Healing Thresholds Autism Therapy Topic Feed

Ohio School District Opens Autism Resource and Education Facility

scottie — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 14:51:08 +0000

Teaser:

Mentor Public School District will soon open the Cardinal Autism Resource and Education School (CARES) in Northern Ohio.

Body:

Mentor Public School District will soon open the Cardinal Autism Resource and Education School (CARES) in Northern Ohio. This facility, serving between 12 and 42 kids with autism, will cover educational, sensory, and life skills. CARES hopes students may return to a mainstream classroom or graduate with the ability to obtain a job or further schooling. The facility has been retrofitted specifically for children with sensory issues. CARES director, Christy LaPaglia explains, “The building will be equipped with new lighting, acoustic panels in classrooms, odorless carpet and paint.” One unique feature of CARES is the observation area where parents and other educators can watch and listen to what is happening in the classroom. CARES hopes this will assist in useful feedback for the children as well as the teachers. The center consists of seven classrooms, the observation rooms, parent resource area, gym, and sensory rooms.

Read original article: Mentor Schools' Autism Center Set to Open October 3rd

Sensational Kids Designed to Make Occupational Therapy Affordable and Fun

scottie — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 15:25:41 +0000

Teaser:

Sensational Kids in County Kildare Ireland is the brainchild of a mom with a child with special needs.

Body:

Sensational Kids in County Kildare Ireland is the brainchild of a mom with a child with special needs. Karen Leigh first discovered occupational therapy (OT) in the U.S. with her son. She was told to continue the OT when she got back to Ireland, but was forced to commute and pay high prices. She founded Sensational Kids for children with special needs, autism, and those who need a place to go for their sensory issues. The center has OTs, psychologists, speech and language therapists, and a reading teacher. The space includes a gym, a sensory room, and workspace where a child can learn to cook or ride a bike. Sensational Kids is doing outreach therapy in schools, designing at-home programs so parents need not commute, and is looking to spread beyond Kildare.

Read original article: Playtime with a Big Difference

Oasis is Only School for Autism in Pakistan

scottie — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 17:17:30 +0000

Teaser:

Can you imagine only one school equipped to handle your child with autism in the entire state or country?

Body:

Can you imagine only one school equipped to handle your child with autism in the entire state or country? Oasis School is the only school for children with autism in Pakistan. Oasis was started by Samrina Anwar, now the principal of the school, who began slowly with workshops on communicating with children with autism. She brought in specialists from Ireland and England, and now the school provides treatment and therapy with 13 teachers to 9 children. Only two of the children are verbal and all receive speech therapy. The school building and classrooms have been specially equipped for the children with minimal furnishings to avoid distractions, a bathroom and kitchen each with visual cues, a gym, swimming pool, and a sensory room. There are separate areas that have been created to help the learning style of each child and to fulfill their IEP. Anwar says, “The challenge for us is to make these children independent. A positive approach is necessary to bring out positive behaviour in them.”

Read original article: Special Needs: Oasis for Autistic Children

Genesee Lake School Caters to Kids with Autism, Developmental Delays, and Behavioral Issues

scottie — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 20:42:28 +0000

Teaser:

Some children have issues with autism, Asperger’s, developmental delays, or behavior that keep them from participating in a regular classroom.

Body:

Some children have issues with autism, Asperger’s, developmental delays, or behavior that keep them from participating in a regular classroom. Genesee Lake School in Wisconsin incorporates facilities that used to house Oconomowoc Development Training Center. The new school, with a day program and a boarding program, that works with kids from 6 to 21 so that they may integrate back to the classroom, or give them training in life skills. Genesee is built with sensory issues in mind; there is diffused lighting, special gym flooring, and soft bells that ring between classes. The classrooms themselves are built to accommodate different learning styles, from traditional furniture to stand-up desks. Along with a 5,300-book library, the facilities include a sensory room, computer lab, and yoga. Chris Naylor, the school’s education coordinator explains, “The philosophy is to help the students learn techniques that will help them cope in other environments.”

Read original article: Genesee Lake School has Special Touch for Students

Snoezelen Room is a Kaleidoscope for the Senses of a Young Boy with Autism

scottie — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 15:00:00 +0000

Teaser:

The Nanaimo Association for Community Living provides a Snoezelen room for children with autism and other sensory issues.

Body:

The Nanaimo Association for Community Living provides a Snoezelen room for children with autism and other sensory issues. Snoezelen rooms are multi-sensory environments that allow the person in the room to control how much sensory input he or she receives. The rooms are equipped with light and sound, scents, and textures, and can be used for relaxation as well as therapy. Kenny Bouvet’s mom says, “The room is a kaleidoscope for the senses. In this room he’s calm. He can get the stimulation his brain craves.”

Read original article: Sensory Experience Therapeutic

Missouri Autism Center Seeks to Share Resources with Other Autism Centers

scottie — Fri, 07 May 2010 15:00:00 +0000

Teaser:

The Autism Center for Diagnosis and Treatment, in Southeast Missouri plans on sharing resources with other area autism centers.

Body:

The Autism Center for Diagnosis and Treatment in Southeast Missouri plans on sharing resources with other area autism centers. Centers sharing space and resources include: The Tailor Institute; Touchpoint Autism Services; and Thompson Outreach Center. The center provides assistive technology to help children with autism learn to communicate; in addition, they have a sensory room, an occupational therapy room, and an outdoor playground. Therapies are provided by licensed therapists as well as by supervised Southeast Missouri State therapy students. The State of Missouri, like others, has legislation pending that would increase financial options for autism treatment.

Read original article: Autism Center Organizations Work Together Toward a Shared Goal

Responding to sensory integration

Tue, 23 Mar 2010 11:58:46 +0000

Our comapny, Southpaw Enterprises, has been a leader in designing and manufacturing Sensory Integration equipment for 30 years. We make all of our equipment in Dayton, OH and are also creating and manufacturing our own line of Multisensory Environment products. Please refer to our website www.southpawenterprises.com

Autism Therapy Center Provides Instruction in Every Day Living Skills

scottie — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 15:00:00 +0000

Teaser:

The Jefferson School at Finan recently opened an autism therapy center.

Body:

The Jefferson School at Finan recently opened an autism therapy center. This Maryland facility is an offshoot of the Sheppard Pratt Health System. The center serves children from kindergarten through high school, although the current students range in age from 10 to 15. Children with severe autism are introduced to the facility one at a time so that individual therapy can be provided. The center has classrooms, library, computer room, and an “independent living area” where students are taught domestic skills. Therapies include occupational therapy and sensory integration therapy; the sensory room has a trampoline and swing. The goal of the program is for children to eventually be able to attend school.

Read original article: Autism Center Clicks for Students, Staff

Music Therapy for Victims of Stroke May Also Help Children with Autism

scottie — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 16:17:51 +0000

Teaser:

Researchers who spoke at the American Association for the Advancement of Science are confirming that music and language are linked in the brain.

Body:

Researchers who spoke at the American Association for the Advancement of Science are confirming that music and language are linked in the brain. They believe this overlap may mean that music therapy could help victims of stroke improve their speech. They think the music-speech link may also help children with autism or developmental dyslexia. Gottfried Schlaug, of Harvard Medical School, said, “Music making is a multisensory experience, activating links to several parts of the brain.” He reported on a patient who learned to sing “I am thirsty”, but couldn’t speak the same words. Another scientist talked about the “musical patterns” people use when they talk to babies, and that perhaps music works on the brain earlier than speech.

Read original article: Research Finds Brain Link for Words, Music Ability

Missouri Autism Organizations Join Forces for Autism Therapy Center

scottie — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:25:23 +0000

Teaser:

The Southeast Missouri State University Autism Center for Diagnosis and Treatment is now accepting children with autism for therapy.

Body:

The Southeast Missouri State University Autism Center for Diagnosis and Treatment, to open in December 2009, is now accepting children with autism for therapy. Touchpoint Autism Services and the Tailor Institute are joining the center to bring comprehensive autism interventions to one location. The center will provide assessment and diagnosis. Therapies offered include behavior and speech and language. A sensory room with special lighting and sound is one of the 14 treatment rooms; also included is an efficiency apartment to teach life-skills to people with autism. Elaine Beussink, director of the Tailor Institute said that while the "institute focuses on young adults with high functioning forms of autism," they hope to do "more outreach to also start support and therapy groups by the spring."

Read original article.