This information-packed guest blog is the second in a series from my friend and colleague Dan E. Burns. Dan is absolutely passionate about asking tough questions and finding answers related to young adults living with autism and their families. Dan’s last guest post Funding Autism for Life addressed options families have for supporting and caring for individuals with autism when they age out of public school. This excellent post from Dan explores The Brookwood Community, the brain in relation to movement and exercise and much, much more. Enjoy!
Touch, See, Feel, Move: The Brookwood Community in Texas and the Autism Epidemic
By Dan E. Burns
“We don’t just believe in miracles,” my guide told me, “we rely on them.” White-haired and in her eighties now, striding ahead of me cell phone in hand, my guide, called “Me-Maw” by some of the residents who to flock around her, prefers to remain anonymous. “I didn’t build this wonderful place,” she explained. “It’s God’s doing.”
She opened door after door as we made our way through clusters of busy citizens in the ceramic workshops, gym, natatorium, and clinic to a fine, on-campus restaurant near the gift shop and gardens of The Brookwood Community, a 495-acre residential/educational village designed to enhance the lives of adults with disabilities.

Growing up in special education, I endured what felt like endless years of bullying. I've been called names, tossed in lockers and closets, and had my head shoved in toilets. I've been kicked, tripped, spat on, and had gum slapped on my head I can't tell you how many times, only for my friend to cut it out with a pocket knife. And, yes, that hurt.

Kids tantrum, fuss, squeal, yell, and scream. As a parent, you quickly learn what your tolerance level is.....then you rocket past it by 1,000%. You are able to handle much more than you would expect. Toss some Autism adventures into the mix and you have a real party at times. You talk to yourself, you don't sleep, your child doesn't sleep, you might be married but have no idea when the last time you had a real conversation with your spouse was, and then you have a job. Wait. Yes, that's right, you talk to yourself first.

It may almost sound to good to be true to some people. However after years of research and the development of an online, holistic, brain stimulating program, children are overcoming many characteristics and learning difficulties of someone who has autism. New research proves the theory this program is built from. By brain stimulation in a real world environment, rewiring of the brain can correct learning deficits. Creating new neuron pathways prior towards the completion of the pruning process can help a child to overcome learning difficulties.

It may almost sound to good to be true to some people. However after years of research and the development of an online, holistic, brain stimulating program, children are overcoming many characteristics and learning difficulties of someone who has autism. New research proves the theory this program is built from. By brain stimulation in a real world environment, rewiring of the brain can correct learning deficits. Creating new neuron pathways prior towards the completion of the pruning process can help a child to overcome learning difficulties.

View a parent/teacher talking about a holistic program that she used with her son who has autism and has made incredible gains towards overcoming learning deficits and was able to take him off of his medication due to using the 21st century, online, holistic, stimulating, educational program.

I celebrated 13 years of marriage to my beautiful wife and best friend yesterday. The evening was low-key and peaceful. Well, there was the tornado watch, tornado warning, heavy rains, sirens, vengeance, sheer winds, red/blue/green/purple/chartreuse colors spiraling across the television screen while the weatherman said to take cover. Nothing we haven't experienced before. We live in the eventful and sometimes mysterious world of autism.