Trying to discipline your child can be a difficult and ever changing world of frustration for all involved. When your child has been diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome it can be as difficult to create rules and boundaries as it is to…(Read more.)
We have been homeschooling now for five years. We began before we had a single diagnosis for either of my boys, largely because school was a very difficult place for my oldest son. (Think sensory overload and bullying, mixed with a healthy dose of anxiety and you have an idea of what it was like for him every day – not good.)
A year after we began homeschooling, he was diagnosed with autism and generalized anxiety disorder. A year later, we learned his younger brother is profoundly dyslexic and has ADHD. In both instances, I was asked if, now that we had the diagnoses, I would be putting the boys back in school. There was an assumption that because my children now had identified “special needs”, we would need the “experts” to take over their education.
The truth is, although I was a little overwhelmed with all the needs, I also felt even more certain that a typical school environment would not accommodate my children’s learning differences. (Read more.)
Children with ADHD are more prone to meltdowns for a number of reasons. Often their brain circuitry for emotional regulation is dysfunctional in which it takes less to trigger an anger episode that lasts for a longer periods of time than other children. This is the result of faulty wiring. Working with them on relaxation techniques like taking deep breaths or counting to ten at the first sign of being upset can help. It is important for them to practice these when they are calm.
These kids often aren’t fully tuned in to what is going on around them and miss important information that causes them to misinterpret a situation and then react to what they think is going on rather than what really happened. If you are having a discussion with your child, pause frequently to make sure they are getting your point. Ask questions to make sure they understand and encourage them to ask you questions as well.
Some ADHD kids lack the ability to be flexible causing them to go into meltdown mode when there is a change in routine or an expected event does not happen. For instance a boy may be having a great time “rough housing” with his dad but does not want to stop when dad feels it has gone on long enough. This can become ugly and lead to fewer such play situations. Agreeing to use a timer and stop when the timer says to stop rather than dad might help avoid this. (Read more.)
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| Kevin |
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| Martin |
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| Patrick, Martin and Nick at Longwood Gardens |
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| Anne and husband Larry get ready to cut the ribbon! |
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| We're officially open for business! |
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| Nick and Grandmom |
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| Anne at the Polar Express |
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| Anne with State Representative Tom Killian |
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| Marty Hugs Mrs. Santa |
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| Anne with Emmaus Home treasurer Bob Moore |
It’s difficult, Naeder said, to pinpoint the exact reason children with autism wander away from their homes, schools and other safe places. Autism is a spectrum disorder, which means symptoms and behaviors can vary widely. But it’s worth examining potential causes so families can watch for triggers. “It could be a person with autism is seeking something,” Naeder said. Perhaps a special item or favorite location. “Or, as a result of their autism, they could be fleeing from something,” she explained. Maybe a loud noise or bright light.That also can make search-and-rescue missions challenging. Children with autism might run away from the sound of police vehicles or helicopters. If they are nonverbal, as Chelsea was, they might not be able to respond to someone calling their name.Though the causes of wandering are not clear, the prevalence of such behavior is documented. A 2012 study funded by Autism Speaks showed almost half of parents who have a child with autism said their child had tried to bolt from a safe, supervised place. Those were only the reported cases of wandering, so there’s a good chance the actual numbers are larger. “We’ve heard reports of parents sleeping in front of the door … it’s an incredible stressor on the entire family,” said Naeder, a social worker who has an adult brother with autism. The prevalence of autism in the U.S. means it's worth educating not just families who are directly affected, but our communities as a whole. One in 68 children are diagnosed with autism, according to the Centers for Disease Control; about 3.5 million Americans are living with the disorder. (Read more.)
As the saying goes, “Showing up is half the battle”. This is true for work, for events & for swimming lessons. At Sensory Swim® we know that if a parent of an autistic child wants their child to learn how to swim, showing up is definitely half the battle. In some cases, especially for children who have an extreme fear of the water, this may be more like 80%. This skill of learning to swim may also save that child’s life one day. But let's not waste any more time pointing out the obvious. When it comes to supporting a child on the autism spectrum who is learning to swim, a parent must get that child to come to the lesson. We have come across parents who have signed their child up for swim lessons & cancelled without even showing up. They explain that they didn't show up because their six year old son refused to put on his bathing suit. And we didn't want to make him do something he didn't feel like doing. (Read more.)
A new study in adolescent and young adult males with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) showed significant differences in the functional architecture and interactivity of the default mode network (DMN)--brain regions linked to social-cognitive impairment in ASD--compared to DMN functional connectivity measurements in young adult males without ASD. These findings, which could lead to the development of new imaging-based diagnostic markers, are described in an article published in Brain Connectivity, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. The article is available free on the Brain Connectivity website until December 31, 2017. (Read more.)
According to Kranowitz (2005), the touch system layers our bodies and gives us information about surrounding physical entities. Moreover, it works as the physical barrier between ourselves and the environment. This sense has an imperative role in developing a child’s body awareness, motor planning, and visual perception. Some children react adversely or negatively, or display escape-like behavior on being touched, hugged, or kissed, since they have difficulties in processing sensory information due to a lower functioning tactile system. This behavior is referred to as tactile defensiveness. Due to the atypical functioning of the touch mechanism and neural system, these children are often in the state of “red alert.” They may react by clinging or complaining (fright) to someone, or lashing out (fight) and running away (flight).
Tactile symptoms are among the most commonly reported sensory symptoms described by parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) (Rogers et al.,2003). Children displaying tactile defensiveness may also exhibit self-stimulating behavior (stimming). Repeated movements such as hand-flapping, body-rocking, hand-gazing, and spinning have been found prevalent in children with developmental disabilities and autism. (Read more.)
Young children with autism are no more likely than those without the condition to sustain injuries that require medical attention, according a study of more than 2,000 children1. However, injuries are common among children with attention problems. About 30 percent of children with autism meet the criteria for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). “Attention problems do appear to contribute to injury risk,” says lead investigator Carolyn DiGuiseppi, professor of epidemiology and pediatrics at the Colorado School of Public Health. “That existing relationship may explain why some studies have found a higher risk of injury in children with autism.” Some studies have reported that children with autism are at increased risk of injury, perhaps because of their behavioral or motor problems2. But others have refuted that link3. (Read more.)
Studies over the past few years suggest that sleep problems may stem from the same mutations that underlie other, more characteristic features of autism. These changes may disrupt the circadian clock, a molecular timer that keeps cells in sync with the night-day cycle. So far, no evidence ties any of the top autism genes to the circadian clock. But several genetic conditions associated with autism, including tuberous sclerosis, fragile X syndrome and Prader-Willi syndrome, may involve mutations that interfere with the clock. “This is a very active and needed area of investigation,” says Jonathan Lipton, a pediatric neurologist at the Boston Children’s Hospital Sleep Center. The circadian clock is a complex of proteins that forms every 24 hours in almost every cell in the body. It helps regulate the expression of genes, turning up to 40 percent of the genome on or off. (Read more.)
The number of children receiving an autism diagnosis is on the rise. And 70% of these children are being educated in mainstream schools. This means that schools have had to adapt and introduce new measures to ensure everyone’s needs are met. The introduction of the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Code of Practice in 2014 in the UK placed an emphasis on the ‘inclusion’ of children with special educational needs. But what does this inclusion actually look like? With 1 in 100 people in the UK being diagnosed with autism, it’s heartening to see Islington schools catering to the needs of their students with autism and embracing their unique strengths.
At its core, inclusion should be mutually beneficial and work for every child. Recently, Sesame Street welcomed its first autistic Muppet character, Julia. In a clip that has been widely shared, Julia’s friend Abby asks her to play kickball, but Julia isn’t keen. Abby ponders how to play with Julia and finally realizes it’s best to find a game they can both enjoy doing, which is flapping their arms and pretending to be butterflies. Both of the children enjoy the same activity, which plays to both of their strengths. But, of course, unlike on Sesame Street, this doesn’t happen without careful planning and input from school staff.
From mealtime supervisors, to teaching assistants, to classroom teachers, to senior leadership teams, everyone is working to create more autism-friendly schools throughout the country. They attend after-school training, create specialized and tailored plans, and regularly work with specialist consultants, who guide them in creating the structure that autistic children need to feel a part of the class. (Read more.)
