MSI Press Blog

  April is Autism Awareness Month, a time to honor and support individuals on the autism spectrum, their families, and the countless advocates working to raise awareness and foster acceptance. This month is a reminder that autism, or more accurately, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), is not a singular experience. It’s a spectrum, a diverse range of traits and characteristics that affect individuals in unique ways. What Is Autism? Autism is a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition that affects how a person experiences the world around them. While it is often characterized by differences in social communication, repetitive behaviors, and intense focus on specific interests, no two individuals with autism are alike. Each person on the spectrum has their own strengths, challenges, and ways of navigating life. Some may require significant support in their daily lives, while others may lead independent, successful careers. Many individuals with autism have extraordinary abilities or talents...

  From the author -- The story behind Understanding the Challenge of, “No” for Children with Autism The author Colette McNeil was inspired to write Understanding the Challenge of, “No” for Children with Autism in the hopes of sharing information on how making purposeful choices when speaking to children with autism can improve understanding and cooperation. In her 30 years of working with autistic children, the author has noticed that the assistance provided to parents, care givers and education staff has mostly been delivered through a series of explicit strategies to address specific instances of need. The collection of a bag full of tricks or “tool bag,” is encouraged. For example, if we want a child to learn to request a snack item we teach the specific phrase “I want cookie please.” Then if we want the child to follow a direction to wash their hands we teach the specific phrase “Wash Hands.” The guiding adults learn these phrases as independent tools without understanding why ...

  Excerpt from  Choice and Structure for Children with Autism  (McNeil) -  Chapter 1 Some Simple Strategies Some Simple Strategies I would like to offer some simple strategies that could be helpful. Don’t worry! I am not going to attempt to teach you how to make your home a strict Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) program. I simply hope to offer some ideas to organize your day and offer a better outcome than the dismal portrait described above. These strategies will assist parents in developing simple and safe routines and choices that will make long days at home more engaging, cooperative, and positively stimulating for children with autism, their parents and siblings.   Ideas that will help decrease boredom, protesting, and isolation, while increasing, engagement, interaction, and cooperation will be shared throughout this book. The chapters will have relatable life stories included. These stories will demonstrate the chapter topic and provide a foundation for...

  In her blog this week, Franki Bagdade, author of the award-winning  I Love My Kids, But I Don't Always Like Them ,  celebrates autism awareness and acceptance month. Read her post HERE . For more posts by and about Franki, click  HERE . BOOK AWARDS IAN Book of the Year Literary Titan gold award Follow  MSI Press  on  Twitter ,  Face Book , and  Instagram .   Sign up for the MSI Press LLC newsletter Interested in publishing with  MSI Press LLC ? Check out information on  how to submit a proposal . Interested in receiving a free copy of this or any MSI Press LLC book  in exchange for  reviewing  a current or forthcoming MSI Press LLC book? Contact editor@msipress.com. Want an  author-signed copy  of this book? Purchase the book at 25% discount (use coupon code FF25) and concurrently send a written request to orders@msipress.com.  Want to communicate with one of our authors? You can!  Find thei...

  Franki says: Spotlight on Autism I originally created this post in honor of this Autism Awareness Month (April), I love to share favorite Autistic Voices and Authors/Authors with Autism, with you and some on my "to read" list! However, I thought what better reason to share it again than “Neurodiversity Celebration Week!” So this was the first post I made on my new Substack blog. Then, social media told me that this week is World Autism Acceptance Week. Can’t keep track? Me neither! However, I will take any excuse to highlight Autistic Voices. You may be reading this and wondering why I’m using “identity-first” vs. the long-time “person-first” language standard. I’m doing this because the Autistic clients I have, and the Autistic authors and creators I follow, prefer this. Curious about this change? Read the rest of her post HERE . For more posts about Franki and her award-winning book, I Love My Kids, Butt I Don't Always Like Them , here. IAN Book of the Year Literary T...

  From the author --  The story behind Entienda el desafío del -NO- en los niños con autismo Entienda el desafío del -NO- en los ninños con autismo is the Spanish translated version of Understanding the Challenge of, “No” for Children with Autism. The author Colette McNeil was inspired to write Understanding the Challenge of, “No” for Children with Autism in the hopes of sharing information on how making purposeful choices when speaking to children with autism can improve understanding and cooperation. In her 30 years of working with autistic children, the author has noticed that the assistance provided to parents, care givers and education staff has mostly been delivered through a series of explicit strategies to address specific instances of need. The collection of a bag full of tricks or “tool bag,” is encouraged. For example, if we want a child to learn to request a snack item we teach the specific phrase “I want cookie please.” Then if we want the child to follow a direct...

  Excerpt from Entienda el desafío del -NO- en los niños con autismo (McNeil) Capítulo 1- Introducción   No, Una pequeña palabra Escuchada tan seguido Pero ¿Por qué? ¿Por qué te hace llorar?   Le invito a un viaje en el que se desplegarán capas de concientización, iluminando la manera de cómo un vocabulario cuidadosamente escogido puede mejorar de gran manera su relación con un niño autista. Entienda el desafío del -NO- en los niños con autism: mejore la comunicación, aumente la positividad, favorezca las relaciones se enfoca solamente en el uso de esta pequeña palabra. Sin embargo, ilustra las implicaciones de gran alcance que esa palabra puede tener al determinar la esencia de nuestras interacciones diarias con niños autistas.   Corey Mientras ríe fuertemente casi pierde su equilibrio, de puntitas, saltando con un pie a la vez, agitando sus brazos en el viento, Corey de tres años celebra con alegría mientras mira a Alice acercarse.   ¡Oh- oh! Corey cree que e...