Bobbi Sheahan
Author of What I Wish I'd Known about Raising a Child with Autism

Speaking Engagements & Interviews

The Coffee Klatch TweetChat, September 2011
Lorna and Pierette d'Entremont chat with Bobbi Sheahan on Twitter, September 5, 2011.

"Mom Shares Tips on How to Raise a Child with Autism," on Special Kid School Talk, August 2011
Dr. Kari Miller interviews Bobbi Sheahan for Special Kid School Talk on BlogTalkRadio, August 14, 2011.

Kid Companions, August 2011
Lorna d'Entremont interviews Bobbi Sheahan for the Kid Companions blog, August 2, 2011.

It's Your Health Radio, July 2011
Bobbi Sheahan was a live guest on It's Your Health Radio, July 27, 2011. She was interviewed about her book, What I Wish I'd Known About Raising a Child with Autism.

Autism Articles

"Wandering and Other Dangerous Behaviors in Autism" by Bobbi Sheahan and Kathy DeOrnellas for welcometomyplace, February 2012
Excerpt: "My daughter's running phase lasted for four years. Four. Long. Years. I remember vividly the day that she stood transfixed, staring at an open gate, repeating the cautions I'd been saying to her for years. I admit it -- I cried. For joy, for relief, and for finally being able to laugh about the time she escaped on a tricycle and took years off the end of my life."

"Autism 101: What the Rest of Us Need to Know" by Bobbi Sheahan and Kathy DeOrnellas for welcometomyplace, January 2012
Excerpt: "Almost everyone knows someone with autism, and it has an enormous impact on families, school systems, and communities. Whether you're trying to understand your nephew or a child in your daughter's class or you're a businessperson trying to understand how to accommodate people with autism, autism touches your life – or it will soon."

"Watch Out: Her Mind's Loaded!" by Bobbi Sheahan for icantseecauseyouretalkingtooloud, January 2012
Excerpt: "It made me think that all of that knowledge was locked up inside her just waiting to come out, like language inside a person who seems to us to be nonverbal. May we all think about that the next time we start to assume anything about someone else's intelligence."

"#youmightbeanautismparent If You've Seen This Hashtag" by Jean Winegardner for The Washington Times, December 2011
Excerpt: "If you're an autism parent and you're on twitter, you have probably seen the hashtag #youmightbeanautismparentif floating through your tweetstream... You might have sent a few of these tweets out yourself. It all started back on November 20, when Jenny Herman (@manyhatsmommyMI) and Elise Ronan(@RaisingASDKids) created the hashtag almost by accident. Herman wrote a tweet about an autism mom she found particularly funny on twitter. 'I think @BobbySheahan should start an autism comedy circuit. Maybe we should get a round going here: 'You might be an #autism parent if...'"

"Struggles of Special Needs Moms: Feeling Lonely, Incompetent and Alone" by Lorna d'Entremont for Kid Companions, November 2011
Excerpt: "Learn the art of 'no.' You don't have to accept every invitation. Remember to enjoy the holidays with YOUR family. Knowing best what your child needs in this holiday season, and providing it is your most important responsibility. Believe that your best is what your child needs and start 'simplifying life' around the holidays. Yes, you will have to come up with your own new traditions. The hardest part is accepting that it's enough and it's OK... because it works for you."

"Seven Things I Wish Someone Had Told Me When My Daughter Was First Diagnosed with Autism" by Bobbi Sheahan and Kathy DeOrnellas for Special Education Advisor, October 2011
Excerpt: "7. If you've seen one child with autism, you've seen one child with autism. Nobody can tell you what your child will be capable of tomorrow or next year. Keep a journal and listen to kind people who haven't seen your kid in awhile so that you don't lose perspective on how far he's come. And, for that matter, how far you've come. You will be impressed."

"Special Needs Parents: Isolation, Grief, Guilt, and Fear" by Lorna d'Entremont for Autisable.com, October 2011
Excerpt: "For some overwhelmed parents professional counseling is needed to carry on. Seeking help can be difficult, but it's the best, healthiest way to survive hopelessness or sad feelings! Bobbi Sheahan quotes in her book, What I Wish I'd Known about Raising a Child with Autism, 'If Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy.' Therefore, take care of yourself to help all the others depending on you."

"Could it be Autism? Fear Not! Knowledge is Power" by Bobbi Sheahan and Kathy DeOrnellas for WomenConnectOnline.com, September 2011
Excerpt: "Let's say your child isn't talking by his second birthday, or her senses seem calibrated differently than those of other kids. Or, maybe you just have a gut feeling that she isn't connecting with people. Maybe people are pointing out that your child is walking around on tiptoe or pacing the perimeter of the playground instead of interacting with others. Perhaps your child has had a shocking meltdown, or a series of them, and, if your experience is like that of many parents of children with special needs, the world's response has been less than kind."

"Autism: The Diagnosis Parents Fear" by Kathy DeOrnellas and Bobbi Sheahan for HowtoLearn.com, August 2011.
Excerpt: "We don't want to minimize the impact of autism, because it is life-changing for a family. On the other hand, it really does get better from here, and we urge you to reach out for support. Every community (not to mention the Internet) has a support system for families living with autism, and you will need the friendship and the hope, as well as the concrete information."

"Is It Autism? The First Signs" by Bobbi Sheahan and Kathy DeOrnellas for AndaazTV.com, March 2011.
Excerpt: "Maybe it's just your gut instinct. Or it could be a teacher, or your in-laws. Maybe a friend has suggested that your child is different, perhaps even hinted that you might have him assessed. In any event, you know that your child is different. Some things look like delays and other things look like -- well, we have no idea what to make of them. Are you wondering how to make sense of your child's behavior?"

"Autism: Just How Widespread is it, and What Are We to Do?" by Bobbi Sheahan and Kathy DeOrnellas for AndaazTV.com, April 2011.
Excerpt: "Let's say that you are concerned or curious about whether your child may have autism; it's time to find some answers. Where do you turn? It is important to get a good assessment from a qualified professional who can diagnose (or rule out) autism by comparing your child's behavior to a set of symptoms that have been established as the diagnostic criteria."

"Is It Autism? How to Find the Right Professional to Assess Your Child" by Bobbi Sheahan and Kathy DeOrnellas for AndaazTV.com, May 2011.
Excerpt: "It is often difficult -- and scary -- to get to the point of seeking help; the help that you find should be effective. You should know within a few sessions if you have found someone who can offer useful guidance to your child. Listen to your instincts."

"Why We Choose to Homeschool" by Bobbi Sheahan for Home Educating Family, January 2012
Excerpt: "Homeschooling has not granted us perfectly obedient children with clean rooms, impeccable penmanship, and their own home-based corporations. Our school mascot is a sock monkey, my kids have decided that pajama pants are our school uniform, and 'If I Only Had a Brain' is our school song."

"Watch Out: Her Mind's Loaded!" by Bobbi Sheahan for icantseecauseyouretalkingtooloud, January 2012
Excerpt: "It made me think that all of that knowledge was locked up inside her just waiting to come out, like language inside a person who seems to us to be nonverbal. May we all think about that the next time we start to assume anything about someone else's intelligence."

Bobbi's Other Writings

"From Workaholic Lawyer to (Sort Of) Full-Time SAHM: Seven Things I (Sort Of) Learned From My Journey" by Bobbi Sheahan for Campfire Song, December 2011
Excerpt: "I fell for the idea that there was One Book, One Perfect Way, One School of Thought that was going to be good for all of my kids. And me. That's called magical thinking, which is a nice word for insanity. That kind of thinking doesn't even last through the first sleepless night. The shoe that fits one person pinches the toes off of another. The idea isn't to find The Perfect Way. The idea is to discover Your Way and then do it as best you can."

"Wednesday's Woman--Bobbi Sheahan, Author" by Bobbi Sheahan for Many Hats Mommy, September 2011.
Excerpt: "As I have begun to promote the book and speak to other parents who need information and encouragement about their young child who has or may have autism, I see that there are a lot of people who are bright, well-intentioned, and seriously in need of good information about the enormous change that autism has brought to their lives. In other words, they are just like I was."

"Travel Through Books (Recommended Readings)" by Bobbi Sheahan for Entrepreneur, July 2009.
Excerpt: "Books cost a lot less than airfare, and they offer the added bonus of time travel. I like a nice mix of fiction and nonfiction--really, anything that's well-written and gives me a sense of place."