Ben segment on the Pod Cast

[LaneOT]

As a pediatric occupational therapist, I am often asked how each child with autism will relate to WDW in general. This.segment allowed me to have a better understanding of what it is at WDW for a child with Asperger's and SI issues... Thank You Ben for being so honest and transparent... I will be recommending this show to my clients families...

 

[eeyorethegreat]

Ben and Tracey

Ben I would like to thank you for sharing your experiences with the podcast listeners. I saw this thread before I had a chance to listen to the podcast but didn't read it. When I started to listen I was very interested to hear what you had to say. Asperger's is something that is very familiar to my family. I have four children, three of them are "Aspie's" one is mildly OCD. That isn't the extent of the family experience with Asperger's, I have Asperger's as well. Needless to say this causes some pretty interesting scenarios when you have more than one person "stuck in a loop" at the same time! I listened to your show with my eldest (16 DS) and we enjoyed hearing what you had to say about your experiences at WDW and it also started the conversation of things that have challenged us at WDW and activities that we enjoy and always feel comfortable with. Most of all though we agreed that WDW is the one place where we feel we belong. That is what keeps us going back.

I can tell you that I have seen great growth in my children over the years and I am amazed at how well they have overcome obstacles just as you have Ben, and as you will continue to. I also have the dual advantage of being able to know that being an Aspie has it's challenges but I also know that being an Aspie just means that there are barriers and hurdles that can and will be broken down and that we can learn to accomadate for our different way of experiencing things. Tracey, I am know you know it already but I'll say it anyway: you are an amazing Mom and you have a most incredible son!

Some people might not know what to think when they first meet someone with Asperger's but I think all the podcast listeners can now agree, thanks to Ben that once you take the time to listen to us you'll find that Aspies are TOTALLY COOL!

My best wishes to you Ben. You have a very bright future ahead of you! I hope we are priveledged enough to hear from you again sometime.

Thanks again, Ben and Tracey; and Thank you podcast team for allowing them to share their unique perspective and experiences. This was an invaluable show

 

[*NikkiBell*]

As a fifth grade reading teacher, I work with children on the autism spectrum quite regularly. In the past eight years, for example, I have had at least one student with autism/Asperger's every year. Last year, I had four. Listening to this segment brought tears to my eyes because I know how challenging it can be for a mother to help her child with this disorder and I also recognize how challenging it can be for the child himself. Similarly, I find it inspirational thinking of some of my more affected students. They amazed me with their growth in my classroom and how far they have come since then.

Congratulations to Ben and his mom for pushing through each and every day. You are worth it!

 

[rn4val]

Thank you Ben. It was a very inspiring segment. Hope to hear more from you.

 

[eeyorelvr09]

When I first starting listening to this, I thought that "he sounds familiar." Then, when it was mentioned that he was on the ABD trip in April I was glad that I knew I wasn't hearing things.

I am thoroughly impressed at how much Ben was in touch with his Aspergers and what things help him adjust to things in the parks and everyday life. I think that I speak for all of us that Ben is an inspiration to all of us and pushes us to be the best that we can be. I truly got emotional when his mother, Tracy (I believe), mentioned when Ben asked her if she wished for him to be different. I immediately started to cry (in Shop Rite). I completely agree that He has chosen parents who He feels that are completely capable of raising children to their fulll potential. Ben, you are truly blessed to have a mother and family that fully support you. And by family, I mean your everyday family as well as this DIS family.

Thank you, for sharing your story with us and I hope this is not the last that we hear from you and your family.

 

[pittsburghmarc]

I am very lucky. No one in my immediate or extended family for that matter has had to deal with any disease, disability, or major setback. Sure I've have lost a couple of close relatives to cancer, but in this day that is not uncommon.

Autism...never heard the word until 15 years ago. It almost seemed like a made up disease or excuse for bad behavior. After today when I listened to Ben's podcast, I feel terrible. I'm sure I'm the type of person Ben and his family has had the toughest time dealing with.

Now don't get me wrong, for as long as I can remember, I've always been accepting and compassionate to all people. But until today when this young man expressed his issues in such a clear, intelligent, and concise manner, I dismissed autism as something that could be dealt with in a manner similar to which other behavioral problems were in the decades in which I grew up.

I have been very wrong. I have learned a lot today. Actually, scratch that. What I learned today has had the most impact on me than anything I have learned, professionally or personally, in years.

 

[DSNYDREAMER]

Ben and I have been reading all of your posts and wanted to thank you all again! This has been an amazing experience for us and we are so pleased that it has touched so many of you.

We were hoping to help others going through similar issues. Hearing from people not touched by Aspergers and how our show has helped them understand was an unexpected gift.

Thank you.

 

[linnell]

Thank you! I said it before, my 4yo faces these same challenges and as his mom, it is hard for me to know when he is being difficult for the sake of being difficult or when he is really struggling. Something you said about meltdowns being just withdrawn and scared - my son looked like that a lot of the time we were in The World last year, but I never really thought about it as a meltdown. We put him in his stroller and told him when he needed space or to be left alone, to pull down the canopy, and he did that. But there were definitely points where I wondered if he was having fun. Of course, when we got home, he didn't stop talking about the trip!

So I'm going to really prepare him for our return trip in October. Now he is familiar enough with Disney and remembers what he liked and didn't like (he went on test track, btw, but did not like it because of the heat and cold rooms and the darkness).

Thanks again!

 

[ct_chris]

Thank you Ben for an amazing podcast! While I knew some about Asperger's syndrome (AS) prior to this podcast, hearing Ben's first hand perspective on the challenges and rewards of going to Disney with AS was so enlightening and inspirational. I hope you continue to speak out and give a voice to autism as you have a gift for podcasting.

 

[Sooze]

I can't tell you how many workshops and trainings on Autism/Asperger's I've attended as a teacher. There have been many.

None of them taught me anything as well as this Podcast segment did!!

Hearing things FIRST HAND from a person who lives it every single day, and his very supportive mother... that made all the difference.

What you shared with me will improve my ability to relate to, assist, and educate my students on the spectrum.

Thanks so much!!!

 

[kahblue]

Thank you, Ben, for sharing your experiences at WDW with all of us! I really learned a lot. My 14 year old son has Down syndrome and autism. He is non-verbal so he can't express why he doesn't like something to me. You gave me so many things to consider when he gets nervous and/or frustrated. Thankfully, Justin loves WDW and can almost handle anything there.

WDW is definitely a special place. We, as a family, feel "normal". I actually can feel like I'm on vacation since Disney does so many things to make Justin's experience there so nice for him. That's why we have been going there these past 4 years (heading there again in 3 weeks!).

And a special HUG goes out to your mom! Thank you, too, for all you do. I know, you are just doing what you need to do as a parent. But, it's always good to know you aren't alone. Advacacy for our kids is so important!

Julie and Corey: you, too, are amazing parents! We always say that if a magic pill was available to give to Justin to "make him normal", we wouldn't. He wouldn't be who he is. We wish he was higher functioning but that's different.

One more "thank you": to all you out there that learned something today. Thanks in advance for being more understanding to those with special needs, no matter how obvious those needs may be

 

[Mndisneygirl]

Amazing segment! Just finished listening. I was in tears along with everyone else. I absolutely loved hearing about Ben's connection with Walter on the ABD trip.

Way to go Ben! And THANK YOU!!! It was very enlightening and funny too! I only personally know one person with a very high functioning son with Asperberger's. I was given a lot of information and perspective.

So many truths were told. Kevin has said it so many times - until you walk in someone else's shoes, you don't know why they do what they do. And it is none of your business. RIGHT ON!

I will resolve to be less judgmental of people in such situations. (not that I thought I was very judgmental in the first place). But now I have a whole different perspective.

Julie and Corey and Tracey - You are amazing and wonderful examples!! Keep up the good work and keep talking about your families!

 

[Pooh's Hunny]

I listened yesterday with my 15 year old DD who has Asperger's. It was good for her to hear experiences from another teen who is clearly
Ok with being an Aspie. She was only diagnosed a couple of years ago, so is still not very good at being able to verbalize her challenges or how they affect her. I cried when it was mentioned that at WDW he was just a normal kid since I think this every time we go. Thank you for sharing your life with us. I hope to hear more about how you cope as a teen. And Tracy, kudos to you for letting him be on his own at Epcot--I would have been a nervous wreck (and possibly would have followed her around in secret for a bit!).

 

[EvangelineG]

I also wanted to say how much I enjoyed this podcast. Thank you so much Ben!

I have two sons with Aspergers, and will be visiting WDW in a few months. We are all soooooo looking forward to it.

 

[disneydreamgirl]

Loved the segment...and was struck by how alike Tracey and Ben are to my sister and my nephew.
Tracey - my sister, Jill, is so like you. She was uniquely able to help my nephew, Nick, become the young man that he is today. He graduated high school this year and is working on the next step in his education and will attend college soon. He plays football, too, as well as rugby and is really into computers. He has a part-time job and is a really hard worker. He's such an entertaining guy and has some great friends, but without encouragement and working tirelessly to build coping mechanisms, never mind unwavering efforts to advocate for him, it could have been very different. There were lots of people who discounted him and told her there was no way that he would succeed. She has never let him shy away from experiences, just helped him figure out how to make it work for him. I think you are that kind of remarkable mom, as well.

Ben - you are a great young man! So well-spoken!

Thanks so much for your segment...I am going to burn it for my sister to listen to. She has a friend whose youngest son has Asperger's and I bet they will find it helpful as well.

 

[ninecrayons]

I'm behind in listening to the podcast, but wanted to chime in on the Ben segment.

It was amazing to me to hear about life from the perspective of someone with autism. There are so many things that I've witnessed but never understood and Ben managed to articulate that so way. Bravo!

My brother was never diagnosed with autism, but he is definitely on the autism spectrum. He struggles with communicating and has a variety of sensory and social issues. For a variety of reasons, or relationship has always been very distant. My brother's inability to communicate has definitely been part of that. Right now we share a two family house and even though we live in the same space, we still don't substantially converse.

Hearing Ben talk about having this want to communicate but not knowing how to express it or start the conversation really struck a chord with me. I'd always thought that we struggled to communicate because we had nothing in common or worse, because my brother didn't want to interact with me. Ben's segment on the podcast made me see those aren't necessarily the reasons why we're struggling to communicate and there may be opportunities to interact that we're missing. Ben's segment really has given me the push to work to build a better relationship with my brother.

 

[disnia]

This was such a great piece I had to post, and I never post!

My boys (10 and 8) both have ADHD, my younger son has sensory issues and though has not been diagnosed with Asperger syndrome, he has been termed as borderline.

Everything Ben talked about hit home for me. I'm just sitting here nodding along with the story. I hope my boys grow up to be as smart, brave, and articulate as Ben.

 

[Pastamom]

What a great segment Ben and Tracey!!!!

I hope my sons grow up to become as well spoken as you do Ben.

Tracey - what a great Mom you are to have never settled.

I also have 2 sons (10 and 12) with ADHD. The youngest one has some sensory issues also (I always have ear plugs in my bag and does not like the unknown. I have run into people who assume that I should be happy my children with "quirks" are doing ok. I know they can do better than ok. Sometimes I feel like I am up against a brick wall fighting for my children. Thank you for giving me the motivation and determination to fight on.

 

[DisneyKevin]

It's my understanding that Ben is working on his next segment.

We're all eagerly awaiting his next visit.

 

[KristEn87]

That's fantastic news Kevin! I was just wondering when we'd hear another Ben segment!