Category Archives: Information & Research

soa minecraft

How Minecraft Teaches My Son Life Skills

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soa minecraft

Image courtesy of minecraftercamp.com

In the video game world, I never really graduated past the Atari 2600 that debuted in 1977 and a few of the high-tech games that came with it: Combat, Pac-Man, Space Invaders, Adventure, Kaboom… you get the picture.

My kids, however, are huge gamers. From role-playing games that take months to complete to single-person shooter games, I’ve become well-versed in them all. I don’t play them, but I ask a lot of questions and study the terminology and story lines until I understand and can relate to the world my kids live in much of the time.

Video games really get a bad rap.  They’re seen as mind-numbing screen time that fries brain cells, with a side order of violent behavior. I disagree. That’s like saying heavy metal causes suicide.  Remember that one?

My kids played their first computer games as toddlers; Dr. Seuss taught them matching, spelling, music, coordination, maze navigation, and more. This did not replace reading! It was an additional tool to enhance their learning experience.

Today my kids are part of vast online video game communities, where they have made real-life friends in other cities AND countries!

My son began playing Minecraft on his computer almost a year ago. In this game you can create worlds from scratch, build your own towns, tools, weapons and avatars.  You can play alone or on servers where you plan communities with other people playing the game.

Is it frying his brain, or teaching him valuable life skills? Read on to see what he is learning and let me know what you think.

Math, Resources and Engineering

When you set out to build a structure you have to punch trees to gather the amount of wood needed to build what you have in mind. Then you have to find it in your inventory and turn it into wooden planks or blocks, which are now available to use for building and crafting things.

In order to build a structure that is functional, you must develop math and spacial reasoning skills, figuring out in your head how many blocks will be necessary for a foundation. You can team up with others and create entire cities from your imagination, complete with fountains, statues, stores and residential homes. All without any formal engineering classes.

Science

There are multiple biomes in Minecraft – different types of environments with similar climactic conditions to the ones on Earth. My son plays in the Taiga Biome (a snow biome), the Plains, Jungles, Forest, Extreme Hills, Ocean Biomes, and more.

Here he learns about 61 different biomes with varying geographical features, flora, heights, temperatures, humidity ratings, and sky and foliage colors. Introduced in the Halloween Update, biomes separate every generated world into different environments, paralleling the real world.

He also learns about diamonds, obsidian, gold, iron, and other gemstones, as well as the layers of the earth. He talks about which things can be mined, smelted or avoided, like bedrock and lava. 

Problem Solving

When you begin the game (called “spawning”) you are in the middle of the nothing, with only trees, caves and a few roaming animals. Starting at sundown you will start seeing all sorts of monsters that will attack you, like Creepers, zombies, skeletons, spiders, and wolves. You have to learn very quickly with no instructions that you must survive the night. You have to cut down trees and build some type of shelter, as well as watch your hunger bar. If you don’t find food you will die.

You are not just “reacting” in a game like this; you must come up with a strategy in minutes that includes hunting for food, building shelter, mining coal for your torch and making tools – all from the natural resources available in the game.

Beyond a strategy for surviving the night, you then have to build a world that is sustainable. You can plant gardens, set up farms, build crafting tables, weapons, and tools for both mining and protection against the nighttime monsters. If you die you can lose everything that you’ve accumulated throughout the game – all your resources, tools and hard work!

Research

My son never asks me how to do anything in his game, or when writing a custom script or installing a mod or texture pack (say what?). He has a task or idea and immediately refers to online Wikis, YouTube and forums for tutorials. He learns about the more complex functions like building irrigation systems or functioning items for his house like a fireplace.

Spelling, Grammar and Communication

As I mentioned earlier, my son has met children all over the world via Minecraft servers. He set up his own Skype account and has a network of players at any given time. He speaks, types and builds simultaneously with these friends.

He informed me earlier that when he meets “noobs” he thinks it’s funny that they can’t spell anything. I got a kick out of that – it seems that the longer you play this game the better your spelling and grammar become!

Teamwork

When Skyping with others and playing Minecraft, they are learning to work together to gather food for the community, build stores to sell armor, weapons and food, and engineer new cities.  My son learns how each of these friends communicates best, and he also learns how to settle disputes, compromise, and respect the wishes of others when it comes to how things function in their game world.

I know it seems like kids are “wasting time” on video games. But I have seen my son apply so many of these skills to real life problems or situations and I have been blown away! I don’t think it’s changed him, I think it enhances and sharpens the way his brain already works to bring out his natural strengths. All in a way that he understands and relates to.

If your child plays Minecraft, I encourage you to ask questions, listen to what he or she does and how they’ve figured out how to do it. You will be amazed at the creativity, imagination, problem solving, and overall life skills being grown and flexed through what seems to be a simple game (with really bad graphics).

To see how educators across America are using Minecraft in the classroom, visit MinecraftAfterCamp.com!

Does your child play Minecraft or a similar game? What have they learned from it? What have YOU learned from it? Share by commenting below!

ssi

Guest Post: How to Apply for Disability Benefits for an Autistic Child

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Image courtesy of ssa.gov

The Social Security Administration (SSA) does recognize autism as a potentially disabling condition; however, your child must be severely autistic in order to meet the SSA’s eligibility requirements. This is because many children who suffer from more mild forms of autism are able to function at a nearly “normal” level socially and academically.

Children with more severe forms however, do require significant supportive care, which can leave you financially strapped. Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits can give you the financial resources you need to ensure your child receives the consistent support and attention he or she needs and deserves.

Supplemental Security Income

Children who meet the SSA’s eligibility requirements receive benefits through the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program. SSI is a need-based program, which means it has strict criteria regarding financial status for children to qualify. In other words, even if your child suffers from severe autism and meets the SSA’s definition of disability, he or she may not meet the financial eligibility requirements for getting SSI benefits.

The income and other financial resources you and your child have available will be thoroughly reviewed by the SSA, and must be very limited in order for your child to receive SSI benefits. The calculation of income and resources is fairly complex, with some sources counting and others not. To learn more about SSI financial criteria, visit: http://www.socialsecurity.gov/pgm/ssi.htm.

Medical Eligibility for SSI

For your child to be found medically eligible to receive SSI benefits, he or she must be severely impaired. To prove severe developmental impairment, you must have substantial medical records documenting specific information, including:

  • Severe limitations in interacting socially
  • Pronounced communication deficits
  • Inability to engage in age appropriate activities that require imagination
  • Very limited involvement in a broader range of interests and/or activities

You must also have the following information well documented in his or her medical records:

  • For children between 1 and 3 years of age, a pronounced limitation in at least one of the following areas:
    • Fine motor skills
    • Communication and/or cognitive abilities
    • Age appropriate social functioning
  • For children between the ages of 3 and 18, severe limitation in at least two of the following areas is necessary:
    • Communication and/or cognitive function
    • Age appropriate social functioning
    • Inability to provide age appropriate self care in everyday activities
    • Pronounced difficulties with concentrating, remaining focused and on task, or in completing tasks at a reasonable/normal pace

Medical Evidence and SSI Eligibility

The documentation in your child’s medical records must meet certain standards in order to prove the criteria listed above. You must work closely with your child’s doctor to ensure the right tests have been completed to satisfy the SSA’s evidentiary requirements. You may also want to consider seeking assistance from a Social Security advocate or attorney who is familiar with handling autism disability claims.

The Application Process

You can begin the application process by contacting your local SSA office and obtaining a copy of the Child Disability Starter Kit. You can also get the kit from the SSA’s website.

The kit will tell you how the application and review processes work and what information you will need to complete the SSA’s application for benefits. Required information includes your child’s medical history and school records. Additionally, as SSI is a need-based program, you must present the SSA with financial records as well.

To finalize an application for SSI benefits on behalf of a child, you must participate in an interview with an SSA representative. If you have a caseworker from family and social services with whom you work, he or she can arrange the SSA interview appointment for you, or you can contact your local SSA office directly to make an appointment.

Article by Ram Meyyappan
Social Security Disability Help

For more information on Autism and Disability, please visit: http://www.disability-benefits-help.org/disabling-conditions/autism-and-social-security-disability

 

autism oz

Finally! An Autism Magazine FOR Parents BY Parents – autism Oz

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I’m so proud to be a part of this fantastic new resource, a monthly digital autism support magazine known as autism Oz.

It was given the name because the magazine is produced in Australia (Oz) but aimed at the global autism community.

They have a fantastic team of contributors (including me *wink*) who are highly respected scientists, therapists, nutritionists and parents living autism’s day-to-day experiences. These contributors bring the latest and most innovative news, views and tried and tested advice from across the autism spectrum.

autism Oz uses the Internet’s interactive ability to create magazines that come alive and serve the community. In addition to written content, videos can be played straight from the pages of the publication.

What drew me to this project was that families are be able to connect from all over the world and share their own stories and video of struggle and success. Much like Spirit of Autism, the messages are REAL, uplifting and authentic.

I was introduced to the Editor, Iain Croft through LinkedIn. He’s a former journalist with the BBC in London, where he worked for 23 years. He was Assistant Editor at Hardtalk on World TV, Planning Editor at World Service Radio News Programmes, and Assistant Editor at the BBC’s most influential news and current affairs program called “The Today Programme”.

Now living in Perth Australia, Iain is a parent of three wonderful children Riley (sadly deceased), Isabella who is six and Rafael, five.

It is because of what happened to his son that he has now put his energy into child welfare and helping parents assist children reach their full potential. This was his inspiration for birthing this major project aimed at people with autism and their carers.

I’m honored to be a contributor to autism Oz iMagazine. You can find my article on why I train Emergency Responders and Autism Safety at home in the April issue. Once I got to know Iain and his driving force to help the community, I immediately volunteered to create and manage the magazine’s website.

autism Oz is more than a project, it is a global movement. It goes beyond autism awareness; it is autism in action. Whether you are just starting out on your autism journey or if you are a seasoned professional, autism Oz is with you every step of the way.

Intro to NVC for Asperger’s Teens and Adults

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If you are a teen or adult on the Autism Spectrum or a parent or professional that engages with someone on the Autism spectrum, you may be interested in how the Social Skills practices of NVC can serve you.

My new friend Bob Yamtich is an Aspie adult who is trained in a social skills process called Nonviolent CommunicationSM (NVC). He has shared this process at Asperger’s support groups in the San Francisco Bay Area and many people shared how much it contributes to them in their communications.

He is visiting Atlanta and offering an introductory Tuesday, June 19, from 7 to 9 pm at the workshop space of local NVC trainers in Tucker. It will be will be a combination of mini-lessons, live modeling, and active practice will help participants get an introduction to Nonviolent CommunicationSM. Bob invites teens and adults on the autism spectrum, and professionals and parents who work with people on the spectrum.

Some great things included in this workshop:

  • Mini-lessons include distinctions between needs and strategies and between empathy and sympathy
  • What clues can we use, both cognitive and feelings-based, to connect to what we and others care about?
  • Learning self-connection, using logical abilities to hear what is important to somebody, and developing authentic self-expression

So what the heck is NVC?

I absolutely love the description on the site of local GaNVC trainers, Sacred Space:

What is unique about Nonviolent Communication (NVC), beyond other restorative and life-enriching tools, is that it gets us out of our stories — the stories that we’ve already told over and over to no avail to deaf or disinterested ears, without relief. NVC moves us beyond relating what’s happening to us via analysis, blame, criticism, evaluation, or judgment — beyond stories based on verbal violence. NVC helps us address what’s alive in us today … this moment … so that our histories don’t continue to overshadow and dictate our present.

The tools of Nonviolent Communication help us reach the frustrated needs behind strong feelings and the stories. NVC connects us with others through attention to the universal needs that we all share, thereby fostering empathy. NVC fosters understanding, genuine connection and the resulting opportunity to jointly co-create strategies for resolution that can address the needs of all concerned. This practice can help assure that all voices are valued and heard before strategies are formed.

I am very excited to learn more about the connection Bob has discovered between NVC and helping those on the Autism Spectrum be more in touch with their needs and feelings. I know this knowledge will help me in my training programs for Emergency Responders.

If you are local to Atlanta and wish to attend this workshop, please RSVP to Bob at bobyamtich@gmail.com.

Download the flyer here for more information, or to print and share.

I will be posting a follow up regarding what I learned, so look for that soon!

Demystifying Alternative Therapies for Children with Autism

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Reposted with permission from Healthism.

For parents of children on the Autism Spectrum figuring out treatment can be tough. The spectrum is vast and children have different symptoms and triggers that require different treatments. There are a number of ways to treat your child’s needs through different therapies – from the way you eat to different activities you do. That is why we’ve contacted the BEST of the best when it comes to Autism specialists to find out more about each treatment.  Here is what they had to say:

  1. GLUTEN FREE & ALL NATURAL DIETS

    WHAT IS IT?     Improving your child’s health by changing what they eat.

    HOW DOES IT WORK?     Children with Autism tend to have food sensitivities more than food allergies, the biggest offenders can be gluten and casein (casein is a protein in dairy products and gluten is found in wheat, barley, rye, and some oats). Some autistic children have vast improvements on a Gluten Free Casein Free diet (GFCF) while other do not.

    Also, a diet of minimally processed, or foods in as close to their natural state as possible, can help some children with Autism. One common symptom of Autism is gastrointestinal (GI) upset because children with Autism often lack, or have very low levels, of detoxification and digestive enzymes. This leads to poor digestion and absorption of food and nutrients resulting in a multitude both behavioral and physical symptoms. Minimally processed or all natural foods contain less potential GI and behavioral triggers which can mean all the difference to a child with Autism.

    HOW DOES IT HELP? The first major improvement is an almost immediate reduction in GI distress. The effects vary, but some parents have actually proclaimed to have “gotten their child back” due to the vast improvement in behavior and reduction in autism symptoms.

    Also, almost everyone notes a positive change from shifting to a natural diet. A recent study found that autistic children who experienced chronic GI distress had the greatest improvements in behavior and social interaction when compared with autistic children without significant GI distress.

    Colleen Hurley, RD is a Wholistic practitioner, Registered Dietitian, Certified Kid’s Nutrition Specialist, and a Master Gardener offering wellness education through services and her website at www.colleenhurleyrd.com.

    Debi Taylor, Autism Specialist; www.SpiritOfAutism.org

  2. CRANIO-SACRAL THERAPY WHAT IS IT? Improving Health by Allowing The Breath of Life to Do It’s Job

    HOW IS IT ADMINISTERED? Biodynamic Craniosacral therapy orients and magnifies the forces that direct cells to do their job. It has one foot rooted in anatomy, and another in what practitioners call the breath of life that breathes in all of our cells every second. Healing occurs by these forces communicating more strongly, and clearly in a person’s energy field and body and tissue field. It works at the root level of health which is the quantum physics of the body.

    The breath of life is the similar to electricity in that it’s used everyday as it breathes and directs each cell. Practitioners do not quite understand how it happens, but with Autism these forces can be blocked by various conditions at birth, in-utero, from genetics, and from environmental toxins. Biodynamic Craniosacral therapy allows the body to show the practitioner what level it wants to work on. It orients towards the forces that are present from conception on, to magnify them to heal areas where the body is less connected to these baseline forces specialists call the breath of life.

    When cells and the entire body connect more to these forces of health, the body heals on emotional, mental, physical, and energetic levels. Craniosacral therapy will improve one’s health by strengthening the body’s innate intelligence and a sense of well being occurs.

    HOW DOES IT HELP? Some practitioners have had good results with this, as Craniosacral therapy supports whatever is needed at anytime. The affects are direct and indirect. Treatment can magnify other therapies as well as support maximizing the child’s brain development. When children and their parents receive Craniosacral therapy (as both should be treated since they are all in a unit) it supports their nervous system, immune system, and more, as healing happens where it is needed.

    It is believed that only the body knows exactly what it needs, the practitioner just holds the proper container for healing to happen. While the practitioner is tracking what is happening with their client, they make sure to “get out of the way” to allow the breath of life to do the job.

    Dr. Kate Klemer has been practicing Cranial work since 1986. She has studied various forms of the work. Over the past 10 years she has been training to be a teacher of biodynamic craniosacral therapy. www.drkateklemer.com.

  3. EQUINE-ASSISTED THERAPY WHAT IS IT? Help through horseback riding.

    HOW DOES IT WORK? After an initial application and intake process is done, a child may start a specific treatment plan specific to their needs. This will include elements of occupational, speech and language, physical, and cognitive behavioral therapies. While a child may spend up to 45 minutes riding they also work on daily living skills. They are taught the daily care of a horse like grooming and feeding which is paralleled to their own self daily care. LifeStriders Therapeutic Riding Center also makes sure to include sensory integration, so the children are playing games and doing activities while riding.

    HOW DOES IT HELP? Many people with disabilities don’t have a normal gait, a common symptom of many children with Autism. When a person is not moving how they were meant to move the brain doesn’t get certain kinds of stimulation. With Equine-Assisted Therapy a horse carries four beats per step, so a child’s brain is getting stimulation they wouldn’t get with their normal two beats per step.

    There have also been studies that show that oxytocin, or the bonding hormone, is released during riding. A result of this is an increase in sustained contact. And while the brain is stimulated week after week they’ve seen increased verbalization in most of their non-verbal patients. Many non-verbal students even say their first words during riding, which is music to a parent’s ears.

    Veronica Sosa Agnoli, MS, LPC is the Executive Director of LifeStriders Therapeutic Riding Center, establishing LifeStriders as a leader in the field of Equine Facilitated Learning/Mental Health and therapeutic riding.

For more articles discussing tips for teachers, preparing them for college, great resource roundups, and more, visit http://blog.healthism.com/.

Have you used either of these therapies with your children? What have you seen that works or doesn’t work? Is there an alternative therapy you use that we haven’t covered?

What are My Top 6 Go-To Blogs?

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Despite what goes on in my home from day-to-day, I truly never have to feel alone as a parent raising a child with Autism. It’s 2012, and the number of resources, experts, and all-around amazing souls available at the click of my mouse is one of the backbones of my survival. I wish this were the case when we first got a diagnosis and I was overwhelmed, frustrated, scared and confused (and very, very isolated)… but, as we know, everything happens in perfect timing.

These six blogs are my go-to places for experience, strength and hope. I am honored to have connected with everyone here, and can’t wait to do more together in some capacity in 2012. Here are my Top 6:

Louise Sattler
Louise is one of my soul sisters that I can’t wait to meet in person! She is a nationally recognized speaker that infuses her delivery with the kind of humor I adore. She is also a psychologist and owner of Signing Families™.  As soon as I get my act together, rather BALANCED (a non-negotiable goal for me in 2012!), we will collaborate and create greatness! Her support of my voice in the Autism community means more to me than I could ever express.

Gluten Free Gigi
Another soul sister that shares my city… we keep threatening to meet in person and finally share coffee talk! She took being gluten free by the horns and instead of balking about the foods she used to love she started creating masterpieces in the kitchen. Gigi has discovered creating and preparing these new, gluten free healthier versions of the foods she loves isn’t that difficult, is better for her and her family, and much less expensive than buying pre-packaged, gluten free foods and mixes. I have much to learn from her, and boy am I relieved! I’m so tired of buying $9 boxes of “Lemur Puffs” that make my son turn his nose up and say, “It’s not the SAAAAAME!”

Connie Hammer – Parent Coaching for Autism

Connie is an amazing, positive support for parents that especially want to take the struggle out of common hardships when it comes to raising a child with Autism. Bedtime, potty issues, holiday meltdowns – you name it. She celebrates and honors each parent and child as the individual they are, rather than pushing a “cookie cutter” system. I learn something from every single one of her blogs and newsletters.

Gabrielle Kaplan-Mayer – Kitchen Classroom 4 Kids

Ms. Kaplan-Mayer wrote The Kitchen Classroom: 32 Visual GFCF Recipes to Boost Developmental Skills. We loved it so much I wrote a review about it. What I love is that this is not just a cookbook (cue Twilight Zone music… anyone else remember that episode? To Serve Man?). Specific activities are spelled out to help develop fine and gross motor skills, assist with cognitive abilities, speech and language, and address sensory input issues. She has a Recipe of the Week blog that is really fun!

Kid Companions

Creators of Chewelry, this blog offers a wide array of viewpoints and resources when it comes to everything special needs. Their goal is to help special kids be themselves and thrive. Each of their products give us parents peace of mind and support our special children. If your child is like mine and destroys pens, straws, clothing, video game styluses (stylii?) and whatever else is near because of chewing fixations… you need Chewelry!

Stark. Raving. Mad. Mommy.

I have no idea what her real name is, but I’ve been following her over all forms of social media for quite some time. Her sardonic wit and twisted perspectives sometimes get me through the day. It’s a little edgy and in your face, but come on – don’t we all crave that sometimes? She writes about parenting, sensory processing disorder, anxiety, ADHD, allergies, asthma, Asperger Syndrome, and whatever else is cooking at any given moment. Good stuff!

So there it is. There are a lot of other amazing people I currently support and collaborate with, but in order to keep things consistent (I have little specks of Monk in me from time to time) everyone listed here must have a blog that is updated regularly.

What blogs provide great value for you? Let me know by commenting below or on the SOA Facebook page!

Autism + Puberty = Oh, Crap!

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Got your attention, didn’t I?

We’ve been in a great rhythm for a while now, and it’s been glorious. Rituals and routines: check. Handy sensory tools to take to outings: check. Restricted diet: check. Digestive enzymes: check. Pre-meltdown signs identified and used to head him off at the pass: check.

A couple of weeks ago, I noticed that the pants my 9 year-old son was wearing just a few days earlier were suddenly three inches too short. Did I use the wrong drier setting…? Then I saw acne. Then peach fuzz above his lip.

“Honey? Your voice sounds funny – are you coming down with a cold? Feeling okay?”

Then it hit me like a brick to the back of the head: big P, here we come.

Having a daughter first that went through full puberty at 8 (ACK!) I really didn’t think I had anything to worry about: I thought I had it in the bag. Easy – whiny, emotional, easily irritated, overreacting to things – then a smooth ride until the following month. Of course boys are different, but when you add precocious puberty with a splash of Autism you get an interesting cocktail. The hormones seem to sneak in and reconfigure many of the connections we’ve worked so hard to attain.

What to expect

Unexpected rage over small incidents. Proper magnitude of a situation was always an issue with us. We’ve really come a long way learning appropriate responses, but with some of these reactions it’s as if we’re now starting all over again.

Sleep schedule run amok. There has been a magnified wave of insomnia in our house, followed by 15-16 hour stretches of sleep for no apparent reason. Our old rituals and occasional use of melatonin are now ineffective.

New food likes / dislikes and  bizarre cravings. Good thing I went to Sam’s Club and bought a giant, industrial-sized box of his favorite snack food… that he suddenly hates :) Ugh. I caught him spreading Nutella on a dog biscuit the other day and slapped it out of his hands in panic! The good news? He’s trying new foods. It’s all about perspective. <Kidding – no child in my house eats dog biscuits!!

Lack of appetite followed by devouring a week’s worth of groceries. I know this one is not unique to children on the Spectrum, it’s part of having a t(w)een boy.  I still found myself quite financially unprepared for living with Garfield. Anyone know a good Gluten-Free lasagna recipe?

Being overly affectionate. This is a sticky-wicket, especially because I’m a single mom. There have been some shockingly inappropriate… acts of curiosity… that I’ve swiftly nipped in the bud! I will probably need some more assistance with this topic, however, as my expertise ends with Judy Blume books and creating the perfect chocolate/salt balance about three days out of the month. Calling all male role models… help! STAT!

Exhibiting desires to control family members and pets. For some reason, my boy is getting some sort of payoff from cornering me or his sister and not letting us pass through a room, blocking us from getting something in the kitchen, and mildly terrorizing the puppy. There is an underlying theme for the sudden desire to be the “capo di famiglia” (head of household). Yeah… that’s not gonna happen. Thank you, drive through!

No desire to keep up hygiene. Both my kids exhibited this strange behavior at the onset of puberty. It takes an Act of Congress to get them into the shower more than once a week. I simply can’t relate… but I have to stick to my guns.

Regression of old behaviors. Some of the old impulsivity is rearing its ugly head, along with stimming, toileting accidents, and blurting out loud noises. It really feels as if he is choosing this behavior; it has a deliberate tone to it. However, when disciplined he is honestly surprised that he is in trouble and is truly not sure what he did. The difference now is that he internalizes it and tells everyone he’s stupid. That’s not good.

What do you do?

Open communication. The number one thing you can do is make sure your child feels safe to talk about anything with you. With Autism, you may hear questions and perspectives you’ve never encountered in this arena. It’s so important to keep an open dialogue about what he is experiencing, this will set a solid foundation that will hold up any future issues and surprises with grace.

Rinse and repeat. It takes time to create new habits. 21 consecutive days, actually. Don’t expect your child to embrace these new hormones and feelings without some confusion and resistance. Remain patient and be prepared to explain, instruct, and remind your child about virtually everything. You will be repeating yourself, so get used to it :)

Gently establish new routines and rituals. Don’t cry over what used to work. Life is meant to be fluid. I used to feel like such a failure when I couldn’t command a successful routine 100% of the time. Now my attitude is, “We’re going to try this for a while and see how it goes.” If it stops working, we make small course changes. It took me almost 40 years to learn that small, consistent adjustments make a much more profound impact than the extreme and rigid ways I would try to enforce a schedule I thought “should” work. Not to mention all the energy expended feeling bad about my “shoulds”. Now that energy is freed and I can focus on our next step. The flow is so much nicer!

Exercise! Physical movement is always a priority, but it’s really critical during puberty. We start off each morning with Superbrain Yoga. Since I work out every morning for my own sanity, my son will sometimes mimic what I’m doing (or his version of it). There are currently no structured sports or activities in our repertoire, so walks with the dog, back yard exploring, and regular trips to the neighborhood bouncy house definitely help. When the weather gets a little less infernal we will be trying some more challenging activities.

Find a creative outlet. If you have a child with Autism, I’m sure you are no stranger to their current obsession. Rather than meeting it with resistance because YOU think the interest is excessive, try expanding on it. For example, my child lives, breathes, and eats Super Mario Brothers. We’ve found a computer program that goes above and beyond playing the various games: he gets to create custom levels. He puts them to music, assigns characters, powers, scenes, dialogue, and criteria to his games like he’s been designing all his life. What an awesome gift!

Establish ‘mommy time’ boundaries. Now more than ever it is imperative that you carve out sacred time for yourself. You may feel selfish and neglectful when you first attempt this, especially if you work. But the benefits are two-fold: you are getting a much needed and deserved break to replenish your spirit, and you are teaching your child how to do the same for himself. Making sure you are balanced and happy is the greatest gift you can give your entire family.

Celebrate the good choices. No matter how small you think it is, it’s a big deal that your child is able to make a connection, follow a thought, and make a positive choice. You may feel as if your child is too old, but throwing a verbal party when you catch him being good will really shift unwanted behaviors quickly!

What about you? Have you ventured down this path yet? What things helped you tame the beast? Feel free to share by commenting below or posting on the SOA Facebook page – I’d love to hear your stories!

What the Heck is Sound Training?

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Sound Training can help address your child’s skills and abilities that you’d most like to see improved, from gifted development to specific learning challenges. How can something you listen to help learning challenges? Let me explain:

As Dr. Alfred Tomatis, the “Father” of Sound Training, discovered that 85 percent of the neural pathways to our brain are stimulated through the ear. Within the ear, there are two main nerves: the Auditory (Cochlear) Nerve, which carries hearing information between the inner ear and the brain and the Vestibular Integrator, which controls coordination, balance, and governs body functions.

If you are not processing certain frequencies of sound in an optimal way, it can greatly affect motor skills, balance, appetite, toileting, sleep, language (the voice can only produce what the ear can hear), cognitive abilities, understanding multi-step instructions, magnitude of a situation, the ability to put yourself in another’s shoes, energy, mood, sound sensitivity, transitioning from one activity to another, coping skills, anxiety, social skills, and focus and attention.

Whew! Did you ever imagine all those things were affected by the way you process sound?

In addition to frequency deficits, further complications arise when sound is processed through bone conduction instead of air conduction, which is often prevalent in children with Autism, Sensory Processing issues, ADHD, and Dyslexia.

Ideally, sound should be processed air over bone, where it goes through the middle ear (the “gatekeeper”), gets buffered, filtered, sorted, and served to the brain on a silver platter. Auditory processing through bone conduction means the sound goes in the ear and through bone straight to the nervous system. Unable to separate background noises, it is dense, fast, and loud, frequently causing auditory overload and throwing all the other senses into distress.

EnListen® uses custom-engineered music files to wake up the brain and help put the sensory system back in harmony. It uses a filter and delay, first sending the sound through bone conduction via a special headset and then through the ears the proper way. Eventually that gap is closed, like training a lazy eye, making lasting changes to the brain and could dramatically improve:
•    attention, focus and concentration
•    self-confidence
•    emerging language
•    cognition skills
•    reading and writing
•    comprehension and memory
•    eye contact
•    speech clarity
•    organization
•    body function

Done properly, Sound Training gets the foundation intact and strong (low frequency-body functions) and then not only works on deficits but helps build on strengths and develop your child’s natural gifts.

Would you like to learn more about how EnListen® could help you or your child? Schedule a NO-COST consultation here!

We Are What We Eat! by Special Guest Barrie Silberberg

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You have heard this saying a million times, but what exactly does it mean to you, your family and your bodies?

Americans consume huge amounts of processed foods, including fast food, restaurant food and food you buy and provide for your families. Many European countries are changing how their families eat, by removing toxins from their foods, for a healthier world. Sadly, America, one of the richest countries in the world is poisoning their citizens. Not only are they damaging their bodies, but also their minds. School lunches are one of the worst culprits in our society, as well as all of the drive-through fast food establishments, that exist in practically every city in America.

Do you read labels on the foods that you purchase? Pay attention! There are too many ignorant people out there, who purchase packaged foods for their families, completely unaware of what those ingredients mean. This information is not just for families touched by a special needs child, these valuable facts are for ALL families!

We have more hyperactivity, autism and MANY other diseases and disorders out of control, than ever before. Many of these disorders can be eradicated or GREATLY improved by changing the diet to remove chemicals and toxins. Many people’s bodily functions can be greatly improved by getting rid of the wrong types of foods that enter your body.

Let’s start with processed foods. Something as simple as potato chips, can explain what I am talking about. Potato chips may not be the healthiest of foods, but they can still be a healthy option. There is nothing wrong with potatoes cut thin, baked or cooked in olive oil (or another healthy oil), and a small amount of salt. Three simple ingredients to satisfy your taste buds. Here is an ingredient list from a leading national company, who packages chips for the purchasing public. Potatoes, Sunflower Oil and/or Corn Oil, Flamin’ Hot Seasoning (Corn Maltodextrin, Sugar, Sunflower Oil, Dextrose, Malted Barley Flour, Torula Yeast,
Monosodium Glutamate, Artificial Color (Red 40 Lake, Yellow Lake, Yellow 6 Lake), Corn Syrup Solids, Salt, Autolyzed Yeast Extract, Tomato Powder, Onion Powder, Citric Acid, Garlic Powder, Natural and Artificial Flavor, Spice, Sodium Caseinate, Disodium Inosinate, Disodium Guarylate) and Salt.

First off, you can clearly see there are ingredients listed that you have no clue what they are or where they even came from. This is the first lesson is how to read a label. If the list is long and full of odd, strange words, put it back on the shelf, this is not a healthy choice. Dextrose is just another word for sugar, which is already listed here. Why on earth do your potato chips need sugar? I can guarantee that this sugar is processed, refined and unhealthy! Corn syrup is never healthy. You can read all over the Internet about the dangers of corn syrup. The worse offenders here are the artificial ingredients, especially the Lake Dyes. These dyes are purely chemicals, made from petroleum oil, yes..what goes into the gas tank of your car. These colors (which have been abolished in many other parts of the world, they use fruits and vegetables to color their foods, instead) can harm your body and mind. Read more on www.Feingold.org about how your body and mind react to preservatives, chemicals and artificial ingredients, especially artificial colors. There are way too many destructive symptoms to list here that can occur by ingesting these chemicals. I will just name a few: hyperactivity, poor sleep patterns, skin disorders, bowel disorders, disruptive and/or abusive behaviors, inappropriate noises, aggression, mood swings, depression, low self-esteem and so much more!

You owe it to your family to read labels. There are many single ingredient foods that you can purchase or natural or organic options for just about anything you have in your freezer, refrigerator or pantry shelf. There are farmer’s markets all over the nation, co-ops, health food stores and large chains of stores that do not sell artificial products. Please do NOT say, it is too expensive. The people that exclaim these words pay a fortune weekly at fast food or other unhealthy restaurant options. Add up your cost for that soda, that burger, those fries and other side dishes. Add in a tip, if you go out. Compare your grocery bill to that of your “eating out” bill. Write down EVERY time you purchase outside food, this includes lunch and beverages parents’ purchase for themselves, while at work or in route to their destinations. Keep track of what you and your family are eating and the cost. Then go one week with NEVER eating out, yet purchasing only foods with healthy, natural ingredients. Why not shop at Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods or other similar stores in your area for one week of groceries. Not only will you save money, but also your family will have the best bowel movements, the best skin, and the best feeling inside mentally and physically. Yes, this means packing lunches for school and work daily, or perhaps even for a ride in the car on vacations or just day trips. Once you see the changes in your family after one week, you will not want to stop. One month will show you even more of the huge changes in your families’ daily existences.
Be cognizant, read labels, pay attention to what you buy, where you buy it, what the ingredients are for every morsel that you and your family ingest. Stop being ignorant. Share what you have learned with other families. It takes a village to change poor eating habits! Why not start today?

For much more in-depth details to everything mentioned in this article and much more, please go to Barrie Silberberg’s web site: www.puttingyourkidsfirst.com and discover more about her book: The Autism & ADHD Diet: A Step-by-Step Guide to Hope and Healing by Living Gluten Free and Casein Free (GFCF) and Other Interventions.

The Autism & ADHD Diet is available at all major bookstores, Amazon.com and many other online book retailers. Click Here for Barrie’s website Putting Your Kids First.

Reprinted with permission from Parenting Special Needs Magazine, Mar/Apr ‘11 Issue, Copyright [2011] by Parenting Special Needs LLC.  http://www.parentingspecialneeds.org.

An Iceberg: The Autism Files by Special Guest Gabrielle Bryden

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An Iceberg: The Autism Files

My son has Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and would be described as high functioning. Some people ask ‘what is high functioning – does that mean he’s super intelligent?’

No, this is not what it means and I think ‘higher functioning autism’ is a better descriptor. Autism is on a spectrum from less severe to severe. The ASDs fall under the umbrella classification of Pervasive Developmental Disorders – that means the disorder affects a great many aspects of the person’s life and functioning.

It is important to remember that autism is:

PERVASIVE

When my son began speech therapy at the age of three, I told the speech pathologist that he had mild autism. She looked at me, shaking her head and said ‘there is no such thing as mild autism’. That statement hit me like a brick. Now, 8 years later, I have a far greater appreciation of what that means.

I now think of high functioning autism or Asperger syndrome as like an iceberg. Most of the difficulties are not obvious to others, they are hidden under the surface but still have a major impact on the person’s day to day life.

A child with ASD may be sitting quietly at their desk at school and may seem at ease, but on the inside they may be feeling confused, anxious, angry or agitated. They may be overwhelmed by sensory issues (e.g., noise, smell,), confused by an unstructured learning environment, annoyed by disruptive fellow students, have difficulty with processing instructions and self organisation, dread the social nightmare which is the school playground at lunchtime, and be afraid of bullies. The list goes on and on.

The child usually knows it is important to hold it all together at school and they make an extra effort to cope. This can result in hyper vigilance, where the ASD child feels like they are under attack and is constantly on the lookout for danger. Hyper vigilance is very tiring.

They usually save up all the tantrums for the safety of the home environment. I have had a number of teachers say to me that my son is generally well behaved at school and I am quick to inform them that this does not always translate to the home front.

My son’s speech pathologist used to make school visits to observe my son in situ and to advise on problems and solutions. She was a keen observer and could list all the subtle signs that not all was well (signs that the teachers usually missed). These signs would include things like excessive chewing (on shirt collars, pencils, rubbers etc.,), obsessive picking at scabs, lining up objects, hand flapping and wringing, avoiding eye contact, body slumping and leaning on supports, peculiar verbal noises/tics, echolalia (repetitive speech), uneaten lunch.

It is these types of behaviours that may be signalling anxiety and distress in the person with autism.

If you provide a supportive environment for a person with ASD, you can minimise their distress. We chose to move to a small village so the whole family could live in a healthy environment and my son could go to a small school. We address problems as they arise. It makes life easier for him but there is still a lot of ice under the water.

Today I am writing this as my son works quietly at his desk (completing homework which should have been done yesterday – did I tell you I hate homework). He was supposed to go to his sports day but refused this morning because his shirt was too small (that’s just the excuse for ‘it’s all too much for me’).

Sports days are generally hated by most kids with autism (noisy, chaotic, competitive etc.) and it’s one of those issues that we haven’t yet been able to deal with satisfactorily.

Staying at home is as good a solution as any.

__________

Written by Gabrielle Bryden, a writer, psychologist and autism advocate from Australia who blogs regularly at Gabrielle Bryden’s Blog, the link can be found here: http://gabriellebryden.wordpress.com

She writes about ASD in her Autism Files which can also be found on her blog here: http://gabriellebryden.wordpress.com/category/autism-files