The alt.support.autism FAQ
"Organising a group of autistics is rather like herding cats."

Updates and Additions Last updated July 18th 2003
	FAQ now moved to new location at www.mugsy.org/asa_faq Contacts for FAQ now Mike Stanton and John Muggleton Experimental change to font colours - please provide feedback

alt.support.autism charter (established at the creation of this group in January 1998):

This newsgroup is for support, information and discussion pertaining to the full spectrum of Autism and related conditions. Participants welcomed include first and foremost people with Autism spectrum conditions (including Autism, Asperger Syndrome, PDD-NOS), but also their parents, professionals working in the field, and other interested people.

This is an unmoderated newsgroup. A safe and supportive atmosphere is important and participants are encouraged to govern themselves in this matter. Postings containing binary (= non-text) files, advertising not related to the subject, and other off-topic traffic are inappropriate. Crossposting to other groups is discouraged.

This Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document is produced in response to requests from people who felt that such a guide would help people get more out of the newsgroup from the time they join it. It is not some kind of charter or rule book, and "violations" of the FAQ will not result in anyone being ostracised or condemned. However, it is hoped that misunderstandings will be minimised.

Contents

1. Getting Along: A Guide for Newbies to alt.support.autism
   Suggestions for understanding and communicating with the strange characters on a.s.a and autistic people in general.
2. Definitions: Autism and related conditions
   General information about autism and some of its related conditions.
3. Treatments: Treatments, Therapies and Would-be Cures
   Common and uncommon treatments for Autistic Spectrum Disorders
4. Issues: Common issues and topics on a.s.a
   Some of the issues which are frequently discussed and debated on alt.support.autism.
5. Insiders: Personal perspectives on autism
   Meet some of the people who post to a.s.a and learn about how we see life on the autistic spectrum.
6. Glossary: In-words and acronyms
   List of definitions of common (and less common) abbreviations and terms used on a.s.a.
7. Resources: Links and books
   Links and books for more information.

Notes

• Newbies (new readers): If you are:
  1. New to the online autism community familiarise yourself with the lingo at: Glossary.
  2. New to alt.support.autism: start with Getting Along to avoid some of the common problems newbies face in our unique group.
• Frames:
  1. The navigation frame at the left is provided for your convenience. View this site without frames.
  2. Break out of another site's frames.
• Disclaimer: This document has not been compiled by medical or psychology professionals and should not be construed as medical advice. For diagnosis and treatment for Autistic Spectrum Disorders, please consult a competent medical or psychology professional.

Originally compiled by Anna Hayward on behalf of the alt.support.autism newsgroup, November 2000. Original site design and HTML by Kalen Molton. Please address any general queries to Mike Stanton. Broken links and problems of a technical nature should be addressed to John Muggleton by entering details in the comments box of the form here. Any opinions expressed in this article are personal and should not be construed as medical advice. We are not representatives of any of the companies discussed, nor do we receive any form of commission.

The latest version of this faq is at www.mugsy.org/asa_faq