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.

What Are You Wearing This Week?
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Posted on October 15, 2013 by

Welcome to another Tuesday with TED. This week we are watching Jessi Arrington, a color-loving designer based in Brooklyn. Jessi packed NOTHING for her TED talk but seven pairs of underpants, buying the rest of her clothes in thrift stores … Continue reading →

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What It’s Like to Live with Autism
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Posted on October 10, 2013 by

People ask me all the time what it’s like to live with an autistic child. Crazy, I tell them. It’s a lttle crazy. My child is like a Husky in human form. They always laugh. The truth is I was … Continue reading →

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A Painter, A Pendulum, and Parkinson’s
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Posted on October 8, 2013 by

Welcome to another Tuesday with TED. This week we have artist Tom Shannon in his Manhattan studio talking with journalist John Hockenberry in “The Painter and the Pendulum.” This eye-opening conversation reveals how nature’s forces — and the onset of Parkinson’s … Continue reading →

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Structure’s Slippery Slope
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Posted on October 3, 2013 by

This summer, due to an electrical service upgrade, my house was without power on an intermittent basis. Sometimes it was off for only 30 minutes; sometimes most of the day. Sometimes the power company would send a letter telling us … Continue reading →

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The Birth of a Spoken Word Poet
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Posted on October 1, 2013 by

Welcome to another Tuesday with TED. This week we have spoken word poet Sarah Kay telling the story of her metamorphosis from a wide-eyed teenager soaking in verse at New York’s Bowery Poetry Club to a teacher connecting kids with the … Continue reading →

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A Decade of Change
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Posted on September 26, 2013 by

Maybe it’s because I recently attended my high school reunion, but I’ve been thinking a lot about where I want to be next year when I turn 50. It seems impossible. How could I actually be 50? I find it … Continue reading →

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Txting is killing language. JK!!!
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Posted on September 24, 2013 by

Welcome to another Tuesday with TED. Today we have linguist John McWhorter who claims “Txting is killing language. JK!!!” Does texting mean the death of good writing skills? John posits that there’s much more to texting — linguistically and culturally … Continue reading →

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Update on Publication in Special Needs Anthology
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Posted on September 22, 2013 by

Back in June I learned that one of my stories had been accepted for publication in a yet-to-be-named anthology for special needs moms. The anthology now has a name: Monday Coffee & Other Stories of Mothering Children with Special Needs. … Continue reading →

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Separation Anxiety
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Posted on September 19, 2013 by

Lately Katie has been struggling with what I can only call separation anxiety. This is a bit odd as she has always detached from me quite easily. Even at age three, when she transitioned into the autism program in my … Continue reading →

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The Art of Asking
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Posted on September 17, 2013 by

Welcome to another Tuesday with TED. Today we have musician Amanda Palmer who talks about “The Art of Asking.” Amanda examines the evolving relationship between artist and fan. I’ve seen this one several times and I still think it’s brilliant. How … Continue reading →

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