We just returned from the ARI conference in Las Vegas hosted by the Autism Research Institute. We were able to meet many people, parents and practitioners alike.
We feel that this conference is must for families who are learning to treat their child’s autism. If you could not make it to Las Vegas, consider attending the spring conference which will be held in Newark, NJ.
Attendees at the conference are able to attend a variety of lectures from experts in nutrition, medicine, and educational programming. In addition to lectures, participants may also drop in on demo room sessions where the experts show you how to do a particular technique. The demo room this year included, among others, tips from us on how to teach your child to swallow pills. Email us if you would like a copy of the brief handout that we provided.
Attendees are also able to visit the booths of many exhibitors including Talk About Curing Autism (TACA) and Kirkman Labs.
Lunch is provided on site allowing participants time to network, mingle, and speak intimately with presenters.
We were also very lucky to meet Alex Plank, Kirsten Lindsmith, and Jack Robison who were filming for Autism Talk TV. These young adults all have a formal diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). They participate in the website Wrong Planet and they have proven that individuals with ASD can live a full and productive life.
We always feel renewed after such a great conference experience. We want to hear from you. Did you attend the conference? What was your favorite part?
Some people on wrong planet have serious issues. Not only are they obsessed with attacking those they disagree with, but they continually harass and cyberbully people.
Johnny, thank you for your comments. We have not interacted with that group via the internet so we do not have any experiences to relate. We merely met them at a conference and participated in an interview.
Please keep in mind that they all admit to having been diagnosed with ASD so it is possible that their perspective taking skills may need some help. It is not uncommon for individuals on the spectrum to engage in behavior without understanding out it impacts others.
Thanks again for sharing your concerns.