Polly's pages (aka 'Donna Williams')

Ever the arty Autie

Do Autistic People Lie?

April13

It’s a (disproven) stereotype that those with autism can’t lie. Some Auties and Aspies CAN and DO lie and have talked openly about how and why they did or were compelled to. Others can’t or don’t. But what defines the difference? What decides who can and does, who can and doesn’t, who can’t but would if they could, who can’t but even if they could wouldn’t? Read the rest of this entry »

The Facts about Facilitated Communication

March17

Facts About Facilitated Communication
by Douglas Biklen
from http://www.autism-resources.com/papers/facts_about_FC Read the rest of this entry »

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The ABC of valid facilitated communication – a tribute to Anne McDonald

March15

Anne McDonald

My husband Chris and I went to dinner with Anne Mc Donald for several years. We went once a month and Anne was often the life of the party. Hard for some people to imagine given that Anne had almost no comprehensible verbal speech whatsoever. Read the rest of this entry »

The World’s Greatest Shave – a post chemo perspective

March3

Donna's chemo by Chris Samuel

In The World’s Greatest Shave people shave off all their hair in support of those doing chemo. Read the rest of this entry »

Autism and Toileting

February25

As an autism consultant since 1996, and a person diagnosed with autism at the age of two, I am very aware of the wide range of issues that can come together as a ‘toileting drama’ for someone with autism. Read the rest of this entry »

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Autism and the role of facilitation for functionally non verbal people

February25

Today non-verbal children and adults with autism are being introduced to iPads. But it was not always so. In fact first attempts to help people with autism communicate via pointing using letterboards, using typewriters and the early hand held communication devices were slammed by most autism experts who claimed everything from these being a threat to the person ever developing verbal speech to insisting entire schools and residential settings had the right to banish the use of communication devices by people with autism. Read the rest of this entry »

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Characteristics of Narcissistic Mothers

February24

Here’s an awesome article which is NOT written by me but is by an anonymous author. I would have written pretty much what they’ve already written but they’ve done it so well I wouldn’t need to do my own version. It is filled with what any scapegoat of a mother with Narcissistic Personality Disorder will relate to. Read it. Read the rest of this entry »

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Mothers who sexually abuse their daughters

December17

However appalling the topic, when it comes to hearing from women sexually abused by fathers, uncles, brothers, grandfathers, society is at least aware of the issue. As a society we have become so used to the potential of men to abuse that men working with children or interested to do so are sometimes instantly under suspicion. Yet up to 40% of those who sexually abuse children are women and around 10% of reported child sexual abuse of girls is perpetrated by the child’s mother. Read the rest of this entry »

Barry Humphries as The Goblin King in a world of Hobbits

June22

Donna Williams aged 9

Donna Williams aged 9

I’ve always had a strong reaction to images of Barry Humphries. Read the rest of this entry »

Remembering Australian Entertainer Smacka Fitzgibbon

June13

Donna Williams aged 8 with GTS convertible

Donna Williams aged 8 with GTS convertible

In 1970, when I was 7 years old, my family had moved from the small rented house into a big two story house in Preston. In went a built in swimming pool, well supplied bar, snooker table, chandeliers, mirror walls, and filled with antiques and racks of guns displayed openly on the walls. There was a revolver in the drawer of the front dresser just inside the front door. Read the rest of this entry »

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