One person in a group asked what interventions worked for your child.
My reply -
We were lucky to get an amazing SLT who taught PECs properly.
Reading "the spark" by Kristine Barnett - this video is about her son Jacob (Jake) Barnett "Math and Science Prodigy" on 60 Minutes: http://youtu.be/g91IQsS2spA
I watched this - Autism - How My Unstoppable Mother Proved the Experts Wrong: Chris Varne...: http://youtu.be/T1HQKB2txgY
I watched this -
Non-verbal girl with Autism speaks through her computer 20/20 ABC News: http://youtu.be/xMBzJleeOno
---- Autism What Everyone Should Know Medical Course: http://youtu.be/sIzskJPy74E
I watched this -
TEDxOrangeCoast - Daniel Amen - Change Your Brain, Change Your Life: http://youtu.be/MLKj1puoWCg
I watched this -
Son-Rise - A Miracle Of Love - Meu Filho, Meu Mundo: http://youtu.be/9auYQOlUKo4
I read this -
http://m.brain.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2012/01/26/brain.awr335.full
And watched this -
My Baby Can Sight Read at 20 months! (Oh and he has Down syndrome): http://youtu.be/NOq7jAtpEWc
And read this -
http://sfari.org/news-and-opinion/in-brief/2013/clinical-research-quiet-autism-toddlers-may-learn-to-talk
I read Carly and her dad's book - called "breaking through autism"
These are the most outstanding to me. You say "intervention?" - I realised the medical profession is all over the place and don't really know yet, but in these studies, movies and books using mainly Kristine's ideas of more not less. I realised I was Edward's intervention, if I thought someone else was going to do this for me I was sadly mistaken, he was right in front of me and I had to learn his language asap. ..... And I don't think we are doing too badly at all. :-).
Bumblebee kids videos helped -
http://www.babybumblebee.com/
And the transporters video also -
http://www.thetransporters.com/
And an honourable mention to AutismNZ for their courses that are the closest to the same page as me and I would recommend to anyone working with autistic people.
Saturday, January 31, 2015
Wednesday, January 28, 2015
Autism - " putting the world together differently"
"developmental abilities of an 18-month-old for nearly half his life"
"Sam's parents insist that people on the autism spectrum, like Sam, are full of potential; it's reaching that potential that requires traversing a set of steps unlike what the majority of the population experiences.
Even when he tested as having the developmental abilities of a toddler, he was able to ski, use a compass when hiking and assemble puzzles, Janice said. She called it the conundrum of autism: Poor communication and poor testing skills lead people to think they're stupid, when that's hardly the case, she said.
"They are just putting the world together differently, which is what needs to be recognized, respected and nurtured," she said."
http://www.coloradoan.com/story/news/local/2015/01/27/fort-collins-man-smashing-autism-stereotypes/22388121/
"Sam's parents insist that people on the autism spectrum, like Sam, are full of potential; it's reaching that potential that requires traversing a set of steps unlike what the majority of the population experiences.
Even when he tested as having the developmental abilities of a toddler, he was able to ski, use a compass when hiking and assemble puzzles, Janice said. She called it the conundrum of autism: Poor communication and poor testing skills lead people to think they're stupid, when that's hardly the case, she said.
"They are just putting the world together differently, which is what needs to be recognized, respected and nurtured," she said."
http://www.coloradoan.com/story/news/local/2015/01/27/fort-collins-man-smashing-autism-stereotypes/22388121/
Monday, January 26, 2015
Too many neurons
For me to understand ASD I had to read and read and sort through what seemed logical and what seemed like utter nonsense about ASD. The information on neurons not pruning and there being too many made the most sense based on ASD symptoms. So I went about finding any books or info on working with a child that had the best probable outcome based on too many neurons. (Basically too much data coming into the brain to process and how that could be best worked around, helped etc. How could this be made a positive and not a negative?
I kind of answered that myself when asking a group something along the lines of "if there are too many neurons and they need to communicate with each other how? Just say the neurons are people in a room. It is easy for 2 people to communicate if they are the only people, but if the room is full with people, you need to communicate that message to a lot of people to get that message across".....
And that actually is my answer, all those neurons need to be taught that message. That takes time and patience and using the more interesting and strong people in that room to help pass that message on. (Use what the person is interested and focused on and always connect to those neurons by showing you are interested too).
Pass the message by making small incremental changes.
Essentially, the stronger pathways in the brain are based on what interests the child. If you use those pathways to add knowledge (by focussing on what interests them), you will have a much higher success rate than trying to build completely new pathways, (especially trying to make the child do something they don't want to do). Ever tried to learn something when you didn't want to, and had nothing to relate it to, or interest in?
Anyway it is working for Edward and I hope it works for more of you.
Reference to more neurons study:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/237224.php
I feel it makes a big difference for a child on the spectrum. I feel that it works well for all people on and off the spectrum....but those off are more likely to pick up speech etc without this method where as with my son's speech and learning I think this has been imperative.
Some people around the world are doing this, and those willing to write and talk about it I am definitely listening to.
Many parents don't know this information as fact. Many parents still believe their child is just more severe, or have been told their child has a low IQ and won't do well and work on their weaknesses etc.
I wrote this hoping that it made enough sense for some parents to say "hey the other stuff we are doing has not seemed to work, let's give this idea a go, it is working for this person and makes sense."
I kind of answered that myself when asking a group something along the lines of "if there are too many neurons and they need to communicate with each other how? Just say the neurons are people in a room. It is easy for 2 people to communicate if they are the only people, but if the room is full with people, you need to communicate that message to a lot of people to get that message across".....
And that actually is my answer, all those neurons need to be taught that message. That takes time and patience and using the more interesting and strong people in that room to help pass that message on. (Use what the person is interested and focused on and always connect to those neurons by showing you are interested too).
Pass the message by making small incremental changes.
Essentially, the stronger pathways in the brain are based on what interests the child. If you use those pathways to add knowledge (by focussing on what interests them), you will have a much higher success rate than trying to build completely new pathways, (especially trying to make the child do something they don't want to do). Ever tried to learn something when you didn't want to, and had nothing to relate it to, or interest in?
Anyway it is working for Edward and I hope it works for more of you.
Reference to more neurons study:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/237224.php
I feel it makes a big difference for a child on the spectrum. I feel that it works well for all people on and off the spectrum....but those off are more likely to pick up speech etc without this method where as with my son's speech and learning I think this has been imperative.
Some people around the world are doing this, and those willing to write and talk about it I am definitely listening to.
Many parents don't know this information as fact. Many parents still believe their child is just more severe, or have been told their child has a low IQ and won't do well and work on their weaknesses etc.
I wrote this hoping that it made enough sense for some parents to say "hey the other stuff we are doing has not seemed to work, let's give this idea a go, it is working for this person and makes sense."
Thursday, January 22, 2015
vent alert
Sure society is severely mentally deficient in understanding but the biggest ones that deserve that sound track of an old fashioned record being scratched is most of the "experts". One mother was told that anymore children after her first and only child was dxed so would the rest.
Many many times I have heard cases of parents being told that if their child has not started talking by four just basically give up ( even a latest study dated March 2013 says that 75% of children not speaking by 4 will still speak). http://m.pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/131/4/e1128
Parents are constantly getting told that their child's IQ is under normal level, which is just not true in many cases.......just because they can't properly measure a child who does not see any reason to take the test and has difficulty with verbal information.
Parents get told there is something wrong with their child, just because they learn differently does not mean there is something " wrong" with them. It is called a disorder when it is only a different order. An apple I hear is a good computer, but it works differently to my windows laptop. The processing is done on a different operating system (uses a different base language) they are also wired differently. If I want to write a program on hubby's apple computer I would have to learn a whole new language. I have had to learn a lot and fast for my son and I still stuff up, but to reach him I had to and continue to learn his language. ("Experts " don't get this, they want to teach my son by forcing him to learn our language out of thin air......)
Ok vent over, thanks for listening.
Many many times I have heard cases of parents being told that if their child has not started talking by four just basically give up ( even a latest study dated March 2013 says that 75% of children not speaking by 4 will still speak). http://m.pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/131/4/e1128
Parents are constantly getting told that their child's IQ is under normal level, which is just not true in many cases.......just because they can't properly measure a child who does not see any reason to take the test and has difficulty with verbal information.
Parents get told there is something wrong with their child, just because they learn differently does not mean there is something " wrong" with them. It is called a disorder when it is only a different order. An apple I hear is a good computer, but it works differently to my windows laptop. The processing is done on a different operating system (uses a different base language) they are also wired differently. If I want to write a program on hubby's apple computer I would have to learn a whole new language. I have had to learn a lot and fast for my son and I still stuff up, but to reach him I had to and continue to learn his language. ("Experts " don't get this, they want to teach my son by forcing him to learn our language out of thin air......)
Ok vent over, thanks for listening.
Monday, January 19, 2015
If you don't try
When Edward meets someone new or is in a new environment he is for all intents and purposes non verbal, and shows no skill people only see his amazing side because it is at home, he is used to being photographed and filmed right from day 1, he now will echo things in public like when I say "say hi Lisa" and he will more than likely say it. That is all. So people who see Edward in the mall are seeing a child that seems more and more less able, but as you all can see in my videos that is not what we see at home at all.
You have not seen him non verbal or screaming on the floor in the mall or when his EIT turned up and he had a massive meltdown and just seconds away from bashing the back of his head on the rebounder and screaming at the kindy doors because he wanted to be in the sand pit not inside with the others at mat time (even though he did not have to sit with them), you have not seen the dirty looks I get from other parents because my son has bitten theirs, I get dirty looks when an adult asks Edward a question and he has completely dismissed it. Everything in public suggests that Edward is "mentally deficient". Edward is just that brilliant book that will change your life and your perspective on everything in you as long as you can only not snob the strange looking dust cover.
I say all this not to put my son down but for all those parents who say, " oh but your son is not like my son", "your son is high functioning, mine is not that capable", " your son is not really moderate, more like mild ", " my child can't do that".
My reply is you are very right that your child can't do that.....if you don't try. There is no harm in trying with your child, you might just find out how capable your child actually is. You might give up on the poor me trip that you are on and see some potential and a brighter future.
Or I may be wrong and what have you lost?????
You have not seen him non verbal or screaming on the floor in the mall or when his EIT turned up and he had a massive meltdown and just seconds away from bashing the back of his head on the rebounder and screaming at the kindy doors because he wanted to be in the sand pit not inside with the others at mat time (even though he did not have to sit with them), you have not seen the dirty looks I get from other parents because my son has bitten theirs, I get dirty looks when an adult asks Edward a question and he has completely dismissed it. Everything in public suggests that Edward is "mentally deficient". Edward is just that brilliant book that will change your life and your perspective on everything in you as long as you can only not snob the strange looking dust cover.
I say all this not to put my son down but for all those parents who say, " oh but your son is not like my son", "your son is high functioning, mine is not that capable", " your son is not really moderate, more like mild ", " my child can't do that".
My reply is you are very right that your child can't do that.....if you don't try. There is no harm in trying with your child, you might just find out how capable your child actually is. You might give up on the poor me trip that you are on and see some potential and a brighter future.
Or I may be wrong and what have you lost?????
Saturday, January 10, 2015
My Russian tutor - Edwards Russian tutorial to date from 27th Dec to 10th Jan 2015
Wednesday, January 07, 2015
Tuesday, January 06, 2015
Autism ASD - Dear friends and family (what I would have liked to have heard just after diagnosis)
To the parents, family and friends just starting out on this journey.
My sad moments were when firstly I thought my son was going to get an aspie diagnosis then the doctor said "Edward is on the spectrum and he is not mild", also he said even if Asperger's was still being diagnosed Edward would still be Autistic because of his lack of verbal and non verbal communication and his lack of comprehension. The reason why I fell apart is the thoughts that flooded my mind were of my darling baby boy being institutionalised and having to rely on minimum wage carers who if having a bad day could without consequence take it out on my son....... that was what I grieved for my baby boy. The first thing I did was educate myself as fast as I possibly could on how to make sure the outcome for my son would not be that horror movie playing again and again in my mind. ........ I have learnt so much since those days and those horror movies no longer run through my head of such a negative future, too much relies on my positive thoughts for his future. I have never grieved the son I was "mean't to have" I have always only wanted my child/ children to be happy. And even though Edward is delayed in some "normal milestones", he is far exceeding his potential in "atypical milestones". And as I have said to another child recently when the child said "at his age, I could swing myself", "Edward does other things better". This is when you learn that there is nothing to grieve, when you can accept your child for what makes them amazing. Big big hugs.
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