Monday, October 11, 2010
Jaundice Link in newborns to autism
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39580262/ns/health-kids_and_parenting/?GT1=43001
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Siblings
Here is an article on a research study of the siblings of an autistic child: http://pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com/2010/10/08/siblings-of-kids-with-autism-have-language-delays/?hpt=T2
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
You Know You're Teaching an SPD Kid when....
This was an original blog post on "Hartley's Life With 3 Boys" and can be found here.
Hartley Steiner is a blogger with 3 boys, one whom is adopted and suffers from SPD, High Functioning Autism, Bi-Polar, and learning disabilities. She is an advocate for kids with special needs. She has a very large blog following and lots of information and external links can be found on her site.
I am going to re-post her list here because I think it gives you an idea on how Sensory Processing Disorder may affect your child in a typical classroom environment.
You Know You're Teaching an SPD Kiddo When...(a list for teachers and all of us who watch our kids struggle in school)
1. He chews his pencil, both the eraser and the lead, all day long.
2. He can’t seem to stay seated for over 30 seconds.
3. He constantly wants to get a “drink” but really he is just playing in the sink.
4. During circle time he sits virtually on top of the kid next to him.
5. You have to remind him that he cannot touch the hair of the girl next to him—no matter how cool it looks.
6. You implement Handwriting Without Tears program the first day — because you can’t read anything he writes.
7. He wears the same pair of Soft sweatpants (made to look like jeans) every single day.
8. He is the only one in class standing at his desk.
9. He BLURTS out the answers to every question, and talks all through story time.
10. At recess he climbs on the very TIP TOP of the jungle gym, where he is NOT allow.
11. He spends more time under the table than sitting at it.
12. He lit up when he saw the ball pit in the resource room.
13. He refuses to eat in the cafeteria on “Sloppy Joe Day” because it smells awful.
14. The collar, the sleeves, and a strange place directly in the center of his shirt are all dripping with spit from being chewed on all day.
15. Everyone around him gets a HUGE bear hug, whether they like it or not.
16. He covers his ears when you raise your voice to get the children’s attention.
17. His mother came in with two 3 inch binders, labeled and color-coded, lectured you about the DSM-IV and gave you an ear-marked and highlighted copy of The Ultimate Guide to Sensory Processing Disorder.
18. During art, he spent most of his time trying to glue his hands together instead of completing the project.
19. He is very proud of being the first kid in the entire school to do the monkey bars backwards.
20. He complains that the lights are too loud for him to concentrate, when you don’t hear a thing.
21. He simply cannot stop himself from using the “off limits” stapler on the teacher’s desk.
22. He knows by memory everything hanging on the classroom walls.
23. He asks you to 'push' him.
24. He can’t keep his hands to himself when standing in line; he is pushing or bumping the entire time but doesn't seem upset by it.
25. He spends his entire recess spinning in circles, but is never dizzy.
26. He is a little too enthusiastic about banging the drum during music class.
27. He takes pride in being the “door opener” or “lunch wagon puller”
28. He can repeat conversations you had with another teacher in the hallway
29. You find things in his desk that don’t belong there; teacher scissors, bingo markers, beads, crayons and other assorted small fun things
30. The bus ride to school seems to wind him UP UP UP— (and so does the bus ride home) no matter how tired you thought he was
Hartley Steiner is a blogger with 3 boys, one whom is adopted and suffers from SPD, High Functioning Autism, Bi-Polar, and learning disabilities. She is an advocate for kids with special needs. She has a very large blog following and lots of information and external links can be found on her site.
I am going to re-post her list here because I think it gives you an idea on how Sensory Processing Disorder may affect your child in a typical classroom environment.
You Know You're Teaching an SPD Kiddo When...(a list for teachers and all of us who watch our kids struggle in school)
1. He chews his pencil, both the eraser and the lead, all day long.
2. He can’t seem to stay seated for over 30 seconds.
3. He constantly wants to get a “drink” but really he is just playing in the sink.
4. During circle time he sits virtually on top of the kid next to him.
5. You have to remind him that he cannot touch the hair of the girl next to him—no matter how cool it looks.
6. You implement Handwriting Without Tears program the first day — because you can’t read anything he writes.
7. He wears the same pair of Soft sweatpants (made to look like jeans) every single day.
8. He is the only one in class standing at his desk.
9. He BLURTS out the answers to every question, and talks all through story time.
10. At recess he climbs on the very TIP TOP of the jungle gym, where he is NOT allow.
11. He spends more time under the table than sitting at it.
12. He lit up when he saw the ball pit in the resource room.
13. He refuses to eat in the cafeteria on “Sloppy Joe Day” because it smells awful.
14. The collar, the sleeves, and a strange place directly in the center of his shirt are all dripping with spit from being chewed on all day.
15. Everyone around him gets a HUGE bear hug, whether they like it or not.
16. He covers his ears when you raise your voice to get the children’s attention.
17. His mother came in with two 3 inch binders, labeled and color-coded, lectured you about the DSM-IV and gave you an ear-marked and highlighted copy of The Ultimate Guide to Sensory Processing Disorder.
18. During art, he spent most of his time trying to glue his hands together instead of completing the project.
19. He is very proud of being the first kid in the entire school to do the monkey bars backwards.
20. He complains that the lights are too loud for him to concentrate, when you don’t hear a thing.
21. He simply cannot stop himself from using the “off limits” stapler on the teacher’s desk.
22. He knows by memory everything hanging on the classroom walls.
23. He asks you to 'push' him.
24. He can’t keep his hands to himself when standing in line; he is pushing or bumping the entire time but doesn't seem upset by it.
25. He spends his entire recess spinning in circles, but is never dizzy.
26. He is a little too enthusiastic about banging the drum during music class.
27. He takes pride in being the “door opener” or “lunch wagon puller”
28. He can repeat conversations you had with another teacher in the hallway
29. You find things in his desk that don’t belong there; teacher scissors, bingo markers, beads, crayons and other assorted small fun things
30. The bus ride to school seems to wind him UP UP UP— (and so does the bus ride home) no matter how tired you thought he was
Monday, September 13, 2010
Occupational Therapy -with an SI approach
John is attending OT (occupational therapy) two times a week right now at Casa Colina Rehabilitation Hospital. The therapists working with him are working with a SI (Sensory Integration) approach. To understand this a bit more, I thought I would define SPD (Sensory Processing Disorder), the treatment, and how it all affects behavior, emotions, social skills, and motor skills.
What is SPD?
First, to understand SPD, we need to look at what Sensory Processing (sometimes called Sensory Integration) is all about. According to the Sensory Processing Foundation, sensory processing is our nervous systems way of receiving messages from the senses and turning them into appropriate motor and behavioral responses. If you touch something that is too hot, your nervous system interprets that touch and you react accordingly, realizing it is too hot. If you hear something that is too soft, you are able to react by turning the volume up because the nervous system interpreted the sense of hearing and sent the message that the volume was too low.
SPD, or sensory processing disorder, is when the signals do not get interpreted correctly and therefore, responses are not organized appropriately. The brain receives the sensory information incorrectly and inappropriate responses in behavior, emotions, motor planning, social skills, etc.
Some people with SPD may over-react to one of their senses, while others under-react. Some people are bothered by textures, tags on their clothing, certain foods, loud noises, bright lights, etc. Some people with SPD have poor posture, low motor planning, low muscle tone, appear klutzy, etc. Others crave sensations in what appears to be "overdrive", where they can't seem to get enough of a particular texture, swinging on a swing, spinning in circles, etc.
MANY PEOPLE THAT HAVE SPD GET MISDIAGNOSED FOR OTHER PROBLEMS BECAUSE THE BEHAVIORAL, EMOTIONAL, SOCIAL, MOTOR PLANNING, ETC. ARE AFFECTED AND CAN APPEAR AS SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
There have often been times throughout our journey where I have wondered if the "at risk" for autism diganosis or the PDD-NOS diagnosis for John was really just SPD. Children on the Autistic Spectrum have Sensory Processing problems, so oftentimes, both SPD and an Autistic disorder are present. I hit a point a long time ago where the actual label didn't matter to me anymore. I know what John's current needs are and I'm addressing those as they come up. About 3 months ago, it was obvious that he needed OT above all other help.
OT with an SI (sensory Integration) approach is when an occupational therapist works with the child in a "sensory rich" environment in an OT gym. The therapist will guide the child through play activities that challenges the child in areas where he/she need improvement. For John, they are currently working on fine motor skills (buttoning buttons, writing, hand games), motor planning (using yoga positions to challenge him to manipulate his body to match a photo and hold position without falling, using obstacle course where he crawls through tunnels, climbs over obstacles, hits a baseball, kicks a soccer ball, bounces on a trampoline, jumps in a ball pit, swings on a trapeze bar, etc), stengthening posture by having him use his upper body more (this week they had him lying on his stomach on a skateboard and had to use his hands, arms, and upper body to move the skateboard through the bases of baseball).
John has a problem with organization in his brain. There are days where he becomes over-stimulated through the day and can no longer organize his body, his responses, etc. There are times you will see him slumped over in a chair---standing facing the chair, with his head in the chair--- constantly moving to get comfortable or he might appear "tired" where he wants to be carried and slumps over ones shoulder like a young infant. He sometimes throws his head back and shakes his head so his eyes move back and forth. These are all signs that his brain is "disorganized" and he can't appropriately focus or react to what is going on around him. Occupational Therapy teaches him how to regulate himself when he gets that way, as well as helps him learn everyday activities through play therapy.
What is SPD?
First, to understand SPD, we need to look at what Sensory Processing (sometimes called Sensory Integration) is all about. According to the Sensory Processing Foundation, sensory processing is our nervous systems way of receiving messages from the senses and turning them into appropriate motor and behavioral responses. If you touch something that is too hot, your nervous system interprets that touch and you react accordingly, realizing it is too hot. If you hear something that is too soft, you are able to react by turning the volume up because the nervous system interpreted the sense of hearing and sent the message that the volume was too low.
SPD, or sensory processing disorder, is when the signals do not get interpreted correctly and therefore, responses are not organized appropriately. The brain receives the sensory information incorrectly and inappropriate responses in behavior, emotions, motor planning, social skills, etc.
Some people with SPD may over-react to one of their senses, while others under-react. Some people are bothered by textures, tags on their clothing, certain foods, loud noises, bright lights, etc. Some people with SPD have poor posture, low motor planning, low muscle tone, appear klutzy, etc. Others crave sensations in what appears to be "overdrive", where they can't seem to get enough of a particular texture, swinging on a swing, spinning in circles, etc.
MANY PEOPLE THAT HAVE SPD GET MISDIAGNOSED FOR OTHER PROBLEMS BECAUSE THE BEHAVIORAL, EMOTIONAL, SOCIAL, MOTOR PLANNING, ETC. ARE AFFECTED AND CAN APPEAR AS SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
There have often been times throughout our journey where I have wondered if the "at risk" for autism diganosis or the PDD-NOS diagnosis for John was really just SPD. Children on the Autistic Spectrum have Sensory Processing problems, so oftentimes, both SPD and an Autistic disorder are present. I hit a point a long time ago where the actual label didn't matter to me anymore. I know what John's current needs are and I'm addressing those as they come up. About 3 months ago, it was obvious that he needed OT above all other help.
OT with an SI (sensory Integration) approach is when an occupational therapist works with the child in a "sensory rich" environment in an OT gym. The therapist will guide the child through play activities that challenges the child in areas where he/she need improvement. For John, they are currently working on fine motor skills (buttoning buttons, writing, hand games), motor planning (using yoga positions to challenge him to manipulate his body to match a photo and hold position without falling, using obstacle course where he crawls through tunnels, climbs over obstacles, hits a baseball, kicks a soccer ball, bounces on a trampoline, jumps in a ball pit, swings on a trapeze bar, etc), stengthening posture by having him use his upper body more (this week they had him lying on his stomach on a skateboard and had to use his hands, arms, and upper body to move the skateboard through the bases of baseball).
John has a problem with organization in his brain. There are days where he becomes over-stimulated through the day and can no longer organize his body, his responses, etc. There are times you will see him slumped over in a chair---standing facing the chair, with his head in the chair--- constantly moving to get comfortable or he might appear "tired" where he wants to be carried and slumps over ones shoulder like a young infant. He sometimes throws his head back and shakes his head so his eyes move back and forth. These are all signs that his brain is "disorganized" and he can't appropriately focus or react to what is going on around him. Occupational Therapy teaches him how to regulate himself when he gets that way, as well as helps him learn everyday activities through play therapy.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Open Doors - Your Child is Not Broken
Earlier this week some friends of ours took us to an Open Doors Presentation. The topic was "What is Asperger's/High Functioning Autism". The presenter was a local representative from SELPA and gave the attendees a wonderful, welcoming evening. Many parents were there and shared where they were on their journey. Some had just received a diagnosis, some were suspecting that their child may have Asperger's, and some had "almost adult" children with the diagnosis.
The reason people found themselves at the presentation was different for everyone. Some were there because they had not found support in their families, communities, or even with their current medical circles. Some were there to learn more about the diagnosis and ways to help their children. Others were there to find companionship with others who were going through the same thing. Even others were there because they wanted to guide and help other parents who were just beginning the journey.
While I found the presentation wonderful, I also enjoyed watching the other parents become enlightened through the meeting. My husband and I have already hit the point where we realize that our son is going to be ok. He just learns in a different way. There is nothing "wrong" with him and he's not "stupid" or "unteachable". He just needs to be taught differently. The acceptance and realization of this really sets you free as a parent of someone on the spectrum. It is so important that as a parent you relax a bit and let your kid LIVE. Sure, there are going to be some tough days. Anyone who has been the parent of someone on the spectrum understands that BUT.... you have to realize how many wonderful days you have, what a blessing things kids are to your life.
For me, I hit this realization in February 2009 when I miscarried at 21 weeks. I didn't naturally go into labor, but when the baby stopped moving, I knew I wasn't pregnant anymore. I had to go into the hospital and be induced to deliver the baby. It was the most pro-life experience I ever had. Yes, it was tough. But, I learned how fragile life is, how big that baby was at only halfway through the pregnancy -- and yet so tiny---, and what a blessing each life is that we are entrusted with. My journey with my son changed at that moment. It was not the burden it had been the prior year. The questions of "is he" or "isn't he" went away. It didn't matter anymore what the label was.. he was my son and I was going to help him find his way. He was MY blessing.
For me, Open Doors didn't represent a support group to realize that my son is going to be ok. For me, this presentation made me realize what I needed to "gear up for battle" in the developmental struggles that will lie ahead. We touched on kissing, dating, the "sex" talk, masturbation, whether to tell your child about their diagnosis, and learned to laugh together. Being a parent of a child with special needs still involves parenting your child, but looking at it from a different perspective. As a parent, you know your child best and you can find the best way to help your child survive in this world. Your child is working really hard all the time and sometimes you need to remember that he/she is still a child. There are bad days with "typical" kids too. Our kids are put under a microscope and every behavior, word, utterance, and movement is studied and the diagnosis is to blame. However, we as parents need to realize that these kids work HARD, are smart, and may need to learn a bit differently from others, but they also need to be allowed to just be a kid.
The reason people found themselves at the presentation was different for everyone. Some were there because they had not found support in their families, communities, or even with their current medical circles. Some were there to learn more about the diagnosis and ways to help their children. Others were there to find companionship with others who were going through the same thing. Even others were there because they wanted to guide and help other parents who were just beginning the journey.
While I found the presentation wonderful, I also enjoyed watching the other parents become enlightened through the meeting. My husband and I have already hit the point where we realize that our son is going to be ok. He just learns in a different way. There is nothing "wrong" with him and he's not "stupid" or "unteachable". He just needs to be taught differently. The acceptance and realization of this really sets you free as a parent of someone on the spectrum. It is so important that as a parent you relax a bit and let your kid LIVE. Sure, there are going to be some tough days. Anyone who has been the parent of someone on the spectrum understands that BUT.... you have to realize how many wonderful days you have, what a blessing things kids are to your life.
For me, I hit this realization in February 2009 when I miscarried at 21 weeks. I didn't naturally go into labor, but when the baby stopped moving, I knew I wasn't pregnant anymore. I had to go into the hospital and be induced to deliver the baby. It was the most pro-life experience I ever had. Yes, it was tough. But, I learned how fragile life is, how big that baby was at only halfway through the pregnancy -- and yet so tiny---, and what a blessing each life is that we are entrusted with. My journey with my son changed at that moment. It was not the burden it had been the prior year. The questions of "is he" or "isn't he" went away. It didn't matter anymore what the label was.. he was my son and I was going to help him find his way. He was MY blessing.
For me, Open Doors didn't represent a support group to realize that my son is going to be ok. For me, this presentation made me realize what I needed to "gear up for battle" in the developmental struggles that will lie ahead. We touched on kissing, dating, the "sex" talk, masturbation, whether to tell your child about their diagnosis, and learned to laugh together. Being a parent of a child with special needs still involves parenting your child, but looking at it from a different perspective. As a parent, you know your child best and you can find the best way to help your child survive in this world. Your child is working really hard all the time and sometimes you need to remember that he/she is still a child. There are bad days with "typical" kids too. Our kids are put under a microscope and every behavior, word, utterance, and movement is studied and the diagnosis is to blame. However, we as parents need to realize that these kids work HARD, are smart, and may need to learn a bit differently from others, but they also need to be allowed to just be a kid.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Where is Thumbkin?
According to The Lotus Tree Sensory Integration Center, praxis is the ability by which we figure out how to use our hands and body in skilled tasks like playing with toys, using a pencil or fork, or building a structure.
Children with praxis problems have a hard time writing, eating with a utensil (often spilling frequently which leads to a preference to use their hands to eat), playing games like rock, paper, scissors or Where is Thumbkin, putting up fingers to show how old they are, button a shirt, etc.
As a toddler, John would hold 2 fingers (with the opposite hand) when he wanted to show he was 2 years old. He couldn't fold the other 3 fingers down, while still holding up the 2 to show his age. He has ALWAYS used his hands while eating and frequently needs to be reminded to use a fork. He has very little control of it and is considered a "messy eater". He had problems building towers out of square blocks and during early intervention, they worked with him stacking first 4 blocks, then 5... and then up to 9. We put a variety of sponges in the bathtub for him to squeeze and release to help him with the muscles in his hand. The releasing is important because that is the same muscle used to let go of a block with control when it sits on top of another. In OT, he has been working on buttoning.
More recently, we noticed he couldn't play hand games. Last week in Kids Crew, the lesson centered around finding "fair" ways to determine who goes first when playing games. They learned about picking a number from 1-10, eenie-meenie-minee-moe, bubble gum bubble gum, and rock, paper, scissors. John was unable to make the "scissors" with his two fingers.
Concurrently, he was learning "Where is Thumbkin" at his My Gym Preschool. He needed to isolate the thumb, the pinkie, and the pointer finger at different points in the song. At the end, the teacher showed them that if you put all 3 up together, it means "I Love You". John struggled that day, and the next day had the problems with Rock, Paper, Scissors in Kids Crew.
All week, John has been practicing holding up each finger, singing the Thumbkin song, and attempting to play Rock, Paper, Scissors. .... AND THERE HAS BEEN SUCCESS!!! He's got it figured out. He's able to do it all now and the hang loose sign (like the sticker on the back of Daddy's truck). I'm so proud of him. He had to work through some frustration to get there, but he did it all on his own. Although we've been working on different aspects of praxis since we started early intervention, we concentrated more on achieving the goals that were set for him, like eating with a fork, building the blocks, etc. He figured out his own goal this week and conquered it before he had to go back to Kids Crew. This morning he told me, "Mom, I'm going to show my friends in kids crew that I can do it!" He's proud too! ;)
Children with praxis problems have a hard time writing, eating with a utensil (often spilling frequently which leads to a preference to use their hands to eat), playing games like rock, paper, scissors or Where is Thumbkin, putting up fingers to show how old they are, button a shirt, etc.
As a toddler, John would hold 2 fingers (with the opposite hand) when he wanted to show he was 2 years old. He couldn't fold the other 3 fingers down, while still holding up the 2 to show his age. He has ALWAYS used his hands while eating and frequently needs to be reminded to use a fork. He has very little control of it and is considered a "messy eater". He had problems building towers out of square blocks and during early intervention, they worked with him stacking first 4 blocks, then 5... and then up to 9. We put a variety of sponges in the bathtub for him to squeeze and release to help him with the muscles in his hand. The releasing is important because that is the same muscle used to let go of a block with control when it sits on top of another. In OT, he has been working on buttoning.
More recently, we noticed he couldn't play hand games. Last week in Kids Crew, the lesson centered around finding "fair" ways to determine who goes first when playing games. They learned about picking a number from 1-10, eenie-meenie-minee-moe, bubble gum bubble gum, and rock, paper, scissors. John was unable to make the "scissors" with his two fingers.
Concurrently, he was learning "Where is Thumbkin" at his My Gym Preschool. He needed to isolate the thumb, the pinkie, and the pointer finger at different points in the song. At the end, the teacher showed them that if you put all 3 up together, it means "I Love You". John struggled that day, and the next day had the problems with Rock, Paper, Scissors in Kids Crew.
All week, John has been practicing holding up each finger, singing the Thumbkin song, and attempting to play Rock, Paper, Scissors. .... AND THERE HAS BEEN SUCCESS!!! He's got it figured out. He's able to do it all now and the hang loose sign (like the sticker on the back of Daddy's truck). I'm so proud of him. He had to work through some frustration to get there, but he did it all on his own. Although we've been working on different aspects of praxis since we started early intervention, we concentrated more on achieving the goals that were set for him, like eating with a fork, building the blocks, etc. He figured out his own goal this week and conquered it before he had to go back to Kids Crew. This morning he told me, "Mom, I'm going to show my friends in kids crew that I can do it!" He's proud too! ;)
Monday, September 6, 2010
John Update
It's been so long since I updated the blog, so I thought I would write about what John has been up to. First of all, John will be turning 5 in November and we have kept him in preschool this year. He is attending two schools. La Verne Parent Participation is a co-op preschool that he attended last year and is continuing for 2 days a week this year. He stays for an additional 2 hours in the afternoon for a pre-K program. On the other days, John is attending the "Little Learners" program located in the local My Gym facilities. He goes for 3 hours and it's a great setting for him because the equipment in the room gives him a little bit of self-directed OT (complete with ball pit, trapeze bars, balance beam, monkey bars, slides, bridges, tunnels, trampoline, etc.)
Last September, John visited with Autistic Specialist, Dr. Bauman, at Casa Colina and she recommended a few things for us since John wasn't qualifying for services. To address the problem of separating from me, potty training issues, and behavioral issues in the home, we hired a therapist to come in the home. For most of the year, she came weekly and helped John work on conversation skills, feelings, changes in feelings, writing his name, a few exercises for body awareness, and set up monthly and yearly goals for him.
After months of working together, we realized together that what John needed more than anything else was OT. He was excelling when it came to one-on-one activities and has been reading for a year. Sensory problems and lack of body awareness seemed to be the reason for most of the problems we were encountering (which we had known for years, but finally were able to get the appropriate program for him). We had an OT evaluation, which resulted in a recommendation of 2 times a week. While we waited on the waiting list for therapy, our in-home therapist worked with the OT to come up with activities we could do in the home to help John.
Once we started OT, we changed his in-home to just once a month. It's great to continue having someone help with goal setting, charting progress, and recommending new programs. There are a couple of huge things that helped John make leaps and bounds and I'll detail them below.
BASEBALL
John discovered Major League Baseball this year. After going to a minor league Quakes game, he was hooked. He follows the stats, the scoreboard, the game, the players, etc. He quickly became an Angel fan and a rowdy Dodger fan. What is so significant about this is that prior to baseball, John would not play ball (any kind of ball), wouldn't play catch, couldn't catch a ball, etc. Since baseball, something clicked in John's head, and he started surpassing his monthly/yearly goals. He is obsessed with dates, scores, and stats. Every morning, he is up before anyone else and he is on the computer checking MLB.com and checking the scores. He gives us the update on who won, what inning the home runs were scored in, and what player hit them. To him, Dodgers are the "right team" and everyone else is the "wrong team". He has attended about 15-20 major league games so far this season and last night went to batting practice at the Dodger game and came home with an official MLB baseball that a Giants fan gave him. He turned to my husband and said, "Daddy, some Giants fans are nice!" Yes, John, there are some. ;) (to quote my husband's Facebook status today).
CASA COLINA KIDS CREW
Casa Colina has this amazing program to teach social skills. It's an 8-week class that John is about 5 weeks into. John has learned and applied each lesson he has learned at this class and it's such a delight to watch. The first week was about greetings and salutations. The second week concentrated on body awareness while talking to others. They discussed body position (direction facing while talking), eye contact, etc. The third week they talked about personal space and used the concept of being a "space invader" when they got too close to someone else. John took this lesson to heart and spent the next week self-regulating himself. He didn't like the idea of being a space invader. He'd put his feet on me an then ask, "is this a space invader"? Every lesson concentrates on social awareness and skills that are used during everyday communication. It has proven to be so useful for John and is something I'm so glad was recommended to us. We have 3 weeks left of the program.
NOW THAT SCHOOL IS BACK IN
From the first day of school, I realized how much we've progressed over this last year. John is a different kid this year at school. He is social with the other kids, stays with the group, able to hold focus and attention, and learning to write his numbers. (since he has had very low fine motor skills, controlling a pencil is difficult.) I can't wait to see where this next year takes him developmentally. This journey we've been on has been very tough at times, but it has also been one of the most rewarding things our family has been through too. This next year is going to be a big year for John. We've come so far and I'm so proud of my little guy.
Last September, John visited with Autistic Specialist, Dr. Bauman, at Casa Colina and she recommended a few things for us since John wasn't qualifying for services. To address the problem of separating from me, potty training issues, and behavioral issues in the home, we hired a therapist to come in the home. For most of the year, she came weekly and helped John work on conversation skills, feelings, changes in feelings, writing his name, a few exercises for body awareness, and set up monthly and yearly goals for him.
After months of working together, we realized together that what John needed more than anything else was OT. He was excelling when it came to one-on-one activities and has been reading for a year. Sensory problems and lack of body awareness seemed to be the reason for most of the problems we were encountering (which we had known for years, but finally were able to get the appropriate program for him). We had an OT evaluation, which resulted in a recommendation of 2 times a week. While we waited on the waiting list for therapy, our in-home therapist worked with the OT to come up with activities we could do in the home to help John.
Once we started OT, we changed his in-home to just once a month. It's great to continue having someone help with goal setting, charting progress, and recommending new programs. There are a couple of huge things that helped John make leaps and bounds and I'll detail them below.
BASEBALL
John discovered Major League Baseball this year. After going to a minor league Quakes game, he was hooked. He follows the stats, the scoreboard, the game, the players, etc. He quickly became an Angel fan and a rowdy Dodger fan. What is so significant about this is that prior to baseball, John would not play ball (any kind of ball), wouldn't play catch, couldn't catch a ball, etc. Since baseball, something clicked in John's head, and he started surpassing his monthly/yearly goals. He is obsessed with dates, scores, and stats. Every morning, he is up before anyone else and he is on the computer checking MLB.com and checking the scores. He gives us the update on who won, what inning the home runs were scored in, and what player hit them. To him, Dodgers are the "right team" and everyone else is the "wrong team". He has attended about 15-20 major league games so far this season and last night went to batting practice at the Dodger game and came home with an official MLB baseball that a Giants fan gave him. He turned to my husband and said, "Daddy, some Giants fans are nice!" Yes, John, there are some. ;) (to quote my husband's Facebook status today).
CASA COLINA KIDS CREW
Casa Colina has this amazing program to teach social skills. It's an 8-week class that John is about 5 weeks into. John has learned and applied each lesson he has learned at this class and it's such a delight to watch. The first week was about greetings and salutations. The second week concentrated on body awareness while talking to others. They discussed body position (direction facing while talking), eye contact, etc. The third week they talked about personal space and used the concept of being a "space invader" when they got too close to someone else. John took this lesson to heart and spent the next week self-regulating himself. He didn't like the idea of being a space invader. He'd put his feet on me an then ask, "is this a space invader"? Every lesson concentrates on social awareness and skills that are used during everyday communication. It has proven to be so useful for John and is something I'm so glad was recommended to us. We have 3 weeks left of the program.
NOW THAT SCHOOL IS BACK IN
From the first day of school, I realized how much we've progressed over this last year. John is a different kid this year at school. He is social with the other kids, stays with the group, able to hold focus and attention, and learning to write his numbers. (since he has had very low fine motor skills, controlling a pencil is difficult.) I can't wait to see where this next year takes him developmentally. This journey we've been on has been very tough at times, but it has also been one of the most rewarding things our family has been through too. This next year is going to be a big year for John. We've come so far and I'm so proud of my little guy.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Teaching with Music
I came across this article online that I thought deserved a blog post. The article was found on a UK news website called The Independent in the Science section.
According to the article, learning an instrument enhances the brain's sensitivity to all sounds, including speech, say researchers. Interpreting the nuances of speech are conveyed in the subtle changes in the human voice. By learning musicality, one can learn to develop skills that help children process speech.
I started researching about learning through music and found a ton of resources that put music at the center of a child's education. The Learning Through Music Consultant Group in Minnesota believes that music broadens and deepens understanding of literacy, numeracy, and higher order thinking skill.
Suzanne L Burton, PhD from the University of Delaware wrote an article on building learning centers that are music based. She says, "A music-based learning center may be created to strengthen and build connections with content areas such as dramatic play, art, science, social studies, and language arts as well as encouraging musical expression and experimentation". In her article, she outlines how to build music-based learning centers, complete with an outline that goes through goals, activities, and materials you can use in the centers.
The Autism Research Institute has an article on their website that says music can help children succeed in the areas that autism impairs---communication and interaction.
According to musictherapy.org, Music Therapy is the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship by a credentialed professional.
For children on the autistic spectrum, music gives them a chance to focus. Oftentimes, a child with autism is overstimulated by sound in the environment that they are unable to focus on what is being said so they become distracted. Music has a way of holding a child's focus, keeping them from getting distracted.
Songsforteaching.com is a website that lists songs in many different categories to help children learn. They have a section of songs specific to teaching goals that many autistic children share.
A great article on music therapy, it's benefits and how it applies to children on the autistic spectrum is found here: http://autism.lovetoknow.com/Music_Therapy_for_Autism
According to the article, learning an instrument enhances the brain's sensitivity to all sounds, including speech, say researchers. Interpreting the nuances of speech are conveyed in the subtle changes in the human voice. By learning musicality, one can learn to develop skills that help children process speech.
I started researching about learning through music and found a ton of resources that put music at the center of a child's education. The Learning Through Music Consultant Group in Minnesota believes that music broadens and deepens understanding of literacy, numeracy, and higher order thinking skill.
Suzanne L Burton, PhD from the University of Delaware wrote an article on building learning centers that are music based. She says, "A music-based learning center may be created to strengthen and build connections with content areas such as dramatic play, art, science, social studies, and language arts as well as encouraging musical expression and experimentation". In her article, she outlines how to build music-based learning centers, complete with an outline that goes through goals, activities, and materials you can use in the centers.
The Autism Research Institute has an article on their website that says music can help children succeed in the areas that autism impairs---communication and interaction.
According to musictherapy.org, Music Therapy is the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship by a credentialed professional.
For children on the autistic spectrum, music gives them a chance to focus. Oftentimes, a child with autism is overstimulated by sound in the environment that they are unable to focus on what is being said so they become distracted. Music has a way of holding a child's focus, keeping them from getting distracted.
Songsforteaching.com is a website that lists songs in many different categories to help children learn. They have a section of songs specific to teaching goals that many autistic children share.
A great article on music therapy, it's benefits and how it applies to children on the autistic spectrum is found here: http://autism.lovetoknow.com/Music_Therapy_for_Autism
Friday, February 19, 2010
Literal thinking
There are a lot of examples where my son has taken things very literally. Just today, he went to lay down for a nap at 2:17. He told me he was going to get up at 2:27. Well, he fell asleep and woke up at 3:25. He was screaming for me and when I went into the room, he was in tears about how it passed 2:27. I tried to talk him through it, calm him down, etc. He stopped crying, but wouldn't get out of bed. He started crying again and I couldn't get him to calm down until I changed the clock to read 2:27. He watched me change it and that didn't bother him. But, he couldn't get out of bed until it said 2:27 on the clock.
Autism and Literal Thinking
Autism children, especially Asperger's take metaphorical things literally. They don't understand things that are meant to be jokes (like go break a leg) even when explained to them. They can't comprehend a "figure of speech" and how it relates to a situation.
Abstract thinking is often taken for granted. There are many abstract concepts such as time, relationships, multiple representations, non-verbal communication, inferences, social interactions, and idioms. An average person is able to understand many of these with no problem or a simple explanation, but those with Autism, Asperger's or PDD may have a difficult time understanding it, if they ever understand it at all. If someone is going to be taught about abstract thinking, a verbal explanation is often not enough. Physical representations or reptition is often used to help those literal thinkers how to comprehend something that is abstract. For my son, John, time to him was what the clock said---not the actual time it was. He was satisfied once the clock read what he wanted it to. Often times, the passage of time has to be shown in a visual representation for it to be taught to a literal thinker. By using a calendar to show when something is happening, they are able to understand that they must wait.
Autism and Literal Thinking
Autism children, especially Asperger's take metaphorical things literally. They don't understand things that are meant to be jokes (like go break a leg) even when explained to them. They can't comprehend a "figure of speech" and how it relates to a situation.
Abstract thinking is often taken for granted. There are many abstract concepts such as time, relationships, multiple representations, non-verbal communication, inferences, social interactions, and idioms. An average person is able to understand many of these with no problem or a simple explanation, but those with Autism, Asperger's or PDD may have a difficult time understanding it, if they ever understand it at all. If someone is going to be taught about abstract thinking, a verbal explanation is often not enough. Physical representations or reptition is often used to help those literal thinkers how to comprehend something that is abstract. For my son, John, time to him was what the clock said---not the actual time it was. He was satisfied once the clock read what he wanted it to. Often times, the passage of time has to be shown in a visual representation for it to be taught to a literal thinker. By using a calendar to show when something is happening, they are able to understand that they must wait.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Why Occupational Therapy Works for Kids on the Spectrum
Occupational Therapy is one of the treatments for kids on the Autism Spectrum. The main reason for occupational therapy is that children can work on fine and gross motor skills, as well as overcome some of their sensory processing difficulties.
A developmental delay in gross motor skills might mean the child can't ride a bike, may run in an awkward manner, or may have difficulty kicking a ball. Therapists use organized play to work on these gross motor skills. If a child has severe delay with gross motor skills, then physical therapy would work better.
A developmental delay in fine motor skills might mean the child has trouble feeding themselves, getting dressed, or writing.
Occupational Therapy can help with self care issues and academic skills. They may work on writing, cutting with scissors, as well as developing the muscles required for those skills by playing with play dough, stringing beads, and squeezing sponges.
The goal of Sensory Integration Occupational Therapy is not to teach behaviors or skills, but to help with neurological processing deficits, teaching them to adapt to the environment around them. This could include teaching tolerance to different textures, loud noises, and bright lights. It involves determining what kind of sensory issues a child has and helping him/her get the sensory input they seek in a controlled environment.
With Sensory Integration, the therapist will be helping the child manage his/her body in space. An OT can also help the child with communication and interaction with others through therapy known as Floortime, where the therapist gets down on the floor and Plays with the child. The therapist works on transitions from one activity to another if transitioning is an issue with the child. Determining strategies that work can help outside of the therapy session when the child is at home, at school, and in the community.
A developmental delay in gross motor skills might mean the child can't ride a bike, may run in an awkward manner, or may have difficulty kicking a ball. Therapists use organized play to work on these gross motor skills. If a child has severe delay with gross motor skills, then physical therapy would work better.
A developmental delay in fine motor skills might mean the child has trouble feeding themselves, getting dressed, or writing.
Occupational Therapy can help with self care issues and academic skills. They may work on writing, cutting with scissors, as well as developing the muscles required for those skills by playing with play dough, stringing beads, and squeezing sponges.
The goal of Sensory Integration Occupational Therapy is not to teach behaviors or skills, but to help with neurological processing deficits, teaching them to adapt to the environment around them. This could include teaching tolerance to different textures, loud noises, and bright lights. It involves determining what kind of sensory issues a child has and helping him/her get the sensory input they seek in a controlled environment.
With Sensory Integration, the therapist will be helping the child manage his/her body in space. An OT can also help the child with communication and interaction with others through therapy known as Floortime, where the therapist gets down on the floor and Plays with the child. The therapist works on transitions from one activity to another if transitioning is an issue with the child. Determining strategies that work can help outside of the therapy session when the child is at home, at school, and in the community.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Childhood Apraxia of Speech
Apraxia is a neurological disorder that results from poor motor planning. Physical therapy, occupational therapy, or speech therapy can help kids with Apraxia. Developmental Apraxia of speech interferes with the child's ability to produce different sounds needed for intelligible communication.
The child may know what he/she wants to say, but the area of the brain cannot "motor plan" appropriately to make the muscles of the jaw and mouth move appropriately to make the sounds. Even when trying to correct them, the child cannot figure out how to make the correct syllables and sounds. Some signs of apraxia include children who have very limited sounds they can make, intelligible speech that doesn't "clear up" with time, inconsistent speech errors, frustration with speech correction attempts, ability to say short words but can't string a series of words together, drops ending off of words, can imitate sounds better than plan them on their own, etc.
The information below is taken directly from www.aprakia-kids.org.
The act of speech begins with an intention to communicate. Next, an idea forms, outlining what the speaker wants to say. The words for the desired message are put in the correct order, using the correct grammar. Each of the words are comprised of a specific sequence of sounds (also called phonemes)and syllables that must be ordered together. All of this information is translated from an idea and information about order of sounds into a series of highly coordinated motor movements of the lips, tongue, jaw, and soft palate.
The brain must tell the muscles of these “articulators” the exact order and timing of movements so that the words in the message are properly articulated. Finally, the muscles must work properly with enough strength and muscle tone to perform the movements needed for speech.
In typically developing speech, children make word attempts and get feedback from others and from their own internal systems regarding how “well” the words they produced matched the ones that they wanted to produce. Children use this information the next time they attempt the words and essentially are able to “learn from experience.” Usually once syllables and words are spoken repeatedly, the speech motor act becomes automatic. Speech motor plans and programs are stored in the brain and can be accessed effortlessly when they are needed. Children with apraxia of speech have difficulty in this aspect of speech. It is believed that children with CAS may not be able to form or access speech motor plans and programs or that these plans and programs are faulty for some reason.
The child may know what he/she wants to say, but the area of the brain cannot "motor plan" appropriately to make the muscles of the jaw and mouth move appropriately to make the sounds. Even when trying to correct them, the child cannot figure out how to make the correct syllables and sounds. Some signs of apraxia include children who have very limited sounds they can make, intelligible speech that doesn't "clear up" with time, inconsistent speech errors, frustration with speech correction attempts, ability to say short words but can't string a series of words together, drops ending off of words, can imitate sounds better than plan them on their own, etc.
The information below is taken directly from www.aprakia-kids.org.
What is Childhood Apraxia of Speech?
Childhood Apraxia of Speech is a motor speech disorder. For reasons not yet fully understood, children with apraxia of speech have great difficulty planning and producing the precise, highly refined and specific series of movements of the tongue, lips, jaw and palate that are necessary for intelligible speech. Apraxia of speech is sometimes called verbal apraxia, developmental apraxia of speech, or verbal dyspraxia. No matter what name is used, the most important concept is the root word "praxis." Praxis means planned movement. To some degree or another, a child with the diagnosis of apraxia of speech has difficulty programming and planning speech movements. Apraxia of speech is a specific speech disorder.The act of speech begins with an intention to communicate. Next, an idea forms, outlining what the speaker wants to say. The words for the desired message are put in the correct order, using the correct grammar. Each of the words are comprised of a specific sequence of sounds (also called phonemes)and syllables that must be ordered together. All of this information is translated from an idea and information about order of sounds into a series of highly coordinated motor movements of the lips, tongue, jaw, and soft palate.
The brain must tell the muscles of these “articulators” the exact order and timing of movements so that the words in the message are properly articulated. Finally, the muscles must work properly with enough strength and muscle tone to perform the movements needed for speech.
In typically developing speech, children make word attempts and get feedback from others and from their own internal systems regarding how “well” the words they produced matched the ones that they wanted to produce. Children use this information the next time they attempt the words and essentially are able to “learn from experience.” Usually once syllables and words are spoken repeatedly, the speech motor act becomes automatic. Speech motor plans and programs are stored in the brain and can be accessed effortlessly when they are needed. Children with apraxia of speech have difficulty in this aspect of speech. It is believed that children with CAS may not be able to form or access speech motor plans and programs or that these plans and programs are faulty for some reason.
How Is CAS Different Than A Speech Delay?
A true developmental delay of speech is when the child is following the "typical" path of childhood speech development, although at a rate slower than normal. Usually this rate is in pace with the child’s cognitive skills. In typical speech/language development, the child's receptive and expressive skills increase together to a large extent. What is often seen in a child with apraxia of speech is a wide gap between their receptive language abilities and expressive abilities. In other words, the child's ability to understand language (receptive ability) is broadly within normal limits, but his or her expressive speech is seriously deficient, absent, or severely unclear. This is an important factor and one indicator that the child may be experiencing more than "delayed" speech. In the case of such a mismatch in skills, the child should be evaluated for the presence of a specific speech disorder such as apraxia. However, certain language disorders may also cause a similar pattern in a child. A gap between a child's expressive and receptive language ability is insufficient to diagnose apraxia.Saturday, February 6, 2010
HBO Movie Link
Here is a link to the official movie trailer and movie info on the Autism Movie that HBO Produced.
http://www.hbo.com/movies/temple-grandin#/movies/temple-grandin/index.html
http://www.hbo.com/movies/temple-grandin#/movies/temple-grandin/index.html
HBO Special on Autism - Great Website
Taken from : http://www.templegrandin.com/
Temple Grandin, Ph.D., is the most accomplished and well-known adult with autism in the world. Now her fascinating life, with all its challenges and successes is being brought to the screen. HBO has produced the full-length film Temple Grandin, which premieres on Saturday, February 6th on HBO. She has been featured on NPR (National Public Radio), major television programs, such as the BBC special "The Woman Who Thinks Like a Cow", ABC's Primetime Live, The Today Show, Larry King Live, 48 Hours and 20/20, and has been written about in many national publications, such as Time magazine, People magazine, Forbes, U.S. News and World Report, and New York Times. Among numerous other recognitions by media, Bravo Cable did a half-hour show on her life, and she was featured in the best-selling book, Anthropologist from Mars.
Dr. Grandin didn't talk until she was three and a half years old, communicating her frustration instead by screaming, peeping, and humming. In 1950, she was diagnosed with autism and her parents were told she should be institutionalized. She tells her story of "groping her way from the far side of darkness" in her book Emergence: Labeled Autistic, a book which stunned the world because, until its publication, most professionals and parents assumed that an autism diagnosis was virtually a death sentence to achievement or productivity in life.
Dr. Grandin has become a prominent author and speaker on the subject of autism because "I have read enough to know that there are still many parents, and yes, professionals too, who believe that 'once autistic, always autistic.' This dictum has meant sad and sorry lives for many children diagnosed, as I was in early life, as autistic. To these people, it is incomprehensible that the characteristics of autism can be modified and controlled. However, I feel strongly that I am living proof that they can" (from Emergence: Labeled Autistic).
Even though she was considered "weird" in her young school years, she eventually found a mentor, who recognized her interests and abilities. Dr. Grandin later developed her talents into a successful career as a livestock-handling equipment designer, one of very few in the world. She has now designed the facilities in which half the cattle are handled in the United States, consulting for firms such as Burger King, McDonald's, Swift, and others.
Dr. Grandin presently works as a Professor of Animal Science at Colorado State University. She also speaks around the world on both autism and cattle handling. At every Future Horizons conference on autism, the audience rates her presentation as 10+.
Dr. Grandin's current bestselling book on autism is The Way I See It: A Personal Look at Autism and Asperger's. She also authored Unwritten Rules of Social Relationships, Animals Make us Human, Animals in Translation, Thinking in Pictures, Emergence: Labeled Autistic and produced several DVDs. All books and DVD's available through Future Horizons.
Temple Grandin's work continues to inspire millions, drawing superlative reviews such as these:
"Temple is my hero. She has my vote for the person who has provided the greatest advance in our understanding of autism this century."
Temple Grandin, Ph.D., is the most accomplished and well-known adult with autism in the world. Now her fascinating life, with all its challenges and successes is being brought to the screen. HBO has produced the full-length film Temple Grandin, which premieres on Saturday, February 6th on HBO. She has been featured on NPR (National Public Radio), major television programs, such as the BBC special "The Woman Who Thinks Like a Cow", ABC's Primetime Live, The Today Show, Larry King Live, 48 Hours and 20/20, and has been written about in many national publications, such as Time magazine, People magazine, Forbes, U.S. News and World Report, and New York Times. Among numerous other recognitions by media, Bravo Cable did a half-hour show on her life, and she was featured in the best-selling book, Anthropologist from Mars.
Dr. Grandin didn't talk until she was three and a half years old, communicating her frustration instead by screaming, peeping, and humming. In 1950, she was diagnosed with autism and her parents were told she should be institutionalized. She tells her story of "groping her way from the far side of darkness" in her book Emergence: Labeled Autistic, a book which stunned the world because, until its publication, most professionals and parents assumed that an autism diagnosis was virtually a death sentence to achievement or productivity in life.
Dr. Grandin has become a prominent author and speaker on the subject of autism because "I have read enough to know that there are still many parents, and yes, professionals too, who believe that 'once autistic, always autistic.' This dictum has meant sad and sorry lives for many children diagnosed, as I was in early life, as autistic. To these people, it is incomprehensible that the characteristics of autism can be modified and controlled. However, I feel strongly that I am living proof that they can" (from Emergence: Labeled Autistic).
Even though she was considered "weird" in her young school years, she eventually found a mentor, who recognized her interests and abilities. Dr. Grandin later developed her talents into a successful career as a livestock-handling equipment designer, one of very few in the world. She has now designed the facilities in which half the cattle are handled in the United States, consulting for firms such as Burger King, McDonald's, Swift, and others.
Dr. Grandin presently works as a Professor of Animal Science at Colorado State University. She also speaks around the world on both autism and cattle handling. At every Future Horizons conference on autism, the audience rates her presentation as 10+.
Dr. Grandin's current bestselling book on autism is The Way I See It: A Personal Look at Autism and Asperger's. She also authored Unwritten Rules of Social Relationships, Animals Make us Human, Animals in Translation, Thinking in Pictures, Emergence: Labeled Autistic and produced several DVDs. All books and DVD's available through Future Horizons.
Temple Grandin's work continues to inspire millions, drawing superlative reviews such as these:
"Temple is my hero. She has my vote for the person who has provided the greatest advance in our understanding of autism this century."
-Dr. Tony Attwood, world renowned expert on autism spectrum disorders
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