Children with Autism, Aspergers and Choice.

It's not often when it comes to children with autism spectrum disorders do we think about giving them lots of choices.  While this is true that to many choices can be overwhelming for many children with autism or Asperger's, so choices can be good to help them succeed in life.
Let me explain, of course your going to give your child with autism the choice of what snack they want.  Maybe what shirt they want to wear.  Chances are with each of these choices you are placing limits though.  When you ask them what they want for a snack, you don't mean go pour through the pantry and decide.  You mean between a pudding cup, a banana, and crackers.  When you ask them what shirt they want to wear you mean which of these two, and so on.  Putting limits on these choices helps the child with autism to not get overwhelmed in the decision making process.  This decision making process aids in their cognitive development while not over stimulating them and causing agitation and over stimulation.  Its a win-win when limits are placed on choice.
I have a tip I would like to share with you that can work with some children with autism, or Asperger's, or any child on the planet for that matter.  It is a tip I picked up in my behavioral training along the way somewhere.  If your child with ASD can handle minor variations in their schedule. You may start giving them this choice when it come time to end preferred activity time.  Simply tell them its time to move on to the next activity, but since they have been so good, they can choose to stop now or in five minutes.  Strikingly many times I have observed the children make the decision to stop right then, contrary to what I expected.  If they choose five minutes say "OK" then set a timer.  Remind them that they gave you their word and that good boys and girls keep their word then disappear til the timer runs out.  You would not believe how well this works for all children.  Obviously if your child with autism is dependent on strict routine then this will not work for you.  This choice will empower your child to make the right decision.  When you praise them after they keep their word, it builds intrinsic value as to why they should keep their word.  It is just a positive experience all the way around.
Once again just ideas to try.

Children with Autism and the Power Of Praise.

Praise is a powerful tool when trying to motivate your child with autism.  Actually this will work with a child of any intellectual ability.  Attention is a huge motivating factor in any child's life.  This attention can be negative or positive.  If they don't get positive attention then they will get negative attention.  Sometimes negative attention is even more powerful than positive.  One way you as a parent can combat this is through Positive Proactive Praise (PPP).  To break this down into the simplest terms this means no matter what the child is doing they are doing something right and you can let them know that.  It would be great if all things you wanted your child with autism to do had internal motivating factors to it.  That is just simply unreasonable.  So you need to create an atmosphere where the autistic child will crave the positive attention and therefore complete the task you are asking.

Let me explain how PPP can be used effectively.  In the begging when you are first trying out this method, look for the smallest thing to praise the child for.  If you are asking them to transition from one task to another and they are not complying.  Then you need to look for something that they are doing right, then follow it with a prompt.  It would sound like this, "Your doing a good job sitting quietly and not interuppting me while I'm speaking.  Now lets move on to doing your homework".  For every negative there should be a positive.  Remember no matter what they are doing they are doing something right.  Another situation where PPP might work is if you are working on something like social skills.  If you are working on hand shakes and they simply touch your hand.  You should celebrate this then push to move just a little further like this. "That was awesome how you just touched my hand with one finger.  Can we try it again with two fingers?".  Always celebrate the small victories.  The last example I have is a tough one so you can try this or not.  This takes a strong will and determination, but eventually it will lead to good results.  PPP can also be used in some crisis situations.  If your autistic child is becoming destructive towards objects, or just over stimulated and out of control.  You can use PPP to help them calm.  You must use a calm voice and try really hard to find the good.  If they are breaking things, then at least they are not putting holes in the wall.  If they are not screaming then they may be listening.  Like I said using PPP in this situation is not for the faint of heart.

Eventually children with autism will begin to crave this positive attention and do what you want them to do.  You can eventually begin to back off on the praise to where it is sporadic.  This will keep them seeking the praise and doing what is asked of you.  For more detailed information on all things autism related, I highly suggest you get the e-book The Essential Guide to Autism.  It has more information in it than I could hope to provide here.

Anxiety in Children With Autism:Glove Meet Hand.

Children with autism and anxiety go together hand in in hand, or hand in glove like my title suggests.  If you child is dealing with autism then one of their symptoms is anxiety, plain and simple.  They have problems communicating with and understanding the world around them, and this creates anxiety.  Children with autism will often act out (sometimes aggressively) over what seem like fun events.  This stems from the anxiety they feel from the event invading their life. 

Changes in routine can be a HUGE source of anxiety in children with autism.  What seems like a fun outing to a birthday party could end up in a major meltdown if not done properly.  Lets say for instance you know that your child with autism will be attending a birthday party over the weekend.  Early in the week you may want to start showing them pictures of parties, cakes, kids playing games.  If you have pictures of the people that will be attending, show them those too.  This will help them prepare for what they are going to be doing, thus relieving some of their anxiety, and setting them up for success.  If you are looking for communication board supplies etc... Click Here.  

If you need to make what will be perceived to be a  negative change to your child with autism's daily routine, here is a way you can go about it.  Start of just introducing them to the idea of change.  Tell them "tonight instead of  homework you can play video games instead, but just for tonight".  This will show them that change does not always have to be bad, sometimes it can be good.  Next try a change that is really of no consequence.  Maybe have them do their homework at six instead of seven, before dinner instead of after dinner.  A change that is just that, a change.  Lastly move into the "negative" change.  Change one of their designated free or play times into a chore time.  This gradually eases them into the idea of change, reducing anxiety along the way.

For overall long term anxiety unfortunately medication is sometimes required. The doctor will most likely prescribe children with autism a selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor (SSRI).  These are drugs like Proozac or Zoloft. 

Every child with autism is as different as every other child so there is no one size fits all answer.  YOU know your child best.  If you do go the medication route be sure to monitor your child closely for side effects.  There are many natural methods you can try prior to actually using medication.

There is a lot more information, tips, tricks, and overall usefull stuff in the "Essential Guide to Autism".  There is a lot of free information available about autism.  The Essential Guide is something different.  It puts everything in one place and has some really unique idea's in it.  Their is a 100% satisfaction guarantee.  I highly recommend you check it out. 

Children with Autism and a Structure

Children with autism have many struggles placed before them in life.  You as a Parent of a child with autism want nothing but the best for them.  One of the best ways you can help your child is to provide them a home environment in which they feel safe and secure.  You can do this through structure and consistency.  Through all of the chaos that children with autism feel, you can help keep them grounded.

One of the first things you should do is set up a schedule for your child with an autism spectrum disorder.  Make a pictorial schedule and place somewhere the child can see and refer to it often.  Stick by the schedule, try to make sure that the days typically remain the same. You will want to use pictures, as a lot of children with autism are visual learners.  If an occasion should arise that you need to change the schedule, try preparing the child in advance.  The concreteness of the schedule will help your autistic child feel safe.

Speaking of safe, you will want to set up a place set aside specifically for the child.  This will be their safety area.  This should be a place where they can go to relax free from any stressors.  Maybe this is a chair in the den, or someplace quiet.  Make sure this spot is theirs, and theirs alone.  This maybe where they need to go when they feel overwhelmed.  You will want to clearly define this place so your child know where to go.

Being consistent is also a big key.  How you interact with children with autism should remain consistent.  This will further their sense of safety and comfort.  If something is off limits, it should be off limits all  the time.  Don't be wishy washy when it comes to your child with autism.  This may only confuse them, and make them feel unsafe, or turbulent.

Your actions will directly contribute to how secure you child with autism feels.  Make sure you follow these simple steps and you should do well by your child.  More tips, tricks, and tools can be found in the Essential Guide to Autism.  This program has more knowledge in it than I could ever hope to have.

Aspergers in Children Learning Community

I have worked out a deal with Dave Angel, the President of the Parenting Asperger's Community.  You can get total access to the whole site for 2 weeks for only $1.  Click the link below if you want to take advantage of this special offer.  I would highly recommend you take it for a test drive.  I don't know how long this offer will be available.  Remember you can cancel anytime.
http://www.parentingaspergerscommunity.com/public/1225.cfm

How Do You Show Love to Children with Autism.

A lot experts might say that children with autism do not have the ability to give or receive affection from a loved one.  In a lot of cases of children with autism this may appear to be true.  There exists many stories to the contrary as well.  Since we just talked about tactile stimulation, I thought i would get that out of the way right now.  It is true that children with autism process touch different than the rest of us.  So it is a common misconception that they simply do not like to be touched.  To say this is a one size fits all diagnosis is absurd.  Children with autism are just as different as everyone else in this world.  They could be hyper or hypo sensitive to touch.  You know your child and can make that determination.

When attempting to show physical affection the first thing you want to keep in mind, is that you probably don't want it to be a surprise event.  Startling autistic children could lead to horrible consequences. Start small and go from their.  Maybe start with a light hand on the shoulder and work your way up to a gentle hug.  If your child is hypo sensitive, they may want a giant bear hug right from the start.  It's going to take a little playing around with.  I think you would agree that the reward is worth it.

You can also make sure that the child has an open invitation to come to you.  Maybe let them warm up to the idea for a while.  Before they go to bed at night, simply stand with your arms outstretched inviting a hug.  Let them explore what you are doing.  Let the autistic child choose if they want to reciprocate.  Could make for quite the comedy if they just did the same thing back to you.  Just allow them plenty of opportunities to express their affection towards you.  Don't be offended or discouraged if they do not take you up on your offers.

If touch is simply out of the question then you are still not out of luck.  Make sure that you use lots of smiles and positive gestures.  Since a lot of children with autism have trouble picking up on social cues, you may need to over dramatize these a bit.  Show your love in this manner.

The last thing you want to do is inform everyone in the child's life about what practices you are putting into place.  You want everyone who might want to engage in these activities to be doing it right.  You don't want your work to be undone by some one with good intentions.  Ignorance is the opposite of bliss in this situation.

These are just some more suggestions to try with children with autism.  Remember the symbol for autism is a puzzle piece for a reason. See what you can do with them.  If you are truly looking for more in depth information and practices you can check out the "Essential Guide to Autism" by Rachel Evans.

Children with Autism and Tactile Stimulation: Use It to Your Advantage!!!

Your doing every thing you are supposed to be doing according to all of the specialists. Your loved one,or student, has a disorder on the Autism Spectrum and you feel like you are simply treading water. You have tried to create structure. You have visual schedules, charts, and communication boards. Nothing seems to be working. They seem to be constantly seeking out stimulation of touch, or feel.
If this is your case then there are some things you can do to use this to your advantage. Since our skin is so sensitive and such a huge part of our sensory system, with Autism this is either amplified by ten or diminished by ten. The stimulation is so rewarding to them it can consume their world. I once worked with an individual who would have spent his entire day standing at the kitchen faucet. He would stand there just running his hand underneath the water, and flicking the stream. You can use this behavior, with a little earnestness on your part. Instead of fighting it completely. Put "water time" into the day's routine. Put into the schedule designated times that they can retreat into their autism. This will allow them to decompress after the demands you have been placing on them prior. Make sure that it is a set length of time. Try setting a timer, and let them know when the timer goes off it is time to move on to the next activity. You might be surprised how well the person responds, when they know that they will get their sensory time. You can try and use it as a reward system that they can earn, but(depending on the person) this may backfire the first time they don't earn their time.
You may now be asking "How can I put this into their schedule, when I can't get them to follow a schedule?". This is a very valid point. If you are using a picture schedule and not having much success then I have a suggestion for you. Try attaching small pieces of different textured materials to each picture. Use many different types of materials, but make them all feel different. Try things like felt,different grades of sand papers, and various fabrics. Just put a different material on each activity. If an activity is repeated during the day, use the same material for both. When it is time for that activity have the person touch the material as you tell them what they will be doing. They will also see the picture. The material will serve two purposes. The first is that it will slightly satisfy their need for stimulation. This should allow them to focus on what you are saying, or what they are seeing. The second is if they can't focus on anything else, then they will begin to associate the activity with the feel on the schedule.
I have used both of these ideas with great success in real life situations. A well balanced sensory diet will do wonders for those seeking this stimulation.

The Psychiatrist and Autism, Aspergers, and PDD

If you have a child with an intellectual disability such as Autism, Aspergers Syndrome, or Pervasive Development Disorder then chances are you have a psychiatrist in your life. They are responsible for putting mood altering substances into your child. Often times this is very necessary, and is done for good reason. The problem that occurs is that often times the psychiatrist is making their determination based on ten to fifteen minutes of face time. With fewer and fewer providers accepting Medicade, it is just a fact of life that they are stretched so thin. They are the experts when it comes to pharmacology, but you are the expert when it comes to your child.

Here are a few things to remember when you are going to see the psychiatrist. The first thing that is inevitably going to happen is that they are going to talk to you rather than your child. They may talk briefly to your child, but 90% of their determination of treatment will come from what you have to say. You should be prepared for this ahead of time. Write down your concerns. Possibly in short bullet points and give it to the doctor when you walk into their office. You want these issues thought out ahead of time for two reasons. The first is that you want plenty of time to think about these before you get into the office. You don't want to say "Oh he seems agitated lately", only to think about it later and realize he hasn't been sleeping well. He could be agitated because he hasn't been sleeping. The doctor may prescribe a med to control the agitation, that doesn't address the sleeping. You want the time to think thing through. The second reason is that you want all of your concerns addressed. If you hand the doctor a short concise bullet pointed note, then you have a much better chance of succeeding in this. Don't make it long and drawn out. Remember the psychiatrist is well intentioned and wants the best for your child, but is limited on time.

The last thing you should do before you leave the psychiatrist's office is ask them how they would prefer you communicate with them in between visits. I have found that a lot of doctors would appreciate a short email from time to time. Emphasis on the word short. The psychiatrist is a part of your child's team, but they are often the outsider. Find out from them how, and how much they would like to be informed on your child.

These tips will take you a long way when it comes to your visits with the psychiatrist. Everyone wants whats best for your child, you just have to assert a little. To ensure that your child gets the best care possible.

Special Ed and IEP

When it comes to dealing with the Special Education System your experience can be great, or down right horrible.  I hear from parents a lot, in my current role, that they are very frustrated with the whole process.  The most important tool for success is the IEP.  What goes into this document sets your child's course for instruction.  The areas defined in the IEP are the yardstick by which the schools will say they did or did not do their job.  Every parent of a special needs child should be well versed in the language of the IEP.  You should know your rights and how to make your wishes known.  If your having trouble with the school giving you the run around, or are just not getting your needs met then check this out. Special Education - Parents Guide to IEP

Back to School for Children With Autism.

When it's time to take your child with an Autism Spectrum Disorder to school, it can be quite a turbulent time, to say the least. All routine is thrown out the window and replaced with sheer and utter chaos. New overwhelming sights, sounds, smells, and touches will all be experienced in the first day of class. In order to make this transition a little more peaceful there are a few steps you can take ahead of time to prepare your child for success in a mainstream environment.

1. Take your child to the school a couple of times before the start of the school year. Walk them around the halls. Let the feel the walls, adjust to the lighting, and get used to the pattern of the tile on the floor. This might be a good time to map out their routes, if they will be changing classrooms. Show them where the restrooms are in relation to their class room/rooms. Let them see their classroom and become familiar with it as well. I understand you can't do this to far in advance, but the more visits you can get in the better.

2. Introduce yourself and your child to the teacher. Communication between you and your child's teacher through out the school year is going to be key in their success. You might as well make your self known right away, and let then know you are an involved parent. Let the teacher know you are their to help however you can. During this time your child will be able to become familiar with the teacher as well. This should help the transition if there is a recognizable face among all the craziness.

3. Rehearse, Rehearse, Rehearse! Devote a little time each day to going over scenarios that your child might encounter while they are at school. What to do when you get upset at a student/teacher is a good one. What do you do if you get lost trying to find your room. Who do you go to if someone is picking on you or bullying you. For that matter make sure your child knows what bullying is and understands that it is not OK.

This is just a general guide. You know your child, if preparing them ahead of time will only make them perseverate on it, then this will not work for you. I hope this has been a help to some.

Activities for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders

Here is an article I found that seemed to be of some help.  The author created a training package called the "Essential Guide to Autism" which is really good system. Let me know what you think.  I'll post more from Rachel as I get more.
If your interested after reading this I have a link to it on the side of my page.

Activities for Children With Autism.

Parents, teachers, and other caregivers often get so caught up in educating and providing structure for children with autism that they forget that, above all, they are children. Like other children in their age group, autistic children want to have fun. While some activities may not be suitable for those suffering from autism, there are a number of fun games to play with autistic children, many of which can get them involved with others or help them further develop motor or social skills while just focusing on having a good time.

Autistic children in the elementary school age range can benefit greatly from song. Even children who do not verbally communicate with words can learn to hum along or play simple instruments, such as tambourines or whistles. Using sounds that are repetitive and with educational lyricshelps autistic children learn school lessons but also gives them an outlet for some of the sensory stimulation they need, such as yelling. Play follow the leader with the instruments to help the children focus their attention and improve socialization skills.

Depending on how mature your child is, he or she may also not only be able to participate in regular childhood games, but greatly benefit from them as well. These activities, including tag and other games, can be learned more easily than you think. Stick with games in which the autistic child is not forced to have close physical contact with other children, as this may be hurtful for autistic individuals. Also, remember to play to your child’s strengths or what he or she wishes to learn. If he or she has a problem with yelling inappropriately, for example, encouraging him or her to be involved with a game of hide and seek may help curb this behavior.

Autistic children often wish to be included in games with non-autistic peers, and so this may help with the learning process. At home, focus on games that involve closer contact with trusted family members. For example, make it a game to get across the room without touching the floor. Perhaps the only route in some instances is to be carried. Remember that each child is different developmentally, so stay in tune with how challenging the activities should be.

As your child matures, he or she may want to be involved with organized sports. This should be encouraged, but choose your sport carefully. Golf, baseball, and other sports that do not involve strong personal sensory stimulation may be better for your child than something like tackle football. However, be open to all possibilities. Be sure the team’s coach understands your child’s disability and is willing to work with him or her.

At this later developmental stage, also continue encouraging learning activities. Sensory games work well to further teach these children, and as they mature emphasize the importance of appropriate behavior as you are playing these games. Using things like water balloons in games your child already enjoys is often as fun for children with autism. Also realize that an autistic individual has trouble seeing things from another’s point of view. Therefore, they may be less likely to enjoy games in which something must be kept a secret from another person (like go-fish).

Overall, you and your child need to grow together. Remember that although he or she has many special needs, sometimes your child needs to simply be a kid as well. Encourage play along with work, and realize that games and activities for autistic children may fulfil two key elements, socialization skills for life and learning to enjoy playing with their peers.

There are many more resources and information about diagnosing, controlling and treating autism in, The Essential Guide to Autism. 

Hello and Welcome!!

Hi I just wanted to welcome you all to my site.  I have worked in the field of intellectual disabilities for twenty years, and thought wouldn't be nice if someone put together some resources for the real world.  I am always looking for new products, articles, and info when it comes to Autism Spectrum Disorders and many other disabilities.  I hope to gather and share this with you here.  This field is my passion and I hope this site will be of service to you.  Once again, welcome.