The support group meetings are open to anyone with an interest in autism. The family activities and breakfasts are intended for families who include children on the autism spectrum or are in the process of evaluation..

 notice , we will be charging a fee for family activities we plan in the future since we have not recieved any donations this year.ASSG has always operated with money from donations . All support meetings are free to attend .

Autism Spectrum Support Group of Lebanon County

                                             February and March 2012

The support group meetings are open to anyone with an interest in autism. The family activities and breakfasts are intended for families who include children on the autism spectrum or are in the process of evaluation. I have attached the paramount waiver for your convenience, it's probably easier for you to print it out and fill it out at home.

Cancellations for snowy weather will be posted on www.lebanonautism.com 2 hours prior to the start time of all events.

Recipe for Autism

            Suppose you have a recipe which lists flour, milk, eggs and some other stuff; combine and cook as you wish.  Can you guess what it would look or taste like? That’s kind of like people with autism spectrum disorders; they have some basic ‘ingredients’ in common but are unique as, well, anyone without autism.

            Autism is a spectrum disorder which simply means it can range from mild to severe.  Someone with Aspergers Syndrome (AS) or High Functioning Autism (HFA)

may lead a fairly typical life laced with some eccentricities.  A person with classic autism and a low level of functioning may require custodial care for life. How can this be? How can both groups fall under the same label?

            First, I will tell you what the basic ingredients are for any autism spectrum disorder. There are just 3: A communication deficit, a social skills deficit and a sensory processing disorder.  That seems easy enough...until you realize the all encompassing importance these elements have in any human life.

            Communication is a huge issue. How can you live within our community without a means to communicate?  This deficit can range from not being able to recognize that vocal sounds have meaning, to a person who has an unusual speech pattern and/or poor conversational skills; and , of course, anywhere in between.

            It may surprise you to know that most communication is not spoken. It has been estimated that up to 90% of communication is nonverbal.  How do you know if someone is unhappy with you, tired of listening to you or trying to get your attention?  Who teaches you this stuff?  The answer is nobody and everybody!  Most humans just pick up on social skills without direct teaching.  The neurotypical brain (without autism) is wired to learn social skills just by living in a social group.  The autistic brain is not.  Someone with a higher functioning level of autism is often aware that everyone around them has social knowledge that they don’t have. They just don’t know where it came from or how to get it. A person on the opposite end of the spectrum may not care to interact with other people at all.  And, once again, a person could fall anywhere in between these two extremes.

            The third ingredient is perhaps the most complicated. Our senses are very subjective. No one can feel what you feel, see what you see, or taste what you taste. To those with autism, some sounds, lights, tastes and textures can be a bit distracting to downright painful. Once again, everyone is an individual. Many people with autism require extra sensory stimulation to be comfortable. People with autism often have self stimulatory behaviors (stims) like arm flapping or rocking back and forth that help them to calm.  Many will seek out certain things to make them feel calm, like watching things that spin or spinning themselves, flipping light switches on and off, or lining things up.  There are an infinite number of sensory difficulties and intensities.

            No matter how you combine these three ingredients and, don’t forget all the other seasonings, like genetics, upbringing, cultural differences, etc.; the end result will always be a unique human being.  Part of our humanity is the need to categorize and label.  We need to be careful, we are, each and every one of us, made from an original recipe created by God, a culinary masterpiece.


Current statistics (2010) in the US are 1 in 91 children have a autism spectrum disorder, 9 of 10 are boys.  There is no "cure" but many therapies exist that may optimize functioning in the non-autistic community.  Many people with high functioning autism do not believe they require a 'cure'; they are comfortable with who they are.  Many have an intense interest in a specific topic and can excel in it. Job opportunities are limited by unusual behaviors and poor social
judgement. Society needs to have an improved attitude toward those with autism. Simple accomodations can help an autistic individual be a valuable & contributing member of society.
Ignorance and intolerance can hold that same individual back from realizing their full potential.
People with autism work very hard to fit into the neurotypical culture; can't we meet them half way!