FAQautism » Personal Interaction

Making Change Common

dwightk — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 13:33:00 +0000

Many individuals with autism have problems with change, whether unexpected changes in their daily routine or a significant shift in their life such as a family split or moving to a new school. Autism can also cause a person to be intolerant of wearing new shoes, sleeping on a new pillow, using a different type of soap or toothpaste, or eating a different brand of soup. Let us look at one strategy that can gradually help our friends with autism become more tolerant of change in their lives.

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Because of individual differences, it is impossible to develop one fool-proof strategy for increasing tolerance for change and for decreasing agitation or explosive outbursts in the face of change. But it is helpful to look at strategies that have worked for others people with autism. One such option to consider is that of making change common.

I noticed years ago that youngsters with autism in larger families seemed to be more flexible and more tolerant of change. Keep in mind that this observation was not based on scientific data, and that I certainly knew some children with large families who were, indeed, extraordinarily obsessed with routine and quite intolerant of even minor changes in the details of their daily lives. But, in general terms, growing up in a busy household seemed to make some individuals with autism more able to cope with unexpected events and sudden changes in schedule.

Over the years, some families and teachers have successfully instituted the “big family” strategy of intentionally making change a part of the daily routine for children, teens, and adults with autism. Every day, teachers and parents purposefully insert one or more unexpected change in schedule or a change in one or more aspects of daily life, e.g. a new snack or menu item at a meal, a new pair of socks or t-shirt, a new music CD while riding in the car, or a different type of shampoo.

TIP FOR THE DAY: We certainly want to respect the fact that autism causes intolerance for change for many individuals with autism, but we can sometimes help them gradually learn to cope if we make change part of their daily routine.

NOTE TO READERS AND LISTENERS: I am Cathy Knoll, a board certified music therapist and long-time friend of many folks with autism. At FAQautism.com we are committed to providing free, practical, everyday tips for making life better for people with autism. Feel free to send me a confidential email at talk@FAQautism.com with your thoughts or challenging situations or innovative solution. And don’t forget to check out our website for a wealth of ideas and a glimpse into the world of autism. http://FAQautism.com

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Volunteer Job

dwightk — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 04:01:07 +0000

Some individuals with autism have full-time or part-time jobs, independently or with support. Some people pursue successful and thriving careers. But, for a variety of reasons, others are unable to hold a “regular” job. One option in this case is to pursue a career as a volunteer.

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Volunteer work has a number of advantages, not the least of which is life satisfaction. Volunteering also gives some structure to daily schedules, purpose to life, and opportunities to meet and interact with new people. Working as a volunteer gives a person opportunities to make connections with their extended community and to build on their repertoire of job-related skills. Over time, a person may be able to move from being a volunteer into a paying job as they develop new skills and make connections with potential employers through their volunteer efforts.

Sometimes we need to think creatively to find an appropriate volunteer “job,” but the benefits are worth the effort. A volunteer can lend a helping hand for as little as twenty minutes a week or as much as five hours s a day. Some of my friends help fold bulletins at church, file medical records at the clinic, run the vacuum cleaner at the day care, help deliver Meals on Wheels, or helping an elderly neighbor put clothes in and out of a washer and dryer. Volunteer opportunities can range from helping feed animals at a shelter to playing piano during lunchtime at a nursing home. Attention to detail helps some of our friends with autism excel at tasks such as inputting data, sorting papers or mail, putting library books on shelves, or filing records. Even individuals with very limited skills can help water plants, push a grocery basket, or put newspapers on the porch for their neighbors.

TIP FOR THE DAY. Keep a sharp eye for volunteer opportunities that match the skills and interests of your friends with autism. All of our lives are enriched when people are given a chance to lend a helping hand.

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Creative Writing

dwightk — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 04:01:44 +0000

Teachers, therapists, and families are always looking for creative ways to help individuals with autism learn and practice new skills such as composing and writing sentences and paragraphs. Some students with autism find it difficult to focus on repetitive drills under the best of circumstances, so traditional teaching methods simply do not capture and hold their attention. Let us look at some creative ways to motivate reluctant youngsters to practice writing sentences and paragraphs.

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PICTURE FOR THE DAY. Although he had very good reading and writing skills for his grade level, one of my students just sat staring into space during class writing assignments. He virtually ignored the written sentence on the board, designed to prompt students to write a sentence, paragraph, or story. But when the teacher cut a picture of a hawk out of a magazine, glued it to an index card, and put it on the student’s desk, the words started flowing. Thinking he was just focusing because the prompt was close, the teacher put a picture on the board rather than on the student’s desk the next day. Once again, the student looked at the picture and wrote an entire paragraph. The young man seemed intrigued with the “picture for the day” and began making great progress in his writing skills.

INTERNET INTERACTION. In another classroom, teachers were looking for ways to help motivate a teen with autism practice his written communication skills. A group brainstorm resulted in the idea of having the youngster send an e-mail message summarizing events of each day to his grandparents, his speech therapist, and his favorite teacher from elementary school. Not only did his writing and typing skills improve, but also he was thrilled to receive return messages from other people occasionally.

REAL-LIFE. Another teacher discovered the wisdom of encouraging her students to write about real-life happenings. Many of her students with autism did not connect with writing prompts about their feelings or opinions. When she asked, “What is your favorite season?” the papers remained blank. When she asked, “What did you eat for supper last night?” the students were inspired to write sentences.

TIP FOR THE DAY. Sometimes we blame students for not trying hard, when, actually we need to make some changes.

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Too Talkative

dwightk — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 04:01:42 +0000

When one of my non-verbal friends with autism graduated from high school, she moved into a very supportive residential setting. Unfortunately, her attempts to communicate were rather irritating. She made loud, repetitive jabbering sounds to greet people or to express her opinion. Under the circumstances, should she be encouraged to talk, or not?

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Despite many years of intensive speech therapy, this young adult is unable to use sign language, picture symbols, or assistive communication devices very effectively because of significant cognitive and motor limitations. She tends to throw any objects rather than using them to communicate.

When she moved to her new home, everyone wanted to encourage her to interact, but her loud and repetitive noises when attempting to communicate with others made it necessary to teach her to verbalize in more appropriate ways so she would not irritate people around her.

Step 1. She was taught to get the attention of a person by touching their shoulder or hand and to make a soft sound, “Hey,” then wait for them to respond. People were encouraged to respond to her rather quickly rather than allowing her attempts to get their attention to escalate. If they were not able to give her attention at that point, they said, “I will talk to you in a minute,” or “Wait, please. I cannot talk now.”

Step 2. Once she had their attention, she could point or show the person what she wanted to talk about. For example, if she wanted a drink, she could point to the refrigerator. Or, if she was wondering about weekend plans, she could bring the staff her picture schedule. Again, the staff were trained to listen attentively and to respond to her rather than ignoring her until she irritated them.

Step 3. She was taught to use one soft, single-syllable sound when she wanted to say something rather than repeating phrases loudly over and over again.

Step 4. The staff and her peers in her new living situation were encouraged to acknowledge her verbalizations as if she had spoken words or phrases they understood – similar to talking to a person who has had a stroke. They could reflect her communication attempts by saying something like, “You really like that apple pie, don’t you?” or “You want to wear your purple sweatshirt.”

Step 5. Because this young lady is a sociable person who obviously loves to “talk,” people in her community were encouraged to take a bit of time with her every day to talk to her while riding in the car, sitting on a swing, looking at the newspaper together, or eating meals. She seems to really cherish those interactions, and, maybe as a result of those personal connections, became a bit less demanding and more content. Her loud, repetitive, and rather irritating verbalizations are decreasing, probably because she is now able to get the attention of folks and to communicate with them more appropriately. And, because people around her purposefully take time to interact with her, everyone is more content.

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Holding a Grudge

dwightk — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 16:39:24 +0000

Everyone encounters injustices in life, but sometimes it seems as if autism is a magnet for difficulties and conflict with agencies, teachers, insurance companies, doctors, schools, committees, and, sometimes, even society in general. What is the best response when we encounter criticism?

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Some of my friends with autism and their families have dealt with difficult people or inflexible policies over the years. For example, some parents have told me of a spouse, member of their extended family, neighbor, therapist, teacher, classroom aid, administrator, group home staff, job coach, or medical professional who has been judgmental or uncaring about their child. Some people in their lives have refused to accept their child, have been overly critical of the child or the parent, or have had unrealistic expectations.

Some families have encountered roadblocks from agencies and decision makers about issues such as funding services, providing critical services, considering appropriate placement, or other issues that impact the life of their loved one with autism.

Sometimes the attitudes or reactions of complete strangers can be the source of our anger when it comes to autism. For example, a grocery store clerk or a parent at a baseball game may glare at us or at our youngster in the midst of a meltdown. When we least expect it, we may overhear someone making a critical remark about our parenting skills or about our youngster with autism. I’ve heard young children blurt out a hurtful remark like, “What is wrong with that boy?” And I’ve heard adults say things like, “Why don’t his parents do something to stop that?”

How should we respond when this happens? How can we be expected to overlook such stinging, hurtful remarks? Over the past 40 years, my friends who have chosen to do just that, to ignore criticism and biting comments, have fared far better than those who hold grudges. You can waste a lot of energy holding a grudge against a person or an agency or society in general for injustices to your child with autism. Sometimes it is best to forgive and forget and move on. This includes forgiving a person who does not necessarily deserve forgiveness.

TIP FOR THE DAY: All of us, whether diagnosed with autism or not, can benefit from growing thick skin and forgiving people for their rudeness – whether they intended to hurt feelings or not. Just focus on the positive and purposefully choose to overlook the negative happenings in our lives.

We can also benefit from focusing on sharpening our own skills so we can more systematically address challenging issues that can arise in the lives of our friends with autism. Click on the Toolkit tab on our website for great resources; http://FAQautism.com

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Evening Round-up

dwightk — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 04:01:35 +0000

No matter how tired everyone is in the evenings, you may discover taking some time to slow down, get organized, and make connections with your youngster with autism is an invaluable investment of time and energy. Remember that the goal is not perfection, but rather to increase contentment and decrease stress for everyone.

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Take a few minutes to do a few routine tasks so you don’t have to deal with them in the chaos of the morning rush. Back when I was a young, harried mother, I found myself stomping around bellowing orders and empty threats as I tried to get the kids in bed. I kept thinking of all the things that needed my attention. As my stress level rose, I made everyone around me miserable. So, I’m suggesting an alternate plan. Make an effort to remain calm in spite of the loud sound of looming deadlines. You can’t control every aspect of family life, and you can’t make everything perfect, so just relax. Establish the Evening Round-Up as a regular routine to get ahead of the flood, thinking of it as an “investment in contentment” rather than a “time thief.”

Here’s a sample Evening Round-Up checklist to get you started. Without nagging, spend some time calmly help your youngsters get their checklists completed.
1. CLOTHES. Does each person have a set of clean clothes? Do they need gym clothes or after school clothes or basketball league clothes? What about shoes, socks, underwear, coats, hats, etc.?
2. BODY. Clean head to toe in the evenings to prevent a morning rush. That means shower or bathe, wash hair, brush teeth, and even shave if needed.
3. BACK PACK. Put all work supplies and/or books, permission slips, lunch money, and other necessary items in back pack before going to bed.
4. CONNECTION. Take a few minutes for quiet interaction with your youngster with autism. This is important even if your youngster is non-verbal or does not seem to participate in the conversation. Read a story or talk about their day to help them make an emotional connection with you and wind down. Take time to review the schedule for the upcoming day, to discuss concerns, and to review rules and/or expectations – whether they seem to understand or not. And don’t forget to remind your youngsters of your love and support.

TIP FOR THE DAY: Remember, perfection is not the goal here. You just want to make an investment of 30 minutes every night to increase contentment. Believe me, your efforts will pay off big time for all involved.

And take a bit of time to learn new ways to systematically address challenging issues that can arise in the lives of our friends with autism. Click on the Toolkit tab on our webiste for great resources; http://FAQautism.com

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Real Life Skills

dwightk — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 04:09:52 +0000

A new teacher in a junior high life skills classroom asked for some input into the types of skills her students with autism will need when they graduate from high school at age 18 or 22. The specific list must, of course, be individualized to each teen, but there are some general skills that everyone can use in “real life” as adults.

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(1) Self-Care. Options for employment expand if an individual is able to take care of her basic needs independently or with minimal assistance. Teaching basic self-care skills such as toileting, lunch and snacks, washing hands, and taking care of personal items such as a backpack or nametag as independently as possible is a good place to start.
(2) Focus. Most jobs require that an employee focus on the task at hand. It is also important that a person focuses on the directions given by a boss or supervisor and to focus on any important announcements or on safety drills. But, most importantly, a person who can focus on a task for an extended period of time without reminders will have more job opportunities.
(3) Follow. Compliance is another critical skill in employment situations. An individual with autism will be much more productive in any job if she can and will follow directions with minimal assistance. If she has deficits in processing verbal instructions, she can be taught to use a visual schedule so employers and job coaches can successfully communicate the information she needs to complete a task or a job sequence. If she is rather strong-willed or uncooperative, we can gradually shape a more cooperative outlook and a willingness to follow directions and job procedures.
(4) Finish. Even when jobs are broken down into a series of smaller tasks, some individuals with autism are unable to complete those tasks without prompting. A person’s employment will be much more successful if he can learn to finish tasks or job sequences with less and less prompting from a supervisor or job coach. It is up to us to help our friends with autism become less prompt-dependent.
(5) Flexible. The nature of autism causes some individuals to be intolerant to changes in routine. Our friends will have a much more successful job experience by learning to be more flexible and to “go with the flow.”

TIP FOR THE DAY: These are just a few of the core skills necessary for employment. It is good to start early in teaching and shaping these skills since some are rather stubborn natural characteristics of autism.

We can also benefit from shaping our own skills so we can systematically address challenging issues that can arise in the lives of our friends with autism. Click on the Toolkit tab on our webiste for great resources; http://FAQautism.com

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Making Everything Perfect

dwightk — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 04:01:36 +0000

School started this week, so I’ve seen several challenging issues arise as young friends with autism attempt to adjust to new campuses, new classrooms, new teachers and classroom aids, new school routines, and new students in the hallways and classrooms. Moving to a new school can challenge even the most secure person, but the change can be particularly challenging to a youngster with autism. No matter how hard we try, it is impossible to make everything perfect during this time of transition.

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Observing this rough school adjustment period for students with autism year after year since 1974 has taught me several valuable lessons, one of which is to avoid trying to make everything perfect for these youngsters.
Our instincts compel us to make plans for weeks in advance to smooth out every possible challenge a young student with autism might possibly encounter. Granted, we want to help youngsters adapt to new settings gradually, but, in the long run, we don’t do them any favor by removing all challenges.

Here are a few strategies that have worked for some of my friends with autism during the first few months of school as they struggle with transition to a new classroom situation. Keep in mind that every single person has different challenges and different preferences, so adapt to fit the needs of any specific student.

+ Celebrate the new. If our youngsters with autism are particularly upset about leaving their previous school and teachers behind, we certainly want to acknowledge that and give them time and space to grieve and even be angry. At the same time, we can set the tone for the new classroom by speaking positively about the upcoming year. Again, without too much fanfare, we can chat about events in the upcoming week and make positive comments about the new school and teachers and students.

+ Allow for adjustment. When behavior issues escalate at the beginning of a school year, we are likely to trace the cause to our friend’s intolerance for change since transition is challenging for many individuals with autism. Given those circumstances, teachers and parents might want to allow for an adjustment period and balance expectations for appropriate behavior with the need for patience on our part during the first several days or weeks or months of school.

TIP FOR THE DAY: We can inadvertently contribute to the transition problems by our words and actions. In most cases, the challenging behavior attached to transition decreases as the youngster with autism adjusts to the new place, new people, and new daily routine. It can actually be counterproductive in the long-run to try to remove all the challenges or to make the road so smooth that our friends with autism do not ever experience the frustrations of transition to a new school. Sometimes our best strategy is to relax and help them slowly adjust to he new setting.

I encourage you to take time to explore new approaches for addressing challenging issues that can arise in the lives of our friends with autism. Click on the Toolkit tab on our website for practical, to-the-point resources with workbooks and audio discussion. Our website is http://FAQautism.com

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Recess Stinks

dwightk — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 04:01:26 +0000

An articulate friend with autism is not very happy. She doesn’t like recess. Most fifth graders love recess and lunch, but this youngster does not. Interestingly, the reasons for her aversion to free time are different from what I expected.

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Most fifth grade students like recess because it is unstructured free time. But my friend with autism tells me that she feels lost and at loose ends. “I like a schedule,” she said. “All the other kids like to sit around and talk or play some soccer or something random, but I like to have a plan.” Free time is refreshing for many people, but stress increases for this youngster with autism since she feels at loose ends.

Many fifth grade girls are sensitive to other girls in the group – their opinions, their conversations, and their selection of friends. My friend is rather oblivious to all the social issues that are so important to other youngsters her age. Her preference to sit alone under a tree or walk around the playground alone is often interrupted by well-meaning teachers and other adults who spend a great deal of time encouraging her to interact with her classmates during recess. Although the adults are concerned about her being alone, they may not realize that is actually her preference.

This conversation with my fifth grade friend with autism sheds light on some of her opinions about free time events like recess. Future podcasts will provide some strategies for helping youngsters learn to tolerate recess and other free time activities, but the purpose of this podcast is to raise awareness of the unique perspectives often encountered by individuals with autism – perspectives that can be contrary to what we consider common sense.

It is easy to draw false conclusions when we see a child sitting alone or refusing to participate in less-structured activities during recess with their peers. We might assume they are pouting or feeling left out or being uncooperative and anti-social. But in reality, they may literally prefer to spend time alone.

TIP FOR THE DAY: Individuals with autism often have different opinions, choices, and preferences from their peers. Rather than imposing our preferences or assuming the worst, we might want to take time to know the person so we can avoid jumping to conclusions.

It is also wise to take time to explore new approaches for addressing challenging issues that can arise in the lives of our friends with autism. Click on the Toolkit tab on our website for great resources; http://FAQautism.com

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Pre-School Chaos

dwightk — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 04:01:18 +0000

More and more pre-school teachers are encountering youngsters diagnosed with autism in their classrooms. From the perspective of a child with autism, the group pre-school experience can seem chaotic, even under the leadership of the most extraordinary teacher. The youngster is having to process all the sounds, songs, colorful decorations, activities, people, and events swirling around them. Let’s take a look at some of the challenges encountered by little ones in a pre-school classroom.

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TRANSITION. Our friends tend to focus on one activity and to resist changing to a new activity. Even when heading for a favorite activity, individuals with autism struggle with transition. Inflexibility and transition issues often lead to severe emotional meltdowns, resulting in pre-schoolers with autism being viewed as difficult, stubborn, and disruptive.
BOUNDARIES. Many early childhood group activities are on the floor with no visible boundaries. The lack of a defined sitting space leads most pre-schoolers to lie on their backs, lean on their neighbors, and kick their feet. These and other wiggly, squirmy actions interfere with their participation in the group. The squirmy issue is often magnified with a child with autism.
CHANGE OF RULES. During free time and play time, pre-schoolers are encouraged to run and shout and throw balls and talk to their friends. All of a sudden, the rules change when they come to circle time. Even very cooperative, compliant kids have trouble sorting out different rules for different places in the same classroom.
FOCUS. The teacher must be somewhat of an entertainer in order to capture and hold the attention of the students during group time. Circle time usually consists of singing songs, using puppets, telling stories, and displaying pictures and interesting objects. When teaching youngsters with autism, there is a fine line between these two principles: (1) making things interesting enough to capture and maintain attention, and (2) making things too bright and too noisy and too fast, leading to sensory overload.
PARTICIPATION. Social interaction, receptive language, expressive language, and reciprocal communication are all skills necessary for successful participation in most group activities. ALL of these areas are inherently challenging for individuals with autism.

Given these factors, it is easy to see how a youngster with autism might perceive a pre-school classroom as chaotic. lWe invite you to share your observations and experiences. Just click on the comments button or send an e-mail to talk@FAQautism.com.

NOTE TO READERS AND LISTENERS: I am Cathy Knoll, a board certified music therapist and long-time friend of many folks with autism. At FAQautism.com we are committed to providing free, practical, everyday tips for making life better for people with autism. Feel free to send me an email with your thoughts or challenging situations or innovative solution. Send email to talk@FAQautism.com And don’t forget to check out our website for a wealth of ideas and a glimpse into the world of autism. http://FAQautism.com

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Ready for Pre-School

dwightk — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 04:01:29 +0000

At the tender young age of three, youngsters with autism often embark on an exciting and challenging adventure: pre-school. By its very nature, pre-school requires youngsters to function in three different spheres – group time, free time, and transition from one to another. Each sphere requires different skills, many of which are foreign to little ones diagnosed with autism.

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CIRCLE TIME. Teacher-directed group activities require youngsters to come to the area of the activity and to stay in the area of the activity. Participation requires a child to pay attention to the teacher’s words and actions as well as multiple visual and social cues. Circle Time activities also call for some measure of impulse control – waiting for the teacher, taking turns, keeping hands to self, following directions, and tolerating lots of sounds, sights, and people.

FREE TIME. Many children love recess, but sometimes our friends with autism really struggle with the lack of structure inherent in free-time play. Free time requires them to make decisions about filling that time, to share space and objects with other kids, to play cooperatively or at least tolerate the presence of other kids, and to play independently with minimal supervision and direction from adults. To some extent, the popular technique of having independent play centers or independent learning centers in early childhood classrooms can raise some of the same challenges for youngsters with autism.

TRANSITION. Dealing with the transition between self-directed and teacher-directed activities is a fine art that requires some expertise. A youngster needs to learn to stop what they are doing and come when called, to stand and wait in line, to follow classroom routines without much supervision, to deal with multiple directions, to follow the social cues of their fellow students and of their teachers, and to focus on a task and complete it with minimal assistance.

Yikes! This list makes it sound more challenging to start pre-school than to start graduate school! We will discuss some fun and effective ways to help your pre-schooler with autism learn these classroom survival skills in upcoming podcasts. Meanwhile, just relax and remember that pre-school can be a great adventure in spite of some rocky paths and landslides. A wise person once said, “If a mountain were smooth, you couldn’t climb it.”

NOTE TO READERS AND LISTENERS: I am Cathy Knoll, a board certified music therapist and long-time friend of many folks with autism. At FAQautism.com we are committed to providing free, practical, everyday tips for making life better for people with autism. Feel free to send me an email with your thoughts or challenging situations or innovative solution. Send email to talk@FAQautism.com And don’t forget to check out our website for a wealth of ideas and a glimpse into the world of autism. http://FAQautism.com

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Meteor Showers

dwightk — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 04:01:02 +0000

Mid-August is a great time for a Shooting Star Party. Just gather with some family and friends after sunset, spread sheets on the ground, and gaze upward. Although some individuals with autism might not seem to notice the bright streaks through the night sky, it is still a relaxing, enjoyable experience. A bit of planning and a bit of knowledge about meteor showers can make this nighttime adventure a great success.

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The best way to see meteor showers is to find a place in the country, a park, or even your backyard. Just get away from the glare and glow of bright lights. The moon can also interfere with viewing meteors, so pick a time when the moon is not hogging the sky.

Take lawn chairs that lay flat or sheets to spread on the ground. You may want to take insect repellent, but leave the flashlights at home since they just interfere with your night vision. If you must take a flashlight, cover it with red cellophane. You don’t need binoculars or a telescope to see meteors – they will flash so quickly and brightly in the night sky that you can see them by simply looking up.

In mid-August, the earth crosses through a band of tiny bits of dust from the tail of the Comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle. Because the comet dust streaks through the earth’s upper atmosphere at thousands of miles per hour, it flashes brightly in our night sky. The flashes look like shooting stars, but are actually meteors. This annual event, called the Perseid meteor shower, results in up to 30 meteors an hour. During this August shower, you will see most of the meteors in the northeast section of the sky. Other moving objects you will notice are airplanes flying high above the earth (they have flashing lights) and satellites that look like stars that move steadily across the night sky from left to right.

Before going out for your Shooting Star Party, encourage your friend with autism to find out interesting facts about meteors by clicking on Astronomy.com or Stardate.org. For example, they will read that most meteors are smaller than a grain of sand. They will also learn that meteors streak across the sky 24 hours a day. It is just that we cannot see them during the daytime. In fact, several hundred tons of meteors burn up in the atmosphere every single day. Very few meteors survive their fall through the earth’s atmosphere. Those that do are called meteorites.

You can enjoy the bright streaks that light up our night sky at any time of year, but you will want to mark your calendar for mid-August to see a literal shower of shooting stars. Enjoy! We welcome your ideas for adventures and excursions. Just click on the comments button or send an e-mail to talk@FAQautism.com.

NOTE TO READERS AND LISTENERS: I am Cathy Knoll, a board certified music therapist and long-time friend of many folks with autism. At FAQautism.com we are committed to providing free, practical, everyday tips for making life better for people with autism. Feel free to send me an email with your thoughts or challenging situations or innovative solution. Send email to talk@FAQautism.com And don’t forget to check out our website for a wealth of ideas and a glimpse into the world of autism. http://FAQautism.com

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Amusement Parks and Autism

dwightk — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 04:01:24 +0000

Several friends with autism and their families have gone to amusement parks over the summer. The experiences have been different for all involved, so we are taking a few minutes to look at some challenges that may arise when visiting a large amusement park.

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1. Timing. Most large amusement parks such as Six Flags, Sea World, Disney World, and others get more crowded in the afternoons and early evening. If your friend with autism can tolerate large crowds and waiting in line, then you can go anytime. If not, you need to find the least crowded time. Also keep in mind that some of our friends with autism are “morning people,” and some are not. In order to give all the best experience, you need to plan the timing carefully.

2. Logistics. Some individuals with autism have special diets or medical needs, or need assistance with toileting. If so, plan in advance for taking care of those individual needs without too much fanfare. For example, if you are a mom and your 25-year-old son with autism needs a bit of assistance with bathroom issues, you need to locate the family restrooms so you can help him without making a scene.

3. Personal preferences. Remember that not everyone loves to ride the roller coaster and not everyone wants to get splashed by dolphins. It is hard to find the balance between encouraging a person to try something new and forcing them into a situation that makes them feel very uncomfortable. And some of our friends with autism are not able to articulate that well. So we need to watch closely – supporting and encouraging people as they try something new while at the same time, keeping a eye out for signs of serious discomfort and respecting their preferences. I’ve heard frustrated parents say things like, “We paid a lot of money for the tickets, so we aren’t going to just sit under this tree watching the people walk by.” But we need to know in advance that our friend may literally not be interested in the excitement, or that they really do prefer watching shows to taking wild rides.

TIP FOR THE DAY: I encourage introducing our friends with autism to new experiences and exciting adventures while at the same time respecting their preferences, no matter how offbeat they seem.

And it is always wise to take time to explore new approaches for addressing challenging issues that can arise in the lives of our friends with autism. Click on the Toolkit tab on our website for great resources; http://FAQautism.com

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Cooking Over a Campfire

dwightk — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 04:01:38 +0000

Over the years, many of my friends of all ages with autism have been intrigued with the process of cooking over a fire. Even people who have never shown much interest in eating have taken bites of food they have helped prepare over the colorful glowing embers and dancing flames.

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Take a look at our podcast, “Summer Campfires” for some tips about building a fire. Then try some of the recipes below, adapting them as needed for special dietary restrictions and very selective eaters.

S’mores. It is always fun to give your friend with autism a chance to help out by making a list of items needed for s’mores and shopping for them at the store – with your assistance only as needed. So, for example, if he is able to do so, let him find the ingredients in the grocery store without your help. Traditional s’mores use graham crackers, Hershey chocolate bars, and marshmallows. You can also try a less messy version by using the chocolate flavored graham crackers and marshmallows.

Bread on a Stick. Just stretch a canned butter biscuit into a long thin shape and spiral it around the end of a long stick. Wait until the flames have died down into glowing coals and slowly “bake” the biscuit over the fire, turning the stick slowly until your Bread on a Stick is golden on all sides. Slip it off the stick, let it cool a few minutes, then enjoy this delicious treat. I’ve seen some of my rather impatient friends with autism cook their bread very patiently.

Tip for the day. Many different snacks can be adapted for the campfire without too much special equipment. No need to cook the whole meal over the fire – just enjoy simple foods with one or two aspects cooked on the fire. It is an intriguing process for all. Enjoy!

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Summer Campfire

dwightk — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 04:01:57 +0000

Gathering around a campfire is a traditional summertime experience that can be enjoyed by people of all ages and interests. There are few experiences more enjoyable than watching the flames of a campfire leap up from the logs, cooking s’mores with family and friends, singing some silly songs, then watching the embers glow and fade. Let us look at some ideas based on long experience to help make the campfire a safe, enjoyable, stress-free experience for all.

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One of the keys to helping make campfires – or any experience, for that matter – is for individuals with special needs to participate actively in the preparation. By helping with advance preparations for a campfire, your friend can enjoy anticipating the upcoming event while at the same time learning first hand about fire safety, a critical bit of knowledge.

So, for example, your friend with autism could collect sticks to use in the fire or gather rocks to make the fire ring. She could help clear leaves and debris from around the fire ring, and help bring out the lawn chairs or drag up logs for people to sit on outside the fire ring. She can help as she is able to fill the water bucket, stretch the water hose to the site, and put a shovel close to the fire.

Other advance preparations include inviting family and friends to participate, plan the snack menu, pick some fun campfire songs, and welcome people as they arrive.

TIP FOR THE DAY: The key ingredients to a successful campfire are these: (1) SAFETY FIRST, and (2) encouraging your friend with autism to be actively involved in all aspects of the preparation.

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Swimming Pools, Part 2

dwightk — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 04:01:38 +0000

In part 1 of our discussions about swimming pools, we looked at one example of water safety rules a family implements every time their youngster with autism goes swimming. Safety is, of course, the first consideration when it comes to our friends with autism and water. In part 2 of this discussion, we will take a brief look at other issues related to swimming and water activities.

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1. PROBLEMS WITH A PUBLIC SWIMMING POOL. For a variety of reasons, even the most avid swimmer with autism may not be able to swim in a public pool. Among other things, a person with autism may not be able to tolerate crowds or may not follow the rules and comply with the lifeguard. Several of my friends with autism are overly obsessed with rules, so they become very agitated when another person at the pool doesn’t follow the rules immediately and to the “letter of the law.” Some individuals with autism are oblivious to other people or to danger, so they may swim under the diving board or may jump in the water right on top of another swimmer. These issues, along with others, make swimming in a public pool very challenging.

2. ALTERNATIVES TO A PUBLIC SWIMMING POOL. Since some youngsters with autism simply cannot tolerate swimming in a public pool, or because their public pool behavior or interaction with people in public places is inappropriate or unsafe, let us look at some other fun water activities.

+ Water sprinkler. The traditional water hose has expanded to some very sophisticated water sprinklers that many of my friends of all ages with autism find intriguing. One young adult loves to sit in a lawn chair under a water sprinkler that shoots randomly in all directions. Another loves the “on and off” rhythm of a traditional lawn sprinkler that sways back and forth.

+ Backyard pool. It may be that a backyard pool is the best solution if a public pool is not an option. One of my friends will not wear a swim suit, but insists on wearing sweats for swimming. That wouldn’t work in a public pool with deep water, but is fine for a backyard pool that is only waist deep. And sunburn isn’t a problem ☺

+ Year-round swimming. One of my buddies with autism who is typically very agitated with life in general, is just enthralled with swimming, finding is very relaxing. His parents have installed an above ground heated pool in their garage so he can swim all year long! Another parent fills up the bathtub in the winter and encourages her water-loving daughter to put on her swimsuit so she can play in the “winter swimming pool.”

TIP FOR THE DAY: The idea to think out of the box. With careful planning we can help our friends with autism enjoy swimming and other water activities while minimizing challenging behaviors and other difficult issues. Hope you will click on our website http://FAQautism.com to find hundreds more helpful tips and resources.

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Swimming Pools, part 1

dwightk — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 04:01:39 +0000

Just as with more typical kids, some youngsters with autism love the water. Let’s take a look at some creative ideas and some serious factors related to autism and water. First and foremost, we must consider water safety.

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Whether in a swimming pool, lake, river, or even a kiddy pool, our first obligation to our friends with autism is water safety. Except in rare incidences, we simply must assume that a teen or adult with autism needs supervision around water.

No one should swim alone, of course, but sometimes individuals with autism, even those who are very bright and thoughtful, simply do not comprehend the concept of danger. While we should not make our friends fearful of water, we need to teach and enforce basic water safety. Warnings like “You’d better not do that or you could get hurt” or “If you go in the deep water, you might drown” have little meaning to many individuals with autism and will not deter potentially dangerous behavior.

Rather than showering our friends with dire warnings and constant nagging about water safety, it might work better to develop a “Water Safety Routine” that you follow every single time you go swimming, boating, or even wading in a stream that may have an unexpected drop-off or other unseen danger. Let’s take a look at a water safety routine one family developed for their 10-year-old with autism who is fearless and rather obsessed with water.
Step 1: The family decided against a pool in the yard since 24/7 supervision is impossible. They have also quietly contacted families in the neighborhood who do have pools, politely telling them of their son’s autism and his obsession with water, and requesting they fence the pools and keep the gates locked.
Step 2: Because swimming is their son’s primary interest, the family takes him swimming as often as possible.
Step 3: Family pool rules are strictly reinforced for this youngster. He is reminded before going swimming and upon arrival at the pool to “Stop, look, and listen.” “Stop” means to freeze on the side of the pool. “Look” means to look at his personalized life-guard and wait for a nod to get in the water. “Listen” means to stop and look if he hears a certain whistle sound, waiting to see what his personal lifeguard has to say, then to follow that instruction right away. If he breaks any of the rules, his swimming time is immediately over.

This safety routine, of course, will not work for everyone, but it is an example of a consistent procedure that, over time, helps a youngster anticipate the hard and fast rules so he can relax and enjoy swimming to his heart’s content.

In part 2 of our swimming pools podcast, we will look at some alternatives to public pools and some ideas for moderating a perseverative person’s obsession with water. Tune in tomorrow for Swimming Pools, Part 2.

And, don’t forget to click on the Toolkit tab on our website – http://FAQautism.com – to find some great resources to help us systematically address other challenges that arise as a result of autism.

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Summer Traditions

dwightk — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 04:01:03 +0000

Sometimes we get so bogged down in dealing with special diets, meds, therapy, behavior management, and other issues related to the special needs of our friends with autism that we forget to make room for good old-fashioned fun. Some parents were brainstorming about summer traditions, and came up with these quick, easy, inexpensive ideas to help make the most of these waning days of summer.

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WATERMELON. Although nearly all their kids have food allergies to some degree, these parents realized that none of their kids were allergic to watermelon. They suggested letting the youngster thump the melons and pick out a melon from a patch or from the grocery store. Chill it in the frig overnight or put it in a cooler covered with a bag of ice. Spread some newspaper ground outside for an adult to slice the melon, then let everyone enjoy the chilly treat. And don’t forget to have a seed-spitting contest!

FLASHLIGHTS. One time we had a summer evening get-together with a bunch of school-aged youngsters with autism. Most were non-verbal and were generally inattentive. All had some significant behavior issues. But every single person was intrigued when we gave them small flashlights. Some waved their lights wildly to make patterns and others shone their lights intently on one object. Several noticed the light changed when it flashed through a water bottle. Some were fascinated with the on-off switch and others enjoyed hiding the light under their t-shirt only to see it shine through. Several parents reported that the flashlights were popular at home for months after our summer gathering.

Other ideas for fun summer traditions included playing in the water sprinkler, making hand-cranked ice cream, playing kickball, setting up a popup tent in the backyard, and taking a picnic to the park. We hope you’ll send your ideas for inexpensive, stress-free summer fun. Just click on the comments button or send an e-mail to talk@FAQautism.com.

NOTE TO READERS AND LISTENERS: I am Cathy Knoll, a board certified music therapist and long-time friend of many folks with autism. At FAQautism.com we are committed to providing free, practical, everyday tips for making life better for people with autism. Feel free to send me an email with your thoughts or challenging situations or innovative solution. Send email to talk@FAQautism.com And don’t forget to check out our website for a wealth of ideas and a glimpse into the world of autism. http://FAQautism.com

Published on: Jul 23, 2008

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Summer Isn’t Over

dwightk — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 04:01:01 +0000

During the first week of August, it seems that the first day of school is the focal point of conversations and activities for nearly everyone in my corner of the world. But many of my friends with autism live in the present moment, so they are not at all interested in the future. And those who do get caught up in “first day of school” fever can become obsessed with the event or agitated with the long wait. I encourage families of school-aged youngsters with autism to make the most of today rather than focusing on an event that is several weeks away.

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One strategy for making the most of each day is to plan a “Summer Special” – an event that a youngster can look forward to each day in August. This can be something very simple, a fun activity that celebrates summertime. For example, you could add any one of these activities on a calendar each day in August:
1. playing in the water sprinkler
2. giving the garden or trees or birds a drink
3. counting stars and fireflies as they emerge after sunset
4. making lemonade
5. guessing which of two ice cubes will melt first on a hot sidewalk
6. collecting shells or rocks or sticks in a box
7. getting up early to watch the sun rise
8. writing a letter to grandmamma
9. taking a trip to the library every other day
10. making homemade ice cream or popcorn or other fun snack

TIP FOR THE DAY: The idea is to find some simple activities your child or your friend with autism enjoys, then put one on the calendar each day. This helps decrease the agitation of waiting, and it helps everyone celebrate the current day rather than focusing on a future event.

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Constant Nagging

dwightk — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 04:01:35 +0000

Although we may have the best intentions, we can certainly fall into the trap of constantly nagging our family members or students with autism. It can be helpful to take an inventory of the words we speak every day and to move toward gentle nudging rather than constant nagging.

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At the risk of sounding judgmental, I would venture to say that most adults could be diagnosed with a condition called “nag-itis.” If we could review a video of our actions every day, we would probably find that we tend to nag children and teens, and that we jump on a behavior almost before it occurs.

We can fall into the habit of constantly reminding kids to put things away, drink their milk, feed the dog, put away their backpack, pick up dropped items, put their clothes in the laundry, clean their plate, put away their toys, brush their teeth, flush the toilet, and use a tissue rather than picking their nose.

I hear adults spurting out reminders to say goodbye or to say thank you, often before a youngster has had a chance to initiate greetings or thanks on their own. We can also spend a great deal of time and energy reprimanding youngsters, jumping on every move they make and telling them what we want them to do or what we don’t want them to do. Then we keep talking about their missteps long after the deed.

Because our nagging tends goes right over the top of a child’s head, we might want to change our habits. When a youngster really needs a reminder, consider following these steps: (1) capture their attention, (2) state firmly and specifically what needs to happen, and (3) give them plenty of time to process the information and follow the direction. Use visual reminders like pointing, signs, or picture cues instead of words when giving the direction and for silent reminders.

It is usually best to avoid constant nagging when talking to children with autism. Our goal isn’t to raise perfect kids – just to give them nudges every single day toward being pleasant, cooperative, friendly, content people.

NOTE TO READERS AND LISTENERS: I am Cathy Knoll, a board certified music therapist and long-time friend of many folks with autism. At FAQautism.com we are committed to providing free, practical, everyday tips for making life better for people with autism. Feel free to send me an email with your thoughts or challenging situations or innovative solution. Send email to talk@FAQautism.com And don’t forget to check out our website for a wealth of ideas and a glimpse into the world of autism. http://FAQautism.com

Published on: May 15, 2008

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