Brady and Adin are best friends; one boy is diagnosed with autism, the other is neuro-typical. They met at the Judson Center Autism Connections in Michigan. Sarah Bretz, an autism specialist at Judson decided, after a year of working with Brady, that he needed a neuro-typical peer for interaction. She contacted Adin's mom, a teacher, and the rest is history. The boys complement and learn from each other. Brady's vocabulary and social skills are growing while Adin learns patience. Both boys enjoy a lot of the same activities such as trucks and hide and seek. The boys are friends outside the therapy session and enjoy playdates.
Read original article: Brady and Adin: The Healing Power of Having a Best Friend
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Children with autism and horses
Jan 17, 2012 by AnonymousPREFACE:
My experience working with children diagnosed with Autism has been a little like knocking on the door to their place of business.
Option #1
Sometimes, no one answers the door and even if the hours of operation are posted, they are not always observed.
Option #2
If the door is answered, you rare sometimes invited in, but once inside you realize it is a waiting room where messages are exchanged. There is no direct contact. This can cause delays, miscommunication and confusion. Patience and timing are critical.
Option #3
With enough effort and understanding you are sometimes (and hopefully) invited into the main office and speak to the boss directly. In this setting, skills understanding and effort are still required but are less demanding and more productive.
This is the most rewarding and productive of the three options.
The equine program developed at the Westwind Rodeo Academy has facilitated the opportunity to enter the office and speak to the boss directly. (Remember - they are not YOUR boss, but the boss of the company you need to do business with.)
I personally believe it has been a key ingredient in several instances, in moving forward and grasping the potential for the Education system to assist and direct students diagnosed with Autism in their academic efforts and opportunities.
FOLLOWING : Is a cursory description of a multi-faceted program that will hopefully provide a glimpse into these concepts.
CAUTION: The thoughts information and data provided here are solely my responsibility and have not been endorsed, accredited, approved or even spell-checked by the Westwind School Division, the Westwind Rodeo Academy or any other authority.
Harlan (Lanny) Smith B.S.W., Family School Liaison Counselor
e-mail lannysmith56@gmail.com
The Program
More than just a riding program, the Westwind Rodeo Academy in Cardston Alberta provides a unique program centered on relationships that is based on a triad as part of a larger group of nine. Each child that attends the program is matched with a specific horse and equine specialist EQ (horse handler) that is chosen for their skills and experience working with children with special needs as well as their command of horse knowledge and competence.
The group of 9 is formed with 3 groups of 3 to allow for broader experience, interactive activities and comparative experiences and an ambience in the session. The selection of which 3 students will attend together is carefully considered and may include children with a variety of challenges not limited to Autism. The sessions are repeated for 6 consecutive weeks and may be repeated up to 4 times a year, space allows and need requires, although each section is provided as a stand alone intervention.
One of the most inspiring experiences is when children fully embrace the horse and the relationship when they take the opportunity to lay down on the horses back without saddle (sometimes with a bareback pad or blanket, but not always), and spend quiet time, just embracing the horse while the child is at rest. This can include conversation with the EQ as originated by the child and is largely a listening activity for the EQ, or just a silent time. This activity is sometimes suggested by the child and sometimes by the EQ and may occur at anytime during the session. It is can be used to de-escalate the child or address stress or emotional discomfort. It is also used as a modest celebration or reinforcement in the relationship.
Actual riding occurs during these sessions but is not the object or the goal. Many sessions pass without the child being on horseback as the situation dictates. Each session is focused on the child's orientation to the world around them as far as they can express through words, body language, choices or actions, their needs and concerns as well as interests and inclinations. Although safety is an over riding principal, convenience to the horse or EQ is secondary to the child's expressed or perceived preference.
We have witnessed EQ's trotting beside the horse as ridden by the child who has expressed a desire to have the horse move at faster than a walk.
(Again, safety is paramount which necessitates one or more EQs running beside the horse. In this case, the child's skills and aptitude to remain safely on the horse is previously determined. We also consider the horses history and attitude and performance on that particular day as part of the decision making process.)
This can be physically demanding and inconvenient for the EQ but a major contributor to the child's experience and benefit. The results the child experiences, the more effort required by the EQ to facilitate without imposing or tainting the child's experience.
The other component of this system is the support of a Mental Health Practitioner and supervision by the Facility Director. This completes the formal team. Decisions about activities, concepts and specific goals are managed by the Facility Director and Bahavior Specialist and the EQ's in consultation.
We have also encouraged with some success, the attendance to at least one of the sessions in each section by a significant family member as well as the students classroom teacher and possible other support personnel. These individuals are given direction about the concepts of non-interference and non-projecting on the child's experience while acknowledging the elements the child is embracing. They meet the horse, the EQ and observe the activities. We often take pictures or video and encourage this experience to be talked about at home and in the classroom.
Of course this is a snapshot of the experience in condensed form and there are many details and intricacies that cannot be explained or properly presented in this format. Overall, the development of this process has been most rewarding and inspiring and worth the investment of time, money and effort. It requires many elements working in concert to achieve this model. We are fortunate that these things have come together thus far.
Questions or comments leading to discussion and education are appreciated.
Responding to visual schedules
Dec 28, 2010 by AnonymousOne of the most important things to remember is that our words disappear, visuals (pictures) do not.. We all use visuals in one form or another, calendars, post it notes, grocery lists, etc. We all look to visuals for information for instance on the highway for a hospital, gas stations, places to eat and restrooms, divided highway ahead, merge to the right, speed limit 35 and Stop. Visual strategies though, are created with an intended focus of giving particular person information that they are not picking up naturally. If one mentions an abstract word to a group of people, they all may have a different vision of what that word means or looks like. A picture of the correct definition puts everyone on the same page with regards to comprehending the intended meaning of the word for that purpose. For instance your child may associate “eating” with their favorite cookie so when you say “we are going to eat” they are envisioning getting their favorite cookie, when in fact you are talking about giving them an egg for breakfast. There is confusion and probably a meltdown because they have a different view of what “eat” means. Visuals can help take away that confusion for them as well as their expectation of getting the cookie, especially if they are looking at a picture of a plate of eggs, then they are prepared as well for eggs for breakfast, or for what “we are going to eat.”
Visuals can be used to teach so much more than just schedules. I am the mother of a daughter with autism, who is now 16. I began using visual strategies with her when she was 3. They were affordable, I could do this myself and I did not need expensive equipment to find success. My daughter did have speech and occupational therapy and she did have a supportive team at school. I used visuals to teach routines, behaviors, social and academic rules, academics and the list goes on and on. I used them mainly to teach comprehension of our very abstract language and to also teach preparation for change. I created transition tools for moving from one environment to the next. She had bookmarks for the rules of the library, she had another bookmark with the class rules for doing seatwork as well as a foam cutout of a lunchbox with what to do when the lunchroom gets too noisy rule. I found the visuals were the bridge or the key to her understanding. They need to be used consistently, and you must have patience and you cannot give up. When my daughter looked confused, I would ask myself what it was about the situation she did not understand and then I created a visual to show her.
My daughter is now 16, a junior in high school, and is taking honors classes and two AP college level classes. She is fully included and was on the yearbook and school newspaper for two years. She has a great interest in sports and so her articles involved interviewing coaches and players for the articles. I believe the early intervention; with the use of visuals throughout the years is a major part of her success.
I co-authored a book with Linda Hodgdon, who is well known internationally in the use of visual strategies for individuals with autism. Linda has written two great books “Visual Strategies for Improving Communication” and “Solving Behavior Problems in Autism”. These were my constant companions and you may find them helpful as well. As a result of using all these visuals with my daughter over the years, I co-authored an e-book with Linda called “Practical Communication Tools for Autism-Visual Strategies for Lifelong Success”. It is about the journey with visuals and how they worked as well as pictures of many of them with my daughter. These can be found at www.usevisualstrategies.com
No matter what resource you use, the bottom line is to get started, be patient, consistent and to not give up trying. You don’t need to be trained in using a “system”, use your gut instinct. I tore apart magazines for pictures and used cereal box tops for cereal choices. This was before the age of the digital camera and film was expensive, but I did take a lot of pictures as well. I had to teach my daughter how to point and until she could. I read her facial expressions when I placed her hand on a picture. We did a lot of detective work and we worked through many obstacles until we got it right, but it was so worth it. Visuals have no side effects and are easy to use and affordable…best of luck
Travelling with Special Needs Children
Dec 10, 2008 by AnonymousTEN TIPS TO EASE HOLIDAY TRAVELS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN:
Pediatric Therapist Aviva Weiss Tells How to Prepare for Good Times Together
Philadelphia, PA, December 8, 2008 - The chaos of packing, airport crowds and security, lengthy car rides and yes, even overexposure to family and friends is enough to erode any holiday traveler's festive spirit. Add traveling with children into the equation, especially when special needs are involved, and some parents might wish they could just stay home. But a few preparations, says Fun and Function LLC founder Aviva Weiss, can go a long way toward ensuring a good time for everyone.
Traveling disrupts routines and familiarity with the surrounding environment and can be difficult for children with special needs notes Weiss, a certified pediatric occupational therapist. A mother of four, including a daughter with sensory processing disorder, she says parents of special needs children can pave the way toward less stressful trips by observing these ten guidelines:
1. Prepare the child in advance as much as possible. Practice for the trip for a period leading up to the actual travels. Talk about the upcoming experience to help your child overcome anxiety. Act out or role play anticipated events in advance, from taking off shoes for airport security to applauding after a toast.
2. Redirect anxious energy into constructive activity. To take the edge off the potential anxiety of seeing many less familiar faces all at once, make the event a fun and educational by creating a special activity. Create a small photo album featuring people who will be at the event, and help your child play "Family Bingo," checking off each person he or she greets or sees across the room. Or, create a pictogram of your itinerary or agenda and help your child follow along.
3. Encourage creative expression. For those able to write or draw, a pocket journal or sketchbook for illustrating what they're experiencing can provide another useful outlet. Children who are more observers than participants may appreciate assignments such as taking pictures with a digital camera.
4. Don't expect perfection. Whenever you travel with children, it's best to "expect the unexpected," or at least leave room for something to pop up to divert you from your agenda.
5. Secure an extra set of hands. Try traveling with a friend, family member or caregiver to help keep things in order when you're on the move, provide manpower for carrying belongings and an extra set of eyes, and even make bathroom breaks with multiple children an easier task.
6. Manage expectations for you and your hosts. A pending visit from a special needs child may produce stress for the host as well as the child and the parent. Prepare everyone by communicating your child's needs in advance and asking for some general ground rules for inside the home, as a gesture toward making the visit as pleasant and peaceful as possible.
7. Bring along some "friends." Pack a bag of objects that are fun and familiar. Sensory gadgets/fidgets, noise reduction headphones, weighted vests, or favorite belongings from home will help filter out outside stimuli and provide a comforting connection to "home."
8. Minimize changes to eating habits. Try to keep your child's diet consistent to prevent constipation, indigestion, allergic reactions or other adverse developments. Feed your child something satisfying to comfort them before a long trip, and take along favorite utensils as a connection to more familiar situations. Don't expect your child to sit for an entire meal. Rather, prepare a spot where he or she can rest, play or calm down while the meal continues.
9. RX for safer travels. Ready a medicine kit with prescriptions, medical information and OTC products to confront fevers, allergies, cuts and other issues that may surface when you travel out of your home.
10. Preserve the moment but reserve time for breaks. The ingredients of posing for pictures - people huddled close together, bright flashes, noise and the need to stay still - can lead to overstimulation. Don't oblige your child to participate in all the photos, and be sure to take breaks in between.
"Traveling with a special needs child - or any child, for that matter - needn't be a stressful event," Weiss says. "In fact, it can be a great experience, offering lessons and fond memories for all. The keys are to prepare everyone in advance, include a few fun and familiar items and activities, and above all remember that it takes time and patience to learn how to manage change."
About Aviva Weiss and Fun and Function LLC
Aviva Weiss is founder of Fun and Function LLC, a Merion Station, Pa.-based provider of engaging, durable and functional play and therapy products at affordable prices, including an exclusive line of scooters and portable writing kits. A mother of a child with sensory processing disorder, she is also a certified pediatric occupational therapist with expertise in creating inclusive environments where all children can thrive together, and is currently working with developmental pediatrician Dr. Wendy Ross to guide children's museums toward improving experiences for children with special needs and their families. She previously worked at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and St. Christopher's Hospital, and earned her B.S. in Psychology from Touro College and her Masters in Occupational Therapy from The Richard Stockton College, graduating summa cum laude from both programs.
Weiss launched Fun and Function in 2005 when she first identified her daughter's challenges and was frustrated by the lack of kid-friendly styling and high prices of existing special-needs products. She began designing products that elicit the potential of all children, help them feel good and achieve their best. Today, the company offers hundreds of innovative products marked by affordability and durability, scoring points with parents, pediatric therapists and educators. For more information or a free catalog, visit www.funandfunction.com or call 1-800-231-6329.
School Lunches for Kids with ASD
Sep 11, 2008 by AnonymousSCHOOL LUNCHES FOR KIDS WITH ASD: DELICIOUS, HEALTHY & POSSIBLE.
THE CHALLENGE:
With only twenty minutes to eat, kids with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) should have "fast" foods that are healthy, tasty, loaded with nutrients and free of the culprits that are common problems: gluten, milk products, soy, and artificial additives and coloring. Add to the list sensory issues involving food texture, color and taste along with unusually picky appetites so common in ASD - and the task seems insurmountable. Beyond the challenges with foods are the safety issues of the food containers themselves, especially plastics containing phthalates and bisphenyl A (BPA). And of course there is the "cool" factor which affects pre-school through high school. Food that is different is totally uncool for kids who already face so many social and learning stigmas.
Knowing the challenges, we can now focus on the solutions.
THE SOLUTIONS:
Basics
As is the case with any meal, there are some basics to follow. Blood sugar control is critical. All people are affected by rapidly rising blood sugar which then cascades down too quickly and too low. The most noticeable effects are on brain function especially mood and attention. As the blood sugar drops too quickly, there can be irritability, hunger headaches, lack of focus, behavior problems, and cravings for a "quick sugar fix" which keeps the cycle going. This interferes with learning and can be disruptive to the class. Protein and fiber stabilize blood sugars. Below is a summary of the basic rules for any meal including school lunch.
Assumptions
All food suggestions are GFCF (gluten-free, casein-free). Glutens include wheat, oat, barley, rye, spelt and kamut. Milk products and milk casein include milk, yogurt, cheese, creams, ice cream, cream sauces, and butter.
Avoids
Glycemic foods which raise blood sugar (glucose) quickly include: sugars, sodas of any kind, candy, sweets, juices, and any refined grains (pretzels, bread, crackers, bagels, chips) on an empty stomach. Limit the sugars and keep the refined carbohydrates limited. If small amounts are consumed at the end of the meal, the negative effect is less.
A word on sodas - both regular and diet. They have no place in a healthy diet. They are high in phosphorus which depletes healthy nutrients. Consider them removers of electrolytes, not drink options. Water is best, but other good choices include: dilute juices, seltzer water with juice to flavor, vegetable juices (V8)
Promote Protein at every meal or snack
Choices include fish, poultry, meat, eggs, beans, nuts and seeds.
Avoids: milk products
The serving size for protein for each person is the size of the palm. A child's may be 1 to 2 ounces of meat/chicken/fish and a teen and adult may be 3 to 5 ounces. See the chart for guidelines
For beans, the serving size is two cupped palms full. See the chart for guidelines.
Fabulous Fiber at every meal
Choices include fruits, beans, nuts, seeds and grains.
Avoid: glutens
If your child eats very few vegetables, fruits, grains, nuts, seeds and beans, added fiber is important. Fiber as pure guar gum is easy to add to any recipe and also to drinks. It is GFCF and more fine than sugar, mixing completely in water or juice. See the table for fiber intake suggestions.
Favorite Foods at every meal or snack
Include at least one food that is a favorite in order to promote more interest in the meal.
Fun Meals - Part of the Cool Factor
Take a tip from the fast food marketers and include a surprise gift in the lunch. It might be a small collectible such as cars, baseball cards, characters, hair clips, stickers, or child's ring or bracelet. Home made "giftlets" (tiny gifts) are perfect.
Guidelines and Ideas
Go organic as much as possible. "USDA Organic" means the food is produced without the use of harmful pesticides, artificial fertilizers, antibiotics, growth hormones human waste, or sewage sludge, and that they were processed without ionizing radiation or food additives. Children with ASD are already coping with their own excess metabolites and really can not handle the burden of harmful chemicals in the environment and foods. The less the exposure the better. Anything you can do for your child is a benefit.
There are numerous resources for GFCF foods and recipes online and in many books. Utilize all of these to find the commercially available foods your child will eat as well as recipes that are not just GFCF, they are nutritious and delicious. Test them at home - not in the school lunch. There are GFCF juice boxes, pretzels, breads, wraps and snacks.
Establish three to five basic lunches that work. If your child is willing and interested, engage him or her in the process. Test new foods out at home until you have the food right and the combination of foods right.
Use freezer packs for keeping foods cold and thermos for hot foods. Include non-toxic hand sanitizers which are commercially available (avoid the commercial sanitizers). You can also send two paper towel pieces - one moistened with soap and one moistened with water..
Packaging - a good opportunity to Go Green!
Again - go with the marketers - jazz it up! Select a lunch container your child loves. Young children love to decorate a lunch box with stickers and paints. Make the lunch box the child's own work of art personalized with a name. Reusable containers and boxes are the green way to go. Older children will definitely want to select whatever is considered cool. The most cool may be a paper bag or small recycled bag carried in a back pack. Go with the trend and your child's own choice. There are companies who make safe, BPA-Free, safe lunch box sets with inserts for the different foods.
To avoid plastic wraps for sandwiches, use wax paper or parchment paper. Avoid containers with BPA by avoiding items with the recycle number 7. There are many BPA -Free containers which can be washed and reused. Your child will need to know to bring these back home rather than throw them away.
For napkins, use washable cloth napkins or dishcloths, or choose processed chlorine-free (PCF), post-consumer-waste (PCW) paper napkins available in stores and on line. If utensils are needed, use stainless steel appropriate to the child's skill level and age.
Nutritious Can Be Delicious - Even for the Picky Eater - The Trojan Horse Technique
Remember Odysseus from seventh grade mythology? Seeking to gain entrance into Troy, he cleverly ordered a hollow wooden horse so large that the Greek army could hide inside. What looked like a huge horse was really a disguise to conquer the city. We have used this concept for decades to hide nutritious food to nourish picky eaters.
Rather than introduce a new food in its natural form, begin by hiding a very small amount (about a tablespoon) of it as puree mixed or blended into a well-liked and well-tolerated food. This approach allows the body to accept the new food. As the child accepts the taste, include more. Children who have food texture issues are especially good candidates for blended foods because their sensory development may be younger than their chronological age. Adapt to the sensory level and return to purees until sensory issues improve. Rather than focusing on getting a child to tolerate foods that he perceives as "lumpy" or unpleasant to chew, the goal is getting a child to eat nutritious food, however you can.
Match the Color and Texture
Assume the new food is a vegetable, use organic baby food purees or make your own. Puree the new food into an established food that does not change the overall color, texture, smell, or taste. If a child eats nothing but white food, start with very light-colored vegetables including squash, cauliflower and corn. If the child likes ketchup or tomato sauce, then introduce deeper-colored vegetables such as beets, greens, peas and beans. Pureed vegetables can be beaten into batter for pancakes, muffins, brownies, and cookies or into tomato and other pasta and pizza sauces, and even into ketchup.
Mix Fruits and Vegetables
Vegetable juice makes a healthy addition to fruit juice. Try mixing carrot juice with orange juice, and then adding a teaspoon or so of another vegetable juice. Serve in a brightly colored sippy cup to camouflage any color changes. Blend pureed vegetables into cooked fruits such as applesauce or pearsauce, into meatballs, and even into nut butters. Expand ideas as tolerance improves. Be sure to carry out the Trojan Horse technique out of the sight of your child!
Muffin Casseroles
Many families have developed what we call muffin casseroles. One resourceful mother developed a GF/CF muffin for her child who ate only breads and muffins, and then gradually added fruit puree to the batter. As he tolerated fruits, she moved to vegetable purees, and finally added pureed meat. Until he was able to transition to eating foods in a traditional manner, he ate his muffin casseroles at every meal and snack-and loved them!
Increase Protein
The Trojan Horse technique is especially useful for kids who need more protein in their diets. Add eggs, especially the high-protein whites, and rice-protein powders to batters, breads, smoothies, meat sauces and meatballs. Do not add raw eggs to smoothies.
Gradually Move On
AS your child expands to eating vegetables, try vegetables dipped in honey or mayo/ketchup mix or hommus. It is a start . As a child accepts an increasing number of foods presented in a sneaky manner, eventually, he/she will accept the food alone - we promise! All it takes is patience, and a lesson from Greek mythology!
Choose one from each section. This list is GFCF. Also avoid any foods which provoke reactions or those forbidden at school (nuts for examples) or foods The "Other" section is optional.
Some Protein Choices: chicken strips, GFCF chicken nuggets w/ketchup to dip, meat slices rolled up, shrimp (send frozen, will thaw by lunch) w/seafood sauce to dip, organic "deli" chicken slices, hommus plain, on bread or crackers or as dip for veggies, muffin "pot pies", soy yogurt, egg salad, hard boiled eggs or deviled eggs, peanut butter on crackers or apples, nuts - all varieties - almonds, cashews, pecans, pistachios, hazelnuts. Hot food for thermos: chili or soups, turkey hot dogs cut up, GFCF pizza.
Some Vegetables & Fruit Choices: These can be eaten plain or dipped in GFCF sauces, ketchup or honey. Foods include: cup of vegetables, baby carrots or carrot strips, broccoli "trees", apples, bananas, berries, oranges, peaches, grapes, pineapple, melon, natural fruit cocktail in natural juice, raisins, apricots, applesauce in cups, any blended fruit sauce.
Drink Choices: water, fruit juice, V8, V8+fruit, seltzer w/juice, fruit smoothie, other milk (soy, rice, coconut, almond), and keep drinks partially frozen so they will remain cold.
Other: GFCF pretzels, rice crackers, baked tortilla chips, GFCF dry cereal, GFCF vegetable gummies, small GFCF cookie.
The above is an excerpt from the book The Kid-Friendly ADHD & Autism Cookbook: The Ultimate Guide to the Gluten-Free, Casein-Free Diet
by Pamela J. Compart, M.D. and Dana Laake, R.D.H., M.S., L.D.N.
Published by Fair Winds Press; November 2006;$24.95US/$32.50CAN; 978-1-59233-223-6
Copyright © 2008 Pamela J. Compart, M.D. and Dana Laake, R.D.H., M.S., L.D.N
Author Bio
Pamela J. Compart, M.D., is a developmental pediatrician in Columbia, Maryland. She combines traditional and complementary medicine approaches to the treatment of ADHD, autism, and other behavioral and developmental disorders. She is also the director of HeartLight Healing Arts, a multidisciplinary integrated holistic health care practice, providing services for children, adults, and families.
Dana Godbout Laake, R.D.H., M.S., L.D.N., is a licensed nutritionist in Kensington, Maryland. Within her practice, Dana Laake Nutrition, she provides preventive and therapeutic medical nutrition services. Her practice includes nutritional evaluation and treatment of the full spectrum of health issues affecting adults and children with special needs.