Susan Wright Kermon

Kim Shufran

There is Nothing Wrong with Me After All!

Odd

QuirkyStrange

Peculiar

Bizarre

Unusual

Weird

UniqueDifferent

InterestingAwkward

In getting to know her, I became aware of the tremendous struggle she has to just live.

Her extreme intelligence and exceptional artist abilities mask this struggle to most people.

Although, as my sister says, you never know how she is going to act.

And another friend admits she is scared around her because her mood can switch so dramatically.

From Barbara

The friend thinks she has done something wrong to make Susan mad, which may or not be the case!

Susan is so smart, ethical, responsible, kind, thoughtful… it is hard to believe she cannot help the way she sometimes acts.

I have come to know that she cannot.

Some behaviors she has learned to “control,” but I see the effort it takes.

From Barbara

When she told me about the possibility of the Asperger’s diagnosis, I cried.

Out of relief for her that something may finally explain and make sense out of

how hard life has been.

And it made me feel sorry that I haven’t always been patient and kind.

From Barbara

July 2011

An email from SusanOctober 25, 2012 after attending the Atlanta Autism Conference

Well, I made it there and back but I’ve been sleeping a great deal since my return.

I have taken the week off and now it’s Thursday, and I think I’m finally awake.

I was in quite a state when I got back. It seemed like my brain was a deck of cards flying around in the air.

Now they are all lying on the floor and I’m ready to start stacking them back in order again.

That doesn’t sound so good but I’m thrilled I was able (and willing) to go.

I thought of you and iCan many times while I was there as you seem to have so figured out how to fill a need.

The more I learn, the more impressed I am,

the more ideas I have, and the more I want to be a part of it.

And Susan continues…

Neurodiversity

Autism Spectrum Disorder- Simplified

• Complex neurological differences impacting how one learns and communicates

• Involving developmental delays

• Affects a person’s social relationships, communication, and behavior

• Includes alterations in sensory processing– taste/smell, movement, touch, auditory, visual, and activity

level

On the Spectrum• No two people are alike

– “When you’ve met one person with autism, then you’ve met one person with autism.”

• Individuals are often object, rather than relationship oriented

• Diagnosis is difficult to obtain– Requires behavioral observation & history– Often takes years– Prolonged ambiguity and uncertainty is very stressful

The Changing Autism Diagnosis

A Diagnosis, Redefined

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) • 5th edition, 2013• Changes prompt significant controversy• Approved and adopted by American Psychiatric

Association

Comparing “Autisms”

Data & Statistics • 1 in 68 children has been identified with autism spectrum disorder

– 1 in 70 in North Carolina

• ASD reported to occur in all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups

• ASD 5 times more common among in boys (1 in 42) than among girls (1 in 189).

• Studies in Asia, Europe, and North America have identified individuals with ASD with an average prevalence of about 1%. A study in South Korea reported a prevalence of 2.6%.

• About 1 in 6 children in the United States had a developmental disability in 2006-2008, ranging from mild disabilities such as speech and language impairments to serious developmental disabilities, such as intellectual disabilities, cerebral palsy, and autism.

Data from the CDC website

Impact of a Diagnosis

• Many adults do not know they are affected.

• Many age 30-40-50-60+ are receiving ASD diagnosis

• Obtaining a diagnosis can facilitate an understanding of past difficulties with parents, siblings, friends, partners, and coworkers.

Defined the ProblemDesigned a Solution

• Innovative• Entrepreneurial• Club-based model• No diagnosis required• Reproducible• Positioned to expand

iCan House Mission

With a foundation in positive thinking,

iCan House seeks to enhance the lives of those with social

challenges by:

• teaching social skills,

• providing educational opportunities,

• maintaining a hub for resources,

• and providing a support network for those in need.

862 West 4th Street, Winston-Salem336-723-0050

info@icanhouse.comwww.iCanHouse.org