Signs of Autism Poster

Great Expectations - Starting the School Year Off Right

Written by Maureen Bennie  |  Autism Awareness Centre September is here which means the start of a new school year. Great expectations and high hopes abound. Maybe your child is going to a new school this year or attending school for the first time. Parents and children can feel both excited and anxious. How can you make this year a successful one? What is both reasonable and attainable this school year?

At Home 

• To make mornings a little less stressful, lay clothes out the night before, make lunches and check agendas for communication, forms etc. 
• If your child has trouble waking up, set the alarm 15 minutes earlier than needed to allow time to rise. 
• Post a visual schedule or checklist where your child can see it to know what needs to be done before leaving in the morning - bathroom routines, packing a backpack, dressing etc.

READ MORE >>



At School

• Send an All About Me form to school about your child that lists special interests, dietary restrictions, strengths, sensory issues and anything else you think may be important for school staff to know. 
• Let the teacher know if you are a family that does homework or not. Homework can be a huge stress to family harmony and may not be worth it. 
• Make the teacher aware of your communication preferences - e-mails, notes in the agenda, separate communication book, or regular phone calls.

READ MORE >>

Your Child

• Establish a school days routine. Set regular times for bed, meals, leisure, computer use, bath etc. Now is your chance to change something that didn't work last year since this is a new year. 
• Create a communication system for your child to know how their day went. Most students I used to teach would say they did nothing in school when asked. With limited communication skills, try circling activities done that day on a sheet. Discuss the weather, make observations. These things help a child develop small talk and conversational skills. 
• Make time for special interests during the week. Waiting until the weekend can be too long!  

READ MORE >>

No year will ever be perfect - life is full of ups and downs. By establishing routines, leisure activities, small goals, and reasonable expectations, you're bound to have a year with good memories and positive events.

The Signs of Autism Poster

The 5-Point Scale and Emotional Regulation

By Kari Dunn Buron

Emotional regulation can be defined as the ability to separate your emotional responses to a problem from the thinking you must perform to resolve the problem. The 5-point scale is a visual system that can help to organize a person’s thinking when working through difficult moments, particularly those that require social understanding.

Autism impacts a person’s ability to understand social information. This can involve understanding other people’s intentions, knowing how to manipulate social situations, and repairing social interactions that have gone poorly. Difficulty in social thinking can affect a person’s ability to be comfortable in social situations and cause social confusion and anxiety. Social anxiety makes it even more difficult for a person with ASD to work through big emotions. Creating a visual system for working through challenging situations can be considered a strength based approach since most individuals with autism tend learn most effectively through concrete, predictable systems (Baron-Cohen).

The first step in using the scale to support emotional regulation is to identify problem areas for this person. For example, problems involving changes in routine, playing with peers, or following rules at work. The next step is to break the problem area into 5 parts clearly illustrating the degrees of the situation and putting this information onto a visual scale. A common issue when discussing emotional regulation is that of stress and anxiety. This is a good place to start, creating a scale that breaks down stress into the following 5 parts:

5 = This could make me lose control 

4 = This can really upset me

3 = This can make me nervous

2 = This sometimes bothers me

1 = This never bothers me

Continue Reading >> 

How to Best Approach an Autistic Child

Free image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

by KATHERINE | Autism United

As more and more children are diagnosed with autism and a lot of autistic children are joining the mainstream classroom, it is important that we are equipped with a general know-how of how to interact with an autistic child.

If you find yourself in a situation where you need to interact with an autistic child, the first thing you need to remember is that autism does not define the child. Do not label the child and categorize him in a box as this is not who he is. He is a special child with his own unique traits and character. Interact with him based on what you know of him as a child and not based on your perceptions of what you think autism is.

You can approach the child’s parents and try to talk to them regarding their child. Let them know that you want to interact with their child and would like to know how you can best approach their child. Some autistic child are uncomfortable with strangers and a direct approach may not always work. Sometimes what you need to do is to get him to be familiar with you first. You may need to give him some distance first before you can actually play beside him and interact with him.
READ MORE  >>

 

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5 Tips for Creating the Ideal Classroom for Autistic Children

Free image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

by KATHERINE | Autism United

When autistic children join the typical classroom setting, it is ideal that you make certain arrangements to make the autistic child comfortable in the traditional classroom. You should be aware that many items which are considered stimulating to typical children may be considered a distraction to an autistic child.

Here are some tips to help you create an ideal learning environment for autistic students:

1. Simple is always better
We all know that some autistic children can easily get overloaded when there are a lot of sensory stimulants present in the environment. To avoid this, it would be best to keep your classroom as simple as possible. Try to do away with colorful posters which surround the classroom walls as well as the various school materials and toys which are not needed as of yet. The simpler, the better. A busy classroom with lots of sensory stimulants will only make your autistic student feel stressed.

2. Reduce distractions
Some autistic children are easily distracted by anything that catches their fancy. To avoid this, it would be best that you cover all windows so that the child will not get distracted every time someone passes by the classroom. If it is possible to block out the sounds coming from outside the classroom, it would be a good idea to do that too. Blocking out all the outside distractions will encourage the child to focus on what is going on in the classroom.

3. Safe-proof your classroom
Compared to typical children, autistic children have a greater tendency to have temper tantrums or seizures. With this in mind, it is a good idea to safe-proof the classroom. Pay special attention to objects which could potentially be dangerous to a child having a tantrum or seizure. Keep the room spacious and free of any sharp edges. It would be a good idea to use rubber mats on the floor and to cover any sharp edges with cushions or rubber.

4. Create learning centers
It is also a good idea to create learning centers that would focus on certain subjects such as reading and math. Having these centers will allow the child to learn in a more comfortable and stress-free environment.

5. Create a visual schedule
Autistic children are more relaxed and comfortable when they can anticipate what will happen next. They do not like the uncertainty of not knowing what they will do next. To avoid this, it is a good idea to create a visual schedule of the activities that are scheduled for the day. This way, they will know exactly what will happen and how long the activity will be.

  

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Teaching Your Autistic Child to Write

Free image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

by KATHERINE | Autism United

When teaching handwriting to autistic children, it is important that you are aware of the issues that you and your child will face when learning how to write. Keep in mind that many autistic children have weak fine motor skills which makes it more difficult for them to learn the skill.

Here are some tips to help you teach handwriting to your child. With patience and these tips, your child will be able to learn this skill.

The first thing you need to do is to evaluate the level of your child’s fine motor skills. Check for activities that can help develop your child’s fine motor skills and try to include this in his daily activities. Some examples are: finger painting, squeezing stress balls, lacing beads on a string and even just playing with sand and water.  READ MORE >>

  

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Body Brushing Your Autistic Child

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by KATHERINE | Autism United

Majority of autistic children have a case of sensory integration disorder. This afferent condition is the outcome of the brain’s inability to consolidate information from the five basic sensory systems in the body. This often results to a sensory overload which could sometimes lead to a temper tantrum.

When you notice that your child is feeling overwhelmed from too much sensory stimulation, you can relax his nervous system by using a technique called body brushing, also known as dry brushing. This technique will provide your autistic child with the same sensation of movements or stimulus which will make him feel comfortable. This technique can be learned from an occupational therapist. If you are on the lookout for one, you can ask your child’s physician to refer you to one.

To perform the body brushing techniques, you need to buy a soft, surgical, plastic brush which has very soft bristles to ensure that your child’s skin will not be scratched. The right way to body brush your child is by holding the brush horizontal to the body while applying substantial pressure and evenly stroking it in an up and down motion. READ MORE >>

  

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How proud I am of my autistic son

Stuart Duncan

A couple of days ago, my wife and youngest child were out of town, leaving Cameron and I to play video games and spoil ourselves with treats.

I’m not sure if it’s just because it was the two of us or if he was just in the mood for it but at a completely random point in the day, he decided to tell me about the three little pigs and the big bad wolf. While telling me the story, he suddenly stopped and said “Dad? Can I talk to you about the pigs feelings?”

If you have a loved one with Autism, you can imagine how off guard this caught me.

Nobody Knows Anything: Autism Edition

The novelist and screenwriter William Goldman famously wrote that until a movie opens, "nobody knows anything" about how well it will do at the box office.

This quotation came to mind as I read two recent stories about possible causes of autism in the New York Times. The first, published on the front page Aug. 23, reported on a study that suggested the older a man is when he becomes a father, the more likely his child is to have autism.

Three days later, on the front page of its Sunday Review section, the Times published an article by Moises Velasquez-Manoff that declared autism is an inflammatory disease caused by a faulty immune system. Theorizing that the lack of parasites in the developed world has thrown the human immune system out of whack, Velasquez-Manoff suggests that autism has become more common because the parasites that used to limit inflammation no longer regulate our immune systems. He approvingly mentions a new trial in which autistic adults are being treated withtrichuris suis, a type of worm meant to help put the immune system back in balance.

My point in bringing up Goldman's "nobody knows anything" quote is not necessarily to criticize... MORE >>

Autism can have large effects, good and bad, on a disabled child’s siblings

Family Photo/FAMILY PHOTO - Ranit Mishori, top, with her brother Dror, who suffers from autism.

By Ranit Mishori, Published: September 3 | Washingtonpost.com
One of the least fun moments I recall from my years of growing up with an autistic brother was when he bit me on the cheek — just in time for my class photo. I was 12 and he was 11. I went into school with visible bite marks, and when they sat me in the chair for my solo shot, I told them that the cat had done it.

That’s one of the bad stories. As for a good one . . . um, to be honest, I have a hard time coming up with much.

I know that people are warmed by stories of siblings who selflessly shower the disabled child with love, attention and support. I think that’s great, too. And it’s for real for some siblings. But for many of us, relating to a sibling who is on the autism spectrum can be complicated.... READ MORE >>

The Autism Daddy Blog

I just came across the "Autism Daddy" Blog. I really enjoyed the way "Autism Daddy" expresses what he goes through. Here's a brief description: A 42 year old dad with a 9 year old son with severe autism. RANTING about autism on an anonymous Page and celebrating his son "Kyle". The following is the article I read and the link. ENJOY!

10 Greatest Autism Inventions Of The Past 100 Years (at least in my household)

Everybody's always RAVING about the Ipad and how it's the greatest invention for asd kids and it is GREAT. My 8 year old son with severe / classic / non-verbal autism has an Ipad and I wrote a post singing its praises (you can read that HERE), but lately every day it's the little things in life that I've been noticing.


So I decided to salute the inventors of the little things that have improved my asd kid's life and in some cases saved his life and in some cases save his life on a daily basis!


I'm sure a few of these are unique to my household and my autism lifestyle, but I'm sure there will be a few on my list that many other autism parents can relate to. READ MORE >>

Autism in the News

1. Almost half of kids with autism are bullied CBS News  Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a variety of different neurodevelopmental disorders that often cause social impairments, communication ... Half of autistic teens are bullied, parents report‎ Today.com (blog) Autistic Teens Commonly Face Bullying‎ MedPage Today School Bullies Prey on Children with Autism‎ New York Times (blog) Chicago Tribune - Examiner.com all 42 news articles »

   CBS News

2. Researchers receive autism grants ‎ Durham Herald Sun CHAPEL HILL – Two autism researchers in the University of North Carolina School of Medicine have each been awarded $12.6 million grants ... NIH Gives $100 Million to Autism Centers of Excellence Program‎ Opposing Views all 8 news articles »

   Opposing Views

3. 'RHONJ' Star Jacqueline Laurita Shares More About Son's Autism ‎ Huffington Post  Q: Are you going to become more vocal about autism issues, charity work ... Jacqueline: I've done a lot of charity work for autism in the past but ...

4. Autism Organization Has Chance to Win $250000 Grant ‎ WYTV He got some help finding the job. Spatara is autistic and is part of the Hermitage-based Transition to Adulthood Program that helps adults with autism find jobs.

5. Autism Expert Proven He is Anything But ‎ Glossy News (satire)  As one of the autistic teenagers I work with was leaving the centre, she saw a dog that had been injured somehow, and rather than coldly ...

6. App On iPod Touch Helps Autistic Adults Work More Efficiently ‎ Medical News Today With difficulties related to behavior, communication, cognition, and sensory processing, people withautism spectrum disorder (ASD) have a ... PDAs could help autistic people perform better at work‎ News-Medical.net New app allows people with autism to work‎ Examiner.com Apple iPod Touch Shown To Help Autistic People Get Jobs‎ RedOrbit Democratic Underground all 17 news articles »

   RedOrbit

7. Autism Breakthrough: Uncovering New Comorbidities That ... ‎ Broadcast Newsroom Denver, CO, September 04, 2012 --(PR.com)-- A worldwide breakthrough in the clinical evaluation ofautism will be announced at a news ...

8. Autistic boy 'left in toilet' ‎ Melbourne Weekly Port Phillip - 1 hour ago AN AUTISTIC boy was left in his school's toilet for about 40 minutes to calm down during an aggressive episode, a court has heard.

9. Bring positive change with autism awareness on campus ‎ The Stylus  These are characteristics that a college student with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) might have. To us, they may seem odd, awkward, ...

Well said... ♥ it!

Autism research welcomes patients, parents' input

SHARON GEKOSKI-KIMMEL / Staff Photographer
Jonathan Kratchman, 16, is happy to be part of autism research.

Children's Hospital trials get $668,000 grant.

By Paul Jablow
For The Inquirer

Jonathan Kratchman, a 16-year-old with autism from Cherry Hill, likes participating in medical research studies.

"They explain everything to him," says his mother, Amy Kratchman. "For once he feels that someone is listening to him. He's always asking, 'Mom, when's the next study?' "

Over the next few years, both mother and son will be spending even more time on the front lines of autism research. Amy Kratchman is part of a research team at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia that recently received a $668,000 federal grant to help doctors understand the treatment outcomes that children and parents really want.

Clinical trials are critical because they test new treatments and help improve care. And while it may seem obvious to take the views of parents and children into account, that hasn't been the case.

Patients and health professionals often "speak a very different language," says Katherine Bevans, lead researcher on the project.

Read more >>

Autism Speaks — Celebrity Golf Challenge

Autism Speaks is proud to present the

FOURTEENTH ANNUAL CELEBRITY

GOLF CHALLENGE

Co-Chairs: Susan & Kevin J. Murray

Honorary Co-Chairs: Suzanne & Bob Wright

• MONDAY, JUNE 11, 2012
• Winged Foot Golf Club
• 851 Fenimore Road
• Mamaroneck, New York 10543-2100
• 
  

• PAST CELEBRITY PARTICIPANTS HAVE INCLUDED:

  James Caan, Billy Crudup, Alice Cooper, Macaulay Culkin, Brooklyn Decker, Josh Duhamel, Boomer Esiason, Dennis Haysbert, Taylor Hicks, Nikki Hilton, LL Cool J, Bruce Jenner, Richard Kind, Nick Lachey, Matt Lauer, Eli Manning, Joe Mantegna, Tim Meadows, Cynthia Nixon, Chris O’Donnell, Jesse Palmer, Stone Phillips, Aidan Quinn, Molly Sims, John Starks, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Donald Trump
  
  
  

  Complete details at: www.AutismSpeaks.org