Author Archives: Cynthia J. Patton

About Cynthia J. Patton

Writer, Editor, Advocate, Speaker, Special Needs Attorney, and Autism Mom. Also the Founder and Chairperson of Autism A to Z, a nonprofit providing resources and solutions for life on the spectrum.

Pioneers
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Posted on April 16, 2015 by

  Given that I recently completed a poetry chapbook of autism poems (oh yes I did!) and read at an autism awareness event sponsored by the Sacramento Poetry Center at the UC Davis MIND Institute in Sacramento earlier this week, … Continue reading →

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Second Guest Post on Monday Coffee
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Posted on April 14, 2015 by

The multi-talented Liz Whiteacre asked me to do another guest post for the Monday Coffee and Other Stories of Mothering Children with Special Needs website and blog. If you remember, I had a story published in the Monday Coffee anthology back in … Continue reading →

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Flyer for Autism Awareness Event at the UC Davis MIND Institute
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Posted on April 11, 2015 by
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Autism Awareness Event at the UC Davis MIND Institute
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Posted on April 9, 2015 by

This week I am busy stressing out over the upcoming autism awareness event at the UC Davis MIND Institute.  I will be a featured reader at this wonderful event which is sponsored by the Sacramento Poetry Center.  I’ll be reading both poetry … Continue reading →

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Cynthia’s Yearlong 50th Birthday Bash, March Update
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Posted on April 2, 2015 by

As I described back in April 2014 (you can read the post here), I celebrated my 50th birthday with a year of activities, challenges, and FUN designed to honor this milestone. I called it Cynthia’s Yearlong 50th Birthday Bash, and … Continue reading →

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An Unexpected Detour
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Posted on March 26, 2015 by

Back in November 2014, I launched my second push to complete the third draft of my memoir. My goal was to edit the first 100 pages and rewrite the second 100 pages. By the end of the year I planned … Continue reading →

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Thank You, I’m Fine
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Posted on March 19, 2015 by

It’s ironic that of all the disabilities my daughter could have had, Katie was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Kids on the spectrum have trouble identifying and labeling their emotions. But sadly, so do I. No, I’m not on the … Continue reading →

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Guest Post at Monday Coffee
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Posted on March 17, 2015 by

The multi-talented Liz Whiteacre asked me to do a guest post for the Monday Coffee and Other Stories of Mothering Children with Special Needs website and blog. If you remember, I had a story published in the Monday Coffee anthology … Continue reading →

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Some Thoughts on Luck (And Other Stuff)
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Posted on March 12, 2015 by

As Saint Patrick’s Day approaches, I’ve been thinking a lot about luck. Most people think it’s incredibly unlucky that after eight years of infertility, my ex and I adopted a baby girl who turned out to have autism spectrum disorder—a … Continue reading →

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It’s IEP Season, Part 1
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Posted on March 5, 2015 by

My daughter Katie’s birthday was in January, so that means IEP (individualized education plan) season has begun. Like most special needs parents, I dread this time of year. As a single mom, it means a ton of meetings, paperwork, and … Continue reading →

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