Healing Thresholds Autism Therapy Topic Feed

Alabama High School Provides Typical School Experience for Students with Autism

scottie — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 15:00:00 +0000

Teaser:

Spanish Fort HS, through its Project Reach program, allows students with autism to participate in everyday classroom and sports activities.

Body:

Spanish Fort High School, through its Project Reach program, allows students with autism to participate in everyday classroom and sports activities. Along with academics, the students learn life skills, go on field trips, and have after-school jobs. The teens receive individualized training throughout the day and interact with neurotypical students through a high school club – Project Outreach. Teens with autism can earn a certificate of attendance and participate in graduation activities. Special education teachers report students of all abilities learn from one another.

Read original article: Autistic Students Excelling at Spanish Fort High

Swimming Center in Texas Provides Water Therapy for People with Autism of All Ages

scottie — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 13:39:22 +0000

Teaser:

The Margaret Clark Aquatic Center in Brownsville Texas has supplied adaptive swimming classes for people with autism for about ten years.

Body:

The Margaret Clark Aquatic Center in Brownsville Texas has supplied adaptive swimming classes for children with autism for about ten years. Participants range in age from first grade through 21 or 22 years of age, so the instructors are able to watch the kids grow and change. The classes not only teach basic swimming strokes, but include some racing competition, social skills, life skills as children must dress themselves after swimming, and motor skills. One great consequence of the classes has been to see high schoolers join their school swim team.

Read original article: Water Therapy for Children with Autism

Young Man with Autism Makes Walking Sticks to Help Others

scottie — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 16:39:56 +0000

Teaser:

A young adult with autism has found that making walking sticks not only helps those who need the support, but they help him earn a living.

Body:

A young adult with autism has found that making walking sticks not only helps those who need the support, but they help him earn a living. Leonard Williams of Wyoming is able to focus and use fine motor skills as he peels the sticks, shapes them, and paints them. Leonard was diagnosed 20 years ago when there were not a lot of early intervention or therapy options. His mom took on the duties of presenting life skills to him. Throughout the years, he’s had various passions, but the walking sticks came about as a 4-H project and his school’s suggestion that he learn a skill to help him in the job place. He currently accepts sticks and branches from neighbors and has started a small business; he sold his walking sticks at craft fairs. His mom thought at first that the business would be mostly online; however, it turns out that there is a community interest in what he does. “It seems everywhere they go, Leonard is waving and greeting people who know him by name.”

Read original article: Walking Sticks Provide Support for Autistic Man

Speech Clinic Teaches Life Skills to Kids with Autism from Childhood Through Young Adulthood

scottie — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 21:17:59 +0000

Teaser:

Speech Therapy Associates is a California location where kids with autism are served from preschool through high school.

Body:

Speech Therapy Associates is a California location where kids with autism are served from preschool through high school. They believe that communication is a crucial life skill for kids to adapt. They also understand that skills a child with autism gains at the middle school age may need to be updated when the youngster transitions to the workforce. The clinic offers several levels of therapy: Building Blocks is for 18 months to 5 years and focuses on language and social skills; Circle of Friends is a social group where children learn turn-taking and social skills; and Building Connections is for teens and young adults to learn transition skills into a college or work situation.

Read original article: Students with Autism Learn Life Skills in Lodi

Toronto Gets Autism Center that Integrates Education, Life Skills, and Research

scottie — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 14:54:20 +0000

Teaser:

The Kae Martin Campus in Ontario is the first of its kind in Canada to combine education, life skills, and research for children with autism.

Body:

The Kae Martin Campus in Ontario is the first of its kind in Canada to combine education, life skills, and research for children with autism. The Campus hopes to begin taking its first students in 2013 and will begin with 520 students. They hope to work closely with the autism research that is currently being done at York University. Currently kids on the spectrum are receiving applied behavior analysis (ABA) and other therapies at the New Haven Learning Center, started by parents talking about how best to educate their kids.

Read original article: Centre Announced to Integrate Research, Education for Kids with Autism

Program Introduces Photography to People with Autism

scottie — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 15:26:25 +0000

Teaser:

Life Skills, a center in St. Louis, started a program “Everyone Deserves a Shot” to teach photography skills to people with autism.

Body:

Life Skills, a center in St. Louis, started a program “Everyone Deserves a Shot” to teach photography skills to people with autism and other developmental disabilities. Photographer Natalie Cayton taught participants ranging in age from 21 to 73 the basics of picture taking including composition and lighting. She encouraged them to take pictures of things they were interested in. When the project was complete, participants showed and sold their photographs at a local art gallery. One of the benefits of learning photography has been increased self-esteem and communication. Dan Talbot, a young adult with autism, now carries his camera everywhere and talks to people he meets about photography.

Read original article: Photo Program Shines Spotlight on Talents of Learning Disabled

Autism Centers Provide Social Skills and Employment

scottie — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 15:16:09 +0000

Teaser:

Stella Spanakos, mom of a son with autism, has launched two new centers in the Port Washington area.

Body:

Stella Spanakos, mom of a son with autism, has launched two new centers in the Port Washington area. Nicholas Center for Autism, named for her son, is a facility that focuses on life skills for people with autism. Clients learn improved communication and job training. Spectrum Designs is an offshoot of the Center and provides employment for people with autism as well as custom-made apparel, accessories, and special event favors all created by people with autism. Spanakos and her co-founder Nicole Sugrue are convinced that parents want the best opportunities for their children with autism. She and Sugrue hope that both the Center and Spectrum Designs will fill that need.

Read original article: New Autism Center Opens in Port Washington

Young Adults with Autism Learn Farming Skills

scottie — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 13:36:51 +0000

Teaser:

Farming Independence is an organization designed to help young adults with autism who didn’t have the advantage of early intervention.

Body:

Farming Independence is an organization designed to help young adults with autism who didn’t have the advantage of early intervention. Sheila Zamel Mayfield created the program after she saw how the program Best Buddies helped with social interaction, communication, and self-esteem. Farming Independence teaches vocational and life skills using gardening, animal husbandry, and culinary programs. Steve Hansen, a member of the organization’s advisory board says, “We know the autistic population is underemployed and unemployed, but they don't have to be. They need to be asked, ‘What do you want to do?' And then we'll help them find a way to make that into a money-making job.”

Read original article: New Autism Non-Profit Fills Void for Young Adults

Couple Helping Their Twins with Autism Also Help the Community

scottie — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 15:34:27 +0000

Teaser:

Twin girls, diagnosed with autism, had their parents and applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy for support.

Body:

Twin girls, diagnosed with autism, had their parents and applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy for support. But the Halls, after moving to the Kirkland WA area, had problems finding local resources for their daughters. They have started a non-profit autism center, Olympic Peninsula Autism Center, that they hope will benefit all families in the area. The center will include water activities, physical activities, and a kitchen in which to teach some safety life skills. In addition, there are once-a-month parent support group meetings.

Read original article: Twins Inpsire Parents to Open Autism Center in Silverdale

Little City Expands its Therapeutic Offerings to People with Autism

scottie — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 13:08:35 +0000

Teaser:

Little City is a center that offers support and therapies throughout the lifetime of a person with autism or other developmental issues.

Body:

Little City is a center in Illinois that offers support and therapies throughout the lifetime of a person with autism or other developmental issues. They were founded 50 years ago by parents searching for a solution for their children, teens, and adults. This year, over 500 volunteers from Discover are making improvements to the campus that will benefit all. For example, they are building a soccer field, they are repainting residential homes on the campus, and they are building discovery tables to be placed around the grounds that increase sensory integration. Perhaps their biggest contribution is Little City Safety Town, a mock village to teach life skills such as crossing streets and stopping at stop signs.

Read original article: Little City to Expand Therapeutic Campus Thanks to Nearly 500 Volunteers from Discover