Healing Thresholds Autism Therapy Topic Feed

Mall of America Adds Autism-Friendly Movies Every Saturday

scottie — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 14:50:27 +0000

Teaser:

They are not the first movie theatre to offer movies to kids with autism, but Mall of America (MOA) in Minnesota is certainly one of the largest.

Body:

They are not the first movie theatre to offer sensory friendly films to kids with autism, but Mall of America (MOA) in Minnesota is certainly one of the largest. The local Autism Speaks has partnered with MOA to provide movies every Saturday morning that will accommodate children with autism and their families. These free, G-rated movies provide an atmosphere of fun; the lights are turned up, the sound is turned down, and it’s okay for kids to be kids. The staff has been trained to help with concessions and bathroom facilities.

Read original article: MOA Offers Family Movie Time for Those with Autism

Idaho School District Focuses on Students with Autism

scottie — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 16:22:16 +0000

Teaser:

Two elementary schools in Idaho’s Nampa School District decided that students with autism did not necessarily all belong in special ed classrooms.

Body:

Two elementary schools in Idaho’s Nampa School District decided that students with autism did not necessarily all belong in special ed classrooms. Reagan Elementary and Iowa Elementary have both added extended resource rooms to their facilities specifically for kids with autism. The teachers and aides serve kindergarten through 5th grade students and are able to work more closely with each child to increase communication, social, and academic skills. Even the schools’ fire drills have been adapted. For example, when the drill sounds, teachers hand out earmuffs and use visual and verbal cues to guide students outside. There are painted footprints on the sidewalk to lead the kids away from the school.

Read original article: New Nampa School Focuses On Students With Autism

Isle of Man Mom Asks for Additional Government Help for Autism

scottie — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 13:25:48 +0000

Teaser:

The group Manx Mencap paid for Isle of Man’s youngsters with autism to receive special training from the Sound Learning Centre (SLC).

Body:

The group Manx Mencap paid for Isle of Man’s youngsters with autism to receive special training from the Sound Learning Centre (SLC). One child’s mother is advocating for more local services for more children. She explains that financial difficulties would prevent her son and other families from travelling to London for the same services. SLC is in the early stages of a program whereby they send therapists to the small island to deliver services that include sound and light therapy and auditory integration therapy, including music. Manx Mencap’s vice-chairman said, “Because we received such favourable feedback from parents and carers after the first year, we made further arrangements with The Sound Learning Team to come back and continue their good work.”

Read original article: Give Us More Help

Re: NEWS - Improv Workshop Helps Kids with Autism with Their Social Skills

Wed, 24 Aug 2011 12:17:58 +0000

Thank you so much for mentioning the Shenanigans class that Jstar conducted recently in the Detroit area. To give a little more insight, Jstar owns his own theater and co-produces the Spontaneous Combustion - Motor City improv festival. He was excited to discover an opportunity to also bring Shenanigans to some new faces in Detroit. It sounds like the kiddos had a wonderful time!

My grandson, diagnosed with Asperger's, is the inspiration for Shenanigans, when, several years ago, I struggled to find a way to help his social growth. After much research, I came across improvisational theatre, saw a good fit for the skills I wanted to target, and couldn't find a similar program here in Atlanta or anywhere. So I decided to develop a program and find someone involved in improv theatre who could get excited about my vision and help me move it forward. I found Jstar and brought him on as my charter instructor in 2009, and he has been an enthusiastic champion for Shenanigans ever since.

Shenanigans is an applied improv theatre program targeting those with special needs, especially Asperger's, high-functioning autism, and related conditions. We use the process of learning improvisational theatre games and exercises to work on social skills by unveiling the mysteries of human interaction. The main tenet of improv, "Say Yes, and..." teaches our students better adapting skills when the unexpected pops up, and flexibility to deal with those changes and move forward.

With our growing team of instructors, the Shenanigans program has spread throughout the metro Atlanta area. We are now reaching beyond our home city to bring the Shenanigans-style approach to others who are interested.

I am always eager to talk more about our wonderful program and the benefits our actors receive from their participation.

Sandy Bruce, Founder & Exec Dir, Shenanigans (www.ShenanigansImprov.com - on Facebook: /ShenanigansImprov)

Eco-Friendly Toy Company Focuses on Toys for Kids with Special Needs

scottie — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 16:58:32 +0000

Teaser:

Mom-made Toys is the brainchild of Saowapa Teeraprechakul, the mother of a child with special needs.

Body:

Mom-made Toys is the brainchild of Saowapa Teeraprechakul, the mother of a child with special needs. She noticed that her son, who had few toys he could play with, loved the sound of plastic bags when he played with them. She and some other moms in Thailand began developing toys that could be used by children with autism, children who are blind, and children with cerebral palsy. They got the interest of Plan Creations/Plan Toys to create 20,000 toys in their first lot. Mothers of kids with special needs were the ones asked for input as the toys were designed. For example, toys for kids with autism are round discs shaped like heads that display different emotions. For the vision-impaired kids, there are dominoes with Braille numbers. Finally for youngsters with cerebral palsy there are weights to help them build up strength. Plan Toys makes all its toys without harmful chemicals and in adherence with international safety standards.

Read original article: Special Toys for Special Children

More Tablet Apps are Available for Children with Autism

scottie — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 15:25:37 +0000

Teaser:

This article highlights the number of new apps being developed for tablets in order to help kids with autism communicate.

Body:

This article highlights the number of new apps being developed for tablets in order to help kids with autism communicate. Ted Conley has developed TapSpeak apps to help his son with autism generate images and sounds on his iPad. Hewlett-Packard (HP) recently set up a site, Hacking Autism, to encourage independent developers to create apps that work on tablets other than the iPad. The appeal of a tablet is functional – all a child needs is his finger to touch the screen. For older kids, the appeal is also aesthetic – they do not feel conspicuous carrying around large picture notebooks.

Read original article: Using Touch Screens and Apps to Treat Autism

A Child with Autism Teaches His Mother and the Community

scottie — Mon, 16 May 2011 19:38:50 +0000

Teaser:

Toni Grubb said she’s learned more from her son with autism than she could learn in school.

Body:

Toni Grubb said she’s learned more from her son with autism than she could learn in school. Preston was diagnosed at 21 months and his mom immediately started early intervention therapies. Because the family couldn’t afford professional ABA therapy, she got help from the Bridges Family Program at Emory Autism Center and began ABA, floor-time therapy, and potty training. Grubb learned to listen for loud sounds that might upset Preston; she learned acceptance; she found resources from the Lekotek of Georgia’s toy lending library in Atlanta. Currently Preston has involved the community in recycling keys with the proceeds to go to Autism Speaks. He got the idea when he saw a picture of a “key unlocking the mystery of autism.” Toni says that with all the success they’ve had with Preston, they still can’t get him to eat his vegetables.

Read original article: It's in the Details: What an Autistic Son has Taught his Mother

Mechanical Engineers Design Interactive Toy for Kids with Autism

scottie — Thu, 05 May 2011 17:09:47 +0000

Teaser:

Three mechanical engineering students at Stevens Institute of Technology used their senior thesis to design a toy specifically for kids with autism.

Body:

Three mechanical engineering students at Stevens Institute of Technology used their senior thesis to design a toy specifically for kids with autism. The toy, designed to help in play therapy, incorporated light, movement, and sound. The students worked with Academy Learning Center, an ABA-focused school for children with autism. The toy had to be created so as not to encourage stimming, and needed to involve multiple sensations and movement. The students came up with a “plinko” game – a child drops a ball into a box filled with pegs that light up and make sounds as the ball bounces around.

Read original article: Students Design Sensory Toy for Children with Autism

Speech Buddies Help Kids with Speech Disorders

scottie — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 14:50:17 +0000

Teaser:

Children on the autism spectrum with speech difficulties now have a new tool to help them with pronunciation.

Body:

Children on the autism spectrum with speech difficulties now have a new tool to help them with pronunciation. Speech Buddies are “five pen-size devices with different rubber tips that act as targets, helping kids (and adults) place their tongue accurately to pronounce five tricky sounds: R, S, L, CH and SH.” In the past, speech and language therapists have used items such as tongue depressors and kitchen spoons or straws. Denise Dougherty, president of American Academy of Private Practice in Speech Pathology and Audiology, says Speech Buddies have shortened therapy time for the children she works with. Research done with Speech Buddies has yet to be peer-reviewed, but a number of studies have found that the tools work twice as quickly as traditional methods.

Read original article: Speech Buddies: New Tools to Help Kids with Speech Disorders

Neurotypical Kids Get an Idea of Sensory Issues that Affect Their Peers with Autism

scottie — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 13:51:50 +0000

Teaser:

Some neurotypical 6th graders in Iowa had the opportunity to see, feel, and touch how their peers with autism deal with sensory issues.

Body:

Some neurotypical 6th graders in Iowa had the opportunity to see, feel, and touch how their peers with autism deal with sensory issues. The school library was the scene of five sensory areas for the students to visit: sight, touch, taste, sound, and smell. For example, there was a jar filled with crushed garlic to simulate overpowering smell. In another area, kids listened to loud music with headphones while trying to carry on a conversation. “I didn’t realize how bad it is,” Leslie Pettie, 12, said,” when it was explained to her that many kids with autism feel the overload all day every day. These students have peers with autism and this exercise has helped them to be more understanding and more communicative with their fellow students.

Read original article: Sensory Simulation Helps Sixth Graders Understand, Experience Autism