Good news: we have new Adult Group dates for 2018, and a Halloween Party coming up this week as well! In this post, we’ll also share some insights into the difficulty of diagnosing autism, and highlight a talk by Dr. Gwynette on gender dysphoria too.
Announcing Adult Group Dates!
Our social skills Adult Group for ages 18+ will start on Thursday, January 18th, 2018 and run for 16 consecutive weeks through May 3rd, 2018.
Adult Group will take place each Thursday from 4:00pm-5:30pm at MUSC IOP 5 South.
This Adult Group marks the first time we’re running the PEERS for Young Adults curriculum.
PEERS is “a 16-week evidence-based social skills intervention for motivated young adults, who are interested in learning skills to make and keep friends and develop romantic relationships. During each group session, young adults are taught important social skills and are given the opportunity to practice these skills.”
Flyers and additional information will follow, but don’t wait to register for Adult Group!
Call (843) 792-9162 today to schedule a required intake meeting with James Truelove.
Celebrate Halloween with Project Rex!
There’s still time to sign up for our free Halloween Party this Friday! We’ll provide candy, games, and fun for all. You can wear a costume if you like, but there’s no pressure.
When: Friday, October 27th, from 6:00pm – 8:00pm
Where: MUSC IOP 5 South, 67 President Street, Charleston, SC 29425
Ages: 11 and up
How Much: Free!
RSVP: Via the embedded Google Form below, or by clicking here
If you plan to attend please RSVP via the form below, or by clicking here:
How Do You Know if it’s Autism?
Often we see parents and family members who struggle with not having seen the signs of autism sooner. They wonder if they “should have known” that their child was on the spectrum.
However, an accurate diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder can pose a real challenge … even for top experts!
That’s why we want to highlight the recent HuffPost UK article Could My Child Have Aspergers? Two Experts Share How They Missed the Signs in Their Children.
In the piece, top clinical psychologist and Professor Tony Attwood and autism nonprofit CEO Elaine Nicholson both acknowledge that they didn’t see signs of autism in their own sons.
Why is diagnosis so difficult? Because each individual with autism has a different manifestation of the disorder, and these manifestations can vary tremendously.
The article outlines several common signs to look for, including challenges in social communication, repetitive behaviors, and sensory sensitivity, while also emphasizing the need for clinical evaluations.
As our Director of Parent Programming James Truelove noted:
“When Professor Tony Attwood doesn’t recognize his own child as having Aspergers, then you know that it is not an easy diagnosis for parents or professionals!”
If you think that you or your child might be on the spectrum, call us at (843) 792-9162. We provide diagnostic and clinical services including medication management, social skills Groups, and more for the Charleston-area autism community.
You can also check out some free resources online, including:
- Autism Society of America Diagnosis Page: includes information on medical diagnosis, school evaluation, differential diagnosis, screening instruments, and more
- Autism Speaks 100 Day Kit: created specifically for families of children ages 4 and under to make the best possible use of the 100 days following their child’s diagnosis of autism
- 100 Day Kit for School-Age Children
- Providing Feedback to Families Affected by Autism
- Getting Evaluated for Autism as an Adult: Where to Go? Who to See?
Autism and Gender Dysphoria
Finally, this week our very own Project Rex founder, Dr. Frampton Gwynette, is chairing an important training session at a Washington, DC conference!
The session is titled, It’s Complicated: Tackling Gender Dysphoria In Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorders from the Bible Belt to New York City.
Two challenging clinical cases are the catalyst for a broad discussion about the epidemiology, prevailing myths, and perceptions of gender dysphoria, autism-spectrum disorder (ASD), and their combined expression.
The presenters will teach participants to more accurately screen for and diagnose gender dysphoria, engage in thoughtful, meaningful conversations around sexual orientation and sex education with youth with ASD; discuss ethical issues, and more.
If you or your loved one with autism is dealing with issues related to gender, call us at (843) 792-9162; we’d be glad to schedule an appointment to connect with you.
~ The Project Rex team
