long, lazy, unstructured days spent playing with my friends. On the other hand, the siren song of the new school year enticed me…all those new supplies, new school clothes, new books, new teacher and treasures of knowledge – vast potential awaiting me. Even today, although I won’t be heading off to school myself in September, I feel that nostalgic excitement building. Instead, I live vicariously through my children – planning, dreaming, imagining all the promise ahead for them.

Alex, Kirsten, and Jack are back together in Orlando, Florida for the Autism Society Conference. We had a blast at the conference and filmed a TON of AMAZING videos!

Kirsten talks with Dena Gassner about the special challenges that come with being a woman on the spectrum. Alex and Dr. Robert Naseef gave a talk about fatherhood at the ASA conference. They talk about the uniqueness of the relationship between a father and an individual on the autism spectrum. Jack and Alex talk with Claire Dumke about executive functioning. This involves learning to drive, keeping track of things, and other great info.

I sat down with Liz Laugeson of UCLA's PEERS program to talk about how to make friends. Making friends can be hard for individuals with Autism / Asperger's because we have a hard time figuring out social cues.

A lot of the social skills training I've run across focus on concrete skills like introducing yourself. These skills are great in theory but autistics like myself often struggle with figuring out what actually works in practice. The PEERS program, however, seems to be based in real life application of social skills.

I'm sure you're going to enjoy my interview with Liz!

Kirsten, our female aspie blogger, has this to say!

Gender is a pretty big issue in the autiverse. Are there more aspie girls than we realize? If so, why? Do girls really present symptoms differently than boys? Do aspie girls just have "hyper-masculine" brains, as is often suggested? What's the deal with gender and autism?

As many of you may have realized, I am female. I've been an on-and-off tomboy, but on the whole I have had no struggles with my gender identity. However, I have had troubles fitting the female role.

Fly Away is a film by Emmy award winning producer and newly cemented director Janet Grillo. I sit down with both Janet and her upcoming star Ashley Rickards. We talk about the film and Janet's experience as a mother of an individual on the autism spectrum. I enjoyed watching the movie when it premiered in Beverly Hills, California.

Fly Away is a pretty big deal. It's been playing practically everywhere including a limited run in theaters in major cities around the US. And Ashley's new show, "Awkward." is a big hit as well.

I know you're going to get a kick out of this interview so sit back, relax, and grab a bag of popcorn. Oh, and you need to watch the movie online or buy the DVD from New Video or Amazon!