This is kind of eye-catching (especially if you have Jill’s eye), from a review in today’s New York Times TV section of “The Middle,” which premiers tonight: ”The youngest child, Brick (Atticus Shaffer), is peculiar, and not in a cute way, which makes him all the more appealing. His teacher describes him as ‘clinically quirky’ and wants him tested. ‘I just hope that he’s weird enough that our insurance covers it,’” says one character. Tested for? How weird would that have to be, exactly? Could the money-counters who govern prime time entertainment finally be realizing that one of every 150 kids …read more

The latter part of our Q.-and A. with Ernst VanBergeijk, associate dean and executive director of the New York Institute of Technology’s Vocational Independence Program (VIP), a certificate program for adult students with learning disabilities.
Q: Do you know of any other programs like it in the country?
EVB: There are many great programs that provide transitional services to individuals with autism spectrum disorders and other disabilities. However, very few are college based, i.e., are a part of a college like VIP.
Q:How are these programs run?
EVB: Most are based in an apartment complex and affiliated with either a community college or a 4-year college. …read more

The New York Institute of Technology in Manhattan has a program that seems ripe for the future impact of autism. Its Vocational Independence Program looks to “maximize the potential of individuals with learning differences by teaching skills and strategies and providing support necessary for successful and independent lives.”
During freshman year, students “adjust to the collegiate experience” with such courses as college study skills and managing a personal budget, and take field trips to Long Island and New York City. They also team up to tackle large projects.
The junior year curriculum focuses on living independently: food and nutrition, budgeting, apartment living. …read more

Alex finds our closets irresistible. Naturally: it’s where we stash presents and stuff that we don’t need right away. Now and then I think of  a new hiding place (behind a pile of crap that he’d never think to look behind; under the kitchen sink) and I am momentarily happy. The whatever-it-is (bag of pretzels, wrapped gift) is safe from prying hands.
But daily our closets are under assault. “Alex, get out of my closet!” is a frequent scream. “Get AWAY from  there!” It’s not always intriguing toys — sometimes it’s a box of family photos or Elmo videos we couldn’t …read more

Not that Ned doesn’t have such an inner voice, but Alex seems to just have the drive to help. I don’t know how much of this has been domestic training and how much just Alex doing what comes naturally, but who cares when the laundry’s piled up?
“Alex! Shorts! Top drawer, please.” I hand him the four or five pair, neatly folded since I don’t think he can do that yet. Off he goes into his bedroom, and the odds are actually 3:1 that when I go in there in a few minutes I will in fact find the underwear in …read more

A couple of years ago I began thinking about “The Miracle Worker.” Specifically that moment when Annie Sullivan realizes she’s never going to get through to Helen Keller while she’s at home and her parents indulge her and give her candy whenever she starts to have a tantrum.
If only we had a teacher who could take Alex away for two weeks — reach him and teach him, put him in TV detox.
I’m ashamed to say Alex does not eat with us at the table. He has some other behaviors we don’t like (constant TV-watching, for one) that we’ve allowed to …read more

CareGiver360 was created by Ken Ziel, a Colorado father whose son has a range of developmental and physical disabilities. Ziel was inspired to create CareGiver360 from his experiences raising a son with an array of special needs and trying to communicate all of those needs to multiple care providers.
“When providers left or new providers came in, I could see that the process of being brought up to speed and adapting to new procedures was just as hard on the caregivers as it was on me and (my son) Austin,” Ziel said.
Caregivers can also use the tool to streamline updates in …read more

1. Elmo (sadly) remains a favorite. Maybe it’s just a comforting habit now; he doesn’t seem riveted the way he did when he was younger.
2. Chocolate chip cookies. (Never-fail recipe secret here!) Equally enthusiastic about homemade and freshly baked or dusty old Chips Ahoy.
3. Prefers homemade brownies. The first time he had them, on Christmas Eve about four years ago, he followed me around for about an hour saying, “Brownie? Brownie? Brownie?” (Note: After several different recipes, I’ve settled on the sublime Katharine Hepburn brownies with an added half-teaspoon of almond extract.)
4. The part of “Arthur’s Pet Business” where Arthur’s baby sister …read more

1. Alex’s sweet nature. He chatters and babbles if he doesn’t get his way and he does kind of run around in the house but his wants are fairly simple. Will work for chocolate chip cookies. Is delighted with a trip to Borders.
2. Great excuse not to do things. “Oh, we’d love to… only YOU know. Alex.” Smile wistfully. Shrug. “We just can’t.” Gets us out of various family things or social events we don’t feel like going to.
3. Blessed silence. Of course I love when my children talk to me. Alex rarely does and sometimes that’s a plus. We …read more

“We fear for Alex as he grows up and maybe comes to depend too heavily on a system that was built when there was a lot more money around. Is there a reason to suppose that a money shortage is going to abate just because Alex is closer to 21 years old than he used to be?”
I wrote this in my second book. For a long time, I thought I was the only one thinking this way. Then I ran across the recent piece by Linda Davis, who in addition to being the author of Charles Addams: A Cartoonist’s Life, …read more