FAQautism » Social Skills

No Single Strategy

dwightk — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 04:01:01 +0000

Autism spectrum disorder is a “range of complex neurodevelopment disorders, characterized by social impairments, communication difficulties, and restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behavior” (Autism Fact Sheet, 2009).The key words here are “range” and “complex.” Because each person is such a mixed bag of strengths and deficits, no single strategy is effective across the board.

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Autism is complex, and requires on-going assessment and monitoring of individual strengths and deficits. We cannot assume, for example, a non-verbal high school student with autism is unable to read or to understand physics. We cannot assume a college graduate and successful professional with autism is toilet-trained.

The Autism Society of America describes the uneven and unpredictable nature of autism by stating “although autism is defined by a certain set of behaviors, children and adults with autism can exhibit any combination of these behaviors in any degree of severity. Two children, both with the same diagnosis, can act completely different from one another and have varying capabilities” (Characteristics of Autism, 2008).

Teachers, parents, therapists, and others interested in the well-being of a person with autism might want to look at a wide variety of options for addressing the unique needs of that individual. We should take into consideration the unique combination of characteristics of each person when developing personalized strategies and interventions, thereby maximizing each person’s potential and impacting their quality of life. Sometimes that involves combining features of various approaches to autism rather than following just one specific program.

Autism Fact Sheet. Washington, DC: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Retrieved October 15, 2010, from http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/autism/detail_autism.htm#155613082

American Psychiatric Association. (2000). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (4th ed.-text rev.). Washington, DC: Author.

Characteristics of autism. Autism Society of America. Retreived October 15, 2010, from http://www.autism-society.org/site/PageServer?pagename=about_whatis_char

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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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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Daily Chores

dwightk — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 04:01:02 +0000

In the midst of the hustle and bustle of daily life, it is certainly easier to just take care of every detail of the lives of our friends with autism. In reality, all children and teens, whether they have autism or not, benefit from having the responsibility of daily chores.

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BUILD ON STRENGTHS. Some of my friends with autism really thrive on daily routines and rituals. Unlike most of us, they actually enjoy mundane, routine tasks. One of my friends rather obsessively picks up lint or other small objects off the floor. Others file away books or put music instruments in their rightful places when waiting for their music therapy session. One young lady is thrilled when I give her permission to put away the clean dishes in my kitchen, and another loves swiffing my wood floors. I’ve encouraged their families, teachers, and job coaches to find daily chores that allow these individuals to lend a helping hand.

START EARLY. Nearly every person I know with autism clings to interests and habits from their early childhood. It is important that we teach all children to help themselves as much as possible and to pitch in around the house, but autism adds urgency. Even toddlers can pitch in with daily chores around the house to some extent. Approach chores with a positive attitude, and include kids in the process.

ENCOURAGE SELF-SUFFICIENCY. Busy schedules and looming deadlines can keep us from taking the time necessary to teach our youngster with autism to be self-sufficient. It is certainly quicker and easier to simply pick out clothes, tie shoes, gather up schoolbooks, or set the table for supper. If your life is like a pressure-cooker, relax and take just five minutes a day to focus on teaching your child just one task a week or so. Be patient, allow them time, and do not expect perfection. It is the effort that counts.

TIP FOR THE DAY. Granted, it is certainly easier for us to do things ourselves. But we can make a real difference in the long run if we make a pledge to take time each day to allow our child to participate in daily chores.

Nov 18, 2009

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Let’s Go Potty

dwightk — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 04:01:03 +0000

For a variety of reasons, some individuals with autism are not toilet trained. Not being able to go to the bathroom independently raises a variety of challenges, one of which is needing reminders to go to the bathroom. Let’s look at that issue, particularly from the standpoint of privacy and respect.

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First, let’s take a look at the issue of respecting privacy. I often hear family members, teachers, and other caregivers say to an individual with autism, “Let’s go change your diaper” or “Go pee-pee before you have an accident.” I hear comments like that spoken loudly in public forums such as classrooms, family gatherings, and dinner tables. Even if our friend with autism does not appear to be embarrassed or even if he is just four years old, it would certainly be more respectful to say quietly, “Please come with me,” or “Let’s go wash our hands.”

Another issue that arises is confusion over the different terms used for the restroom. Among other things, toilets are called a bathroom, a restroom, the ladies room, the men’s room, or the john. The very nature of communication deficits related to autism stands in the way of making quick shifts between terms. One of my young adult friends with autism was asked by a friend if he needed to go to the bathroom. Taking that term very literally, the young man replied, “No, I took a bath last night.”

And, speaking of terms, parents might want to consider avoiding childish terms to describe “going to the restroom.” If a youngster with autism learns to say “pee-pee” or “Let’s go potty” when he is three years old, he is likely to use that same term when he is fifty-three.

The same can be true when we use anatomically correct words to label parts of the body. Sometimes folks with autism are unable to distinguish between words that are “o.k.” at home talking to parents and words that are more appropriate in social situations. A good rule of thumb is to use words at home that can also be said loudly in earshot of strangers in a restaurant or grocery store.

So, these are just some ideas to consider when dealing with private issues. It is up to us to set the tone for privacy and respect.

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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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Favorite Clothes

dwightk — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 04:01:19 +0000

At what point do favorite clothes become an obsession rather than a preference. A high-school friend who functions on the spectrum of autism reports that she only wears t-shirts featuring her favorite television star. She said, “I don’t know if it is an obsession, but I just feel like I can’t wear any other shirts to school.” Every Thursday, I visit with one of my friends with autism whose clothing preference might be considered obsessive. Although she has a closet full of clothes, she has worn the same outfit every single Thursday, no matter the weather, for over ten years. The outfit is getting rather tattered. Some parents have discovered that they only make matters worse when they try to get rid of favorite clothing. The issue can become serious when sweatshirts deteriorate into shreds or shoes no longer fit.

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Some individuals with autism like to wear only a certain style or color of clothing, or like our high-school super fan, clothing with one theme. With just a few exceptions, this type of preference does not pose any particular challenges as long as family members, teachers, bosses, and other folks don’t make it an issue.

The problem arises when a person literally wants to wear the same clothes every single day, or if they won’t give up clothes or shoes after years of wear. Even if a person wears the same size for years on end, clothes and shoes eventually wear out. So, what are some options that caregivers can implement if they face this dilemma?

1. Buy two of everything. If a person will only wear a certain navy sweatshirt or a certain pair of sneakers, then purchase two or three sets and rotate them every two or three days.
2. Forget style. Don’t worry about what other people think.
3. Avoid extreme styles. When children are young, try to avoid extreme styles so you don’t run the risk of your youngster latching onto that style for several decades. You probably don’t want your daughter still wearing frilly pink pinafores when she is twenty-three.
4. Tolerate the transition. When clothes and shoes literally fall apart, we have no choice but to replace them. We just need to be prepared to tolerate the meltdowns that sometimes occur when old favorites must be replaced.
5. Ease into change. We can sometimes ease the transition by introducing a new pair of shoes several months before replacement is critical. The shoes may be more familiar and acceptable if they’ve been visible in the closet for several months and if they have lost the “new shoe” smell. New clothing is usually more easily acceptable if it has been washed several times and has been in sight for several months. One adult friend with autism said that he still has an extreme aversion to shopping for new clothes, so it helps him if a family member shops for clothes and runs them through the washer several times before putting them in his closet.
6. Keep souvenirs. If the person simply will not part with old favorites, put outgrown shoes or tattered pants in a zip lock bag as a souvenir. You can make a throw pillow out of patches of favorite shirts. Take a snapshot of your youngster wearing their old favorites.

We welcome your stories about favorite clothing and ideas for dealing with this potentially challenging issue. Just click on the comment button or send us an e-mail – 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: Mar 7, 2008

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Be Quiet

dwightk — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 04:01:58 +0000

What exactly do we mean when we tell someone to be quiet? Do we mean that they must be totally silent, making not a tiny sound? When we say, “be quiet,” do we mean to talk softly so they don’t interrupt a conversation? Or do we say “be quiet” just when we get irritated or have a headache? Sometimes our friends with autism interpret phrases very literally, so it would probably help them if we would tell them exactly what we mean when we say, “be quiet.”

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In reality, there are different tiers of loudness and quietness in our lives. Most of the time, we can tolerate a bit of talking and other noise at home, at school, and in the community. Sometimes we simply need people to talk softly when we are listening to the news or conversing with other people. In a few select situations, it is necessary for people to be very quiet and to make very few, if any, sounds. For example, testing situations at school usually require total silence. Because some people with autism will not pick up on social cues in different settings, they may need help learning what levels of noise are appropriate for different situations.

It is more helpful to specifically describe what level of conversation is required rather than just generally saying, “be quiet.” For example, if people just need to lower the volume a bit, we can say something like, “Please talk softly while I talk on the telephone.” On the other hand, if we are at a concert or other event that requires total silence, we can say, “Please listen very quietly. Make no sounds until we stand up at the end of the concert. No sounds, please.”

We must, of course, make certain our expectations are reasonable. If a friend with autism murmurs or hums repetitively, it is unreasonable to expect them to be totally quiet. The same is true with individuals with autism who tend to repeat phrases or to occasionally shout out or make random sounds. Under those circumstances, we cannot expect a person to be totally silent for an extended period of time, so we need to either avoid those situations or to be prepared to tolerate some verbalizations and sounds.

Keep in mind that we only make matters worse by reacting to sounds with a loud “shhhhh.” It is usually better to develop a quiet, unobtrusive system for reminding folks to be quiet. For example, I use a small card printed with the words, “Quiet, please” or a picture symbol of a person signing “quiet” to use as a reminder during a sermon at church or while at plays or concerts. Some teachers and parents use the “red, yellow, green” symbols of a traffic light to help children know if they can make noises freely (green), or if they should keep the noise level down (yellow), or if they should be totally silent (red).

We welcome your ideas for helping communicate different levels of loudness. Just click on the comments button or send us 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: Jun 23, 2010

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Transition to New School

dwightk — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 04:01:39 +0000

Even if youngsters with autism get along pretty well in school, the transition to a new school can be challenging. For example, when moving from elementary to middle school, students are expected to listen to and remember about various procedures and rules given to an assembly of the whole student body on the first day of school. They will hear dozens of rules about recess, procedures for dressing out in gym class, expected behavior in the hallways, tips for organizing their schedule and locker and backpack, steps to follow in an emergency drill, and on and on. Yikes! How can we help with transition to a new school?

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At least a week before school starts, parents of a youngster with autism who is attending a different school this fall might want to ask a counselor or other staff member to give their child an informal, low-key, personalized “welcome tour” helping them learn the location of their book locker and gym locker and classes. It would be good to help them pre-plan their daily route so they can get from class to class on time with all the necessary supplies and books.

Purposeful, casual, one-to-one instruction about some of the school traditions, procedures, and expected behaviors would certainly make transition MUCH smoother for individuals with autism, many of whom are visual learners and simply may not process all the verbal instructions given during orientation in a large all-school assembly.

So, before the first day of school, make arrangements for a “welcome tour” to help students with autism learn about (1) emergency drills and procedures, (2) expected behavior during morning announcements, (3) location of restrooms, (4) expected behavior in the hallways between classes and during classes (5) procedure for riding the school bus, (6) lunchroom procedures, (7) expected behavior during pep rally and other group gatherings, (8) procedures for dressing out in gym class, and (9) who to contact with questions or problems. I encourage parents to tag along if appropriate so they can help remind their youngster of the new routines if needed.

We welcome your input. Share challenges and ideas based on your experiences or intuition. 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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School Glitches

dwightk — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 04:01:12 +0000

Many of my friends with autism are a bit lost during the first few weeks in a new school. Sometimes we assume that all students are soaking in the flood of information – school traditions, procedures, rules, and routines – presented to youngsters in an assembly on the first day of school.

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I remember one young lady who did not understand the implications of a “Traditions Rally” on the first day of high school. In keeping with one of the long-standing school traditions, everyone walked around the school seal on the floor in the lobby in memory of fallen soldiers from their high school. Needless to say, everyone was horrified the next morning when they saw this young freshman standing in the middle of the school seal the next day, holding her back pack, and looking up at the sky light in the dome high above the seal.

This attentive young lady was an honor student with normal receptive language and an excellent memory. But she was missing the executive function required to translate the information about the memorial seal from a hypothetical discussion to an expected behavior. Fortunately, she didn’t pick up on the disapproval of her peers, and a teacher quietly helped her understand that she needed to stand outside the decorated area on the floor, but that could have easily turned into a disaster.

Some elementary schools use a “traffic light” system to monitor noise in the lunchrooms. When the light is green, people are free to talk to their neighbors. A yellow light is a warning to talk softly, and a red light is a signal for complete silence. Because many youngsters with autism think in concrete terms, their literal interpretation of the traffic light makes it difficult to generalize the rules from car traffic to the noise level in the cafeteria.

A young teen was embarrassed when she stood up in gym class. The coach had said, “All the boys, pay attention. You need to stand up.” The female student focused on the coach’s words when he said, “pay attention” and “stand up,” so she missed that key phrase, “all the boys.”

Miscommunication results when we assume youngsters know the meaning of symbolic words. For example, some of my young friends with autism have taken the phrase “moment of silence” literally during the morning announcements, leading to problems with talking during that very long “moment.”

One of my pre-teen friends with autism took the principal’s instructions very literally when she said, “Everyone will sit with their homeroom during lunch.” So, after getting his lunch tray, the young student walked to his homeroom to eat! ☺

We hope you will share your experiences about communication glitches at school, home, or work. 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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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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Extreme Communication

dwightk — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 04:01:29 +0000

What is a person trying to communicate when they suddenly start screaming, hitting, or biting? What are they saying when they suddenly drop to the floor or scratch their arm or hit their face? Teachers, family members, job coaches, therapists, and others spend a great deal of time and energy attempting to translate these characteristic forms of extreme communication displayed by some individuals with autism.

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It has been said that everything we do is an attempt to communicate something. Folks who have limited communication skills may resort to disruptive or hurtful behaviors or other extreme communication techniques in an attempt to let us know what is going on in their world. These outbursts can mean different things, so caregivers might want to document circumstances in detail when the behaviors occur to see if a pattern develops.

When a person with autism suddenly displays disruptive or destructive behavior, it usually can be translated to one of the following: (1) “I don’t want to do what you want me to do.” (2) “I am bored.” (3) “I’m tired of doing what I’m doing.” (4) “This is too hard.” (5) “I want you to pay attention to me.” (6) “My tummy / ears / foot / head hurts.” (7) “I’m overstimulated and need to calm down.” (8) “I don’t like / understand this change in routine.” (9) “I’m very tired.” (10) “I’m very hungry.” (11) “I really want a snack.” (12) “I need to go to the bathroom.” (13) “I want to keep doing what I’m doing, so don’t ask me to stop.” (14) “There is a firestorm going on inside my head.” (15) “I just need a hug.”

There are, of course, other issues that can result in an outburst by individuals with autism. But, often, such outbursts are an attempt to communicate. It is up to us to do the detective work necessary to translate these messages, usually by process of elimination. This is a very challenging task, but worth the effort in the long run.

Note to FAQautism.com listeners and readers: 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. You can click on a button to send me an email with your thoughts or challenging situations or innovative solutions. Check out our website for a wealth of ideas and a glimpse into the world of autism. www.FAQautism.com

Originally Posted October 25, 2007

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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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