When Jean had her first child in 2001, "autism" was about the scariest word she could think of. Six years later when her second child was diagnosed with PDD-NOS, a form of autism, she was just happy to have a word to help him get the services he needed. Her autism journey has been full of tears, laughter, love and at least one attorney.
Jean blogs about her life with her autistic son, Jack, on her blog, Stimeyland. Her two neurotypical children, Sam and Quinn (one older, one younger than Jack), make frequent appearances there as well. Also at Stimeyland? Jean's quirky sense of humor.
She also runs AutMont, an events calendar listing autism-related events in Montgomery County, Maryland.
Raising a child with special needs is hard for so many reasons, but after living with Jack, Jean wouldn't trade him for anything in the world. Come along with Jean as she experiences the joys that come with parenting a special kid.
You can email Jean anytime at stimeyland at gmail dot com or follow her on Twitter, where, as "Stimey," she offers her world view in snippets of 140 characters or less.
Send Jean Winegardner a message
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Published 5:33 p.m. April 21, 2012
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Published 6:00 p.m. April 9, 2012
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Published 9:11 p.m. March 27, 2012
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Published 9:33 p.m. February 21, 2012
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Published 11:04 a.m. February 5, 2012
The Caring for Military Kids with Autism Act would eliminate barriers to treatment for military families who have kids with autism. It would also allow soldiers' dependents to continue to receive treatment after retirement.
Published 9:28 p.m. January 22, 2012
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Published 10:32 p.m. December 21, 2011
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Published 4:34 p.m. December 18, 2011
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Published 12:41 a.m. December 5, 2011
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Published 9:48 a.m. November 25, 2011
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Published 2:44 p.m. November 20, 2011
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Published 4:20 p.m. November 8, 2011
"Mapping Charlie" by autistic author Jane Meyerding is a fun, engaging murder mystery. What's more, it's a fascinating glimpse into the life of a faceblind, autistic adult.
Published 12:49 a.m. November 1, 2011
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Published 10:00 p.m. October 11, 2011
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Published 12:44 p.m. September 30, 2011
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