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Archive for September 2010

This is Gabriel Making Sense of School

September 30th, 2010 by Caitlin Wray

This book review written by Caitlin Wray, originally appeared at her blog, Welcome to Normal, and is being reprinted with permission. Caitlin is a mother and blogger who advocates passionately for a culture of neurodiversity, on behalf of her magical little boy who has Aspergers, Sensory Processing Disorder, and gifted labels. She describes her mission as changing the world, more than changing her son.

Hartley Steiner’s first book, This is Gabriel Making Sense of School: A Book About Sensory Processing Disorder, is inspired by the challenges her son Gabriel faces each day. Gabriel, along with as many as 1 in 20 other children (my son included), has Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD).

The first thing that draws you into this book is the glossy cover and lively, bold illustrations in delicious candy colours. All the illustrations throughout the book, done by artist Brandon Fall, look positively good enough to eat. This is no small component of a children’s book. As we all know, kids will often be pulled in first by pictures, then by words.

And there are a lot of great words in this book. The very first page after the cover is a list of words describing the seven senses, illustrated in visually emotive fonts. The “i” in “Sight” is dotted with an eye, the “T” in “Touch” reaches across with wiggly fingers. These kinds of details are what get kids – and me – excited about turning the next page.

The book takes readers on a field trip through all seven of Gabriel’s sensory challenges, giving simple and often surprising examples of the learning barriers that kids with SPD face when they head to school. Reading about Gabriel’s senses and how he reacts to them, I could almost hear the ‘A-ha’ moments of the students and teachers who will read this book in their classrooms.

The words in This is Gabriel Making Sense of School have been carefully chosen not to condescend to children, but rather to enlighten and empower them, along with their educators. One of my favourite aspects of the book: the author doesn’t substitute cutesy names for big words like vestibular and proprioception. Instead, those weightier words along with terms like “overwhelmed” and “manipulatives”, are peppered like little gems amidst the more prevalent child-friendly language (like “grossed out”). What this achieves, is a book with wider appeal for a more diverse audience. Kids with SPD will relate to Gabriel, but moreover, kids in schools who read this book will see themselves or a classmate in its pages, while parents and teachers discover explanations for puzzling behaviours they are seeing in their homes or classrooms.

Like its illustrations, the tone of this book is spirited and upbeat. It describes problems but more importantly, it names solutions. By the end of the book it is clear that the greatest factors in a child’s sensory success at school are empathy and accommodation. The reader learns to empathize with Gabriel by experiencing a trip through his seven senses. And at the book’s conclusion, the author provides a useful accommodations tool for parents and teachers called the Sensory Accommodations Page, available for free download at her website http://www.hartleysboys.com/. I have already provided the Accommodations Page to a group of volunteers who work with my son at one of his weekly activities, and it was immensely helpful.

As I closed the book, I found myself feeling…. gratitude. I have felt a knot in my stomach on so many occasions, as I walked into situations where I had to explain Simon’s sensory challenges to people who didn’t have the background, experience, or technical vocabulary to understand what I was trying to convey. But I am grateful because next time, I won’t have a knot in my stomach. Instead, I will come prepared with a gift - Hartley’s book tied up with a bow.

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Tomorrow, Oct. 1st, This is Gabriel Making Sense of School will be combined with Building Sensory Friendly Classrooms into one giveaway. Two books, one for parents and one for your child OR one for a teacher and one for your class! Either way, a great package!

Categories Books, School, Sensory Processing Disorder
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30 Families Parenting a Child with SPD in 30 Days!

September 28th, 2010 by Hartley Steiner

This guest post is by Hartley Steiner, the mother of three boys, one of whom struggles with Sensory Processing Disorder, High Functioning Autism, Bipolar and Learning Disabilities. Hartley is the author of This is Gabriel Making Sense of School: A Book About Sensory Processing Disorder a contributing writer for the SPD Foundation’s blog, as well as a blogger about the never ending chaos that is her life on the blog Hartley’s Life With 3 Boys.

Hartley’s Life With 3 Boys is holding a one of a kind event showcasing the stories of 30 Families parenting a child with SPD in 30 days and is designed to not only help spread awareness of Sensory Processing Disorder, but to raise money for the SPD Foundation’s 30^th Anniversary.

With a new ‘sensational story’ posted every day through the month of October, including a never-before-published story from Dr. Lucy Jane Miller that will move you to tears, as well as the inspiring stories of other SPD advocates and authors such as Chynna Laird and Terri Mauro, and an emotional story told through the poetry of Jennie Linthorst, among the many other families just like me and you, these stories showcase what it is really like to raise a child with SPD and how increased support and funding is so desperately needed. This event will spotlight the struggles and successes every SPD family faces on their SPD journey; from ‘ah ha’ moments, to finding help through Occupational Therapy, these families are on the front lines of this disorder every day.

And helping them is easy.

Go to the “ChipIn” widget at the bottom of the right-hand column and click on “ChipIn.” It will take you to PayPal where you can make a donation for SPD in any amount you choose. Your donation will be directed to Hartley’s Life With 3 Boys.

In an effort to encourage everyone to donate generously, prizes will be awarded to the person raising the most money each week and there will be a HUGE PRIZE PACKAGE for the person who raises the most money during the month. Also, if you raise $250 you will automatically win a prize! So rally your friends and family, and have them donate under your name – all you have to do is ask them to leave your family’s name and email address in the comments of their donation – and you are entered to win!

The prizes are fantastic! Here are some of the things you can win:

Autographed copy of “My Brother Charlie” by Holly Robinson-Pete and her daughter Ryan Elizabeth
Autographed copy of “Not My Son” by Rodney Peete
2 Year Subscription to S.I. Focus Magazine valued at $49
$50 Gift Card to Build A Bear Workshop
1 Custom weighted blanket of the winner’s choice — up to a $267 value – from Dream Catcher Weighted Blankets
Movie tickets and concession coupons for a 4
- Donated by AMC Theaters (check out their sensory friendly films!)
Collection of books from Carol Kranowtiz (valued at $150)
Autographed copy of Sensational Kids by Dr. Lucy Jane Miller
DVD Sensory Processing Master Class
- By Drs. Brock and Fernette Eide and Lindsey Biel MA OTRL
Autographed copy of Raising a Sensory Smart Child by Lindsey Biel MA OTRL and Nancy Peske
Autographed copy of The Mislabeled Child by Drs. Brock and Fernette Eide
Sensitive Sam, by Marla Roth-Fisch
Autistic Like DVD from Erik Linthorst
Copy of both books The Everything Parent’s Guide to Sensory Integration Disorder and 50 Ways to Support Your Child’s Special Education
- donated and written by Terri Mauro
$100 gift card to Borders from Liz Chapdelaine, SLP
$75 gift card to Teres Kids (Sensory Friendly Clothing) from Alex Merlino
2 Soft Clothing prizes packs
- 2 shirts and pants for the boy, a skirt, top and dress for the girl
Model Me Time For School DVD from Model Me Kids
6 Kid Companions wearable, chewable, fidgets from Lorna d’Entremont
- 2 Kid Companions with clips
- 2 Kid Companions on organic lanyards
- 2 Kid Companions on colorful rayon/cotton lanyards
Therapy tools from Your Therapy Source
- Large Bilibo, Mini Bilibo and Fine Motor Activities CD-ROM collection
Therapy tool from Fun and Function
- Large Peanut Ball

And MUCH MORE. To see a complete listing of prizes, view HLW3B’s prize page here.

Now is the time to join in on the fun and help spread AWARENESS of Sensory Processing Disorder far and wide and provide them hope for tomorrow.

Thank you all for your support,

Hartley Steiner

NOTE: All winners will be notified on or before November 7, 2010. All prize packages will be mailed after that time.

Categories Sensory Processing Disorder
Comments (1)

Building Sensory Friendly Classrooms

September 27th, 2010 by Danette Schott, M.A.

We were introduced to Sensitive Sam by Marla Roth-Fisch and discovered how difficult it is for a child with Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) to make it through his day. We learned that a sensory-sensitive child is affronted by an array of input that can put his senses on overload. Children with learning disabilities, autism, and bipolar can all experience sensory-dysfunction, as well as gifted or typical children. When a child spends a minimum of six hours a day at school, it is critical for parents to know what accommodations their child will require in school in order to be successful.

Parents need to understand SPD and how it affects their child so they can advocate for specific adaptations in the classroom. In Rebecca Moyes fourth book, Building Sensory Friendly Classrooms to Support Children with Challenging Behaviors, sensory coping strategies are explored and their implementation within the school setting are discussed.

About the Author

Rebecca provides us with a unique insight because she has the perfect blend of experience to understand what a child needs in a classroom. She is not only a former public and private school teacher, but she has experienced sensory sensitivities her whole life and is also the mother of two children, one of whom has Asperger’s Syndrome (AS). Rebecca is now an autism consultant and trainer for school districts in Pennsylvania.

When Rebecca was growing up, no one really understood her sensory sensitivities. With regards to her home life, Rebecca revealed, “My parents were old school. We weren’t allowed to avoid certain activities just because we didn’t like them. For example foods–we had to eat what was put down in front of us. In some respects I think the pendulum has spun the other way. Kids seem to have a lot more control!”

The school setting presented different sensory challenges for Rebecca. She explained:

In the school setting, for the most part, I hid them. But physical education class was a challenge…. a lot of physical ed involves coordination-type activities. That was difficult! Another thing that was hard for me, even today, is sitting for long periods of time. I just can’t maintain attention more than fifteen minutes. There is an old saying that children can only sit (at optimal attention levels) for one minute per their age. Thus, a six year old can be expected to sit six minutes at optimum attention. When one observes typical first-grade classes today, he/she will find that first graders may be sitting anywhere from 20 minutes to over an hour without a sensory break! Teachers who pair their instruction with opportunities to chant, move, touch, or smell will get kids who master concepts better. For instance, today, I observed a teacher who was reviewing spelling words with her first-graders. She had them stand and do spelling chants with motion to encourage memory skills. The word “down” was chanted “D-O-W-N while the kids gradually crouched down with each letter.”

I realized that Rebecca was describing a more multisensory teaching approach. Although this teaching approach is often prescribed for children with dyslexia, I have posted about how successful I believe this method can be for many kids. Now Rebecca is describing why it is good for kids with sensory and attention issues. So I asked Rebecca when she was growing up, what kinds of classroom modifications she would have liked. Here is her response:

I think P.E. classes should be completely noncompetitive. I think these classes should be reworked so that the emphasis is wellness, not competitiveness. In the regular classroom, I would have appreciated teachers who practiced more “show” and “do” type teaching activities, rather than “talking”-type teaching. One thing that I think helps all kids is recess. All kids need a break to recharge! It upsets me when teachers withhold recess to do extra academics or as a punishment. If you have to have the child sit in the grass for five minutes of recess as a consequence for poor behavior, that’s completely different, but keeping them inside is NOT appropriate.”

Rebecca is a woman after my own heart. As she put it, “I’m a data girl. Show me the data has become my personal mantra.” (p.10) As a social science researcher and a gatherer of information, I like her approach! She is the only SPD author to present data-driven strategies, making her book critical for all parents who desire to advocate for their children with SPD. When completing an IEP (Individualized Education Plan) or 504 for your child with the school district, you need the data.

Building Sensory Friendly Classrooms

The first two chapters in Building Sensory Friendly Classrooms defines SPD and reviews the research. The third chapter explains how to make decisions for your child based on data. Rebecca walks us through a functional behavioral assessment “designed to discover what is causing the problem behavior” (p. 27). Examples of problem behaviors are provided, along with the best type of data to collect and ways to visually represent the data. Rebecca then explains how to use the results to get the accommodations your child needs.

Strategies to create a sensory friendly classroom are presented in an entire chapter. Rebecca acknowledges though that it can be difficult to make changes to a classroom that will be suitable for all children. She proposes that a school may want to create a sensory friendly room that is separate from the classroom that could be used by all children with SPD. Children can then visit this room and participate in activities that will help their sensory needs. Two lists are provided to help develop a room: one list contains sensory items to relax a student and reduce his sensory input and another list contains sensory items to provide additional sensory input.

Rebecca had the following advise for parents when seeking classroom accommodations for their sensory challenged child:

You really need to know how your child learns best. Is he a visual learner? Does he love to ‘get in the game’ and try things out? Does he like to move when he is learning? Take a look at where he is seated in the classroom. Are the desks pushed up against each other to form a table? Would that arrangement cause him some problems? What sort of visual distractions are there — ex. mobiles, bright colored posters, etc.? It is very common today to see every square inch of the classroom walls covered with some decoration, poster, or learning activity. Some children just can’t handle all that visual clutter! It interferes with their attention. How does the classroom sound and smell? You may also find yourself acting as an advocate for your child. Your child’s teacher can not make adaptations or accommodations unless he/she knows what your child needs!”

Some SPD accommodations can make a child stand out from their peers, e.g., fidget toys and seat cushions. I know from personal experience that when my daughter was younger and could have benefited from accommodations, she refused some items because she did not want to look different. Rebecca recommends:

Generally, children who receive these accommodations at a younger age are less likely to refuse them. It also helps when the teacher adopts a proactive approach. For instance, one child was complaining that another child was getting mints to eat at his desk. The mints were found to be effective in ‘revving’ him up. The teacher looked him point-blank in the eye, using a matter-of-fact voice and said, ‘Everyone gets what they need in my classroom. Some day you will need something too, and I will give it to you. Now, since this is not your concern, let’s get back to work.’ When kids who need accommodations see other kids getting them too, they are less ‘shy’ about having their own. When presenting an intervention that a child may object to, it also helps to present two and ask him/her to make a choice which one he or she wants to try. Use a matter-of-fact tone. Empowering the child with a choice will also make him/her less reluctant to try the sensory item.”

A very interesting chapter is titled “Teaching Stress Management and Self-Advocacy through Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.” Rebecca does a wonderful job of presenting various strategies that can be used to help a child learn to deal with the stress and anxiety that can result from sensory issues.

My daughter has always had high anxiety and can jump into a “fight-or-flight” mode at a moments notice. Biodots is apparently a new product that can be placed on the fingertips of children. They are heat-sensitive and will change color when a child’s temperature drops in response to stress. The color change in the Biodots helps to alert the child that she is beginning to experience stress. I love it when I learn about a new technique or product!

An entire chapter addresses goals for an IEP or 504. If a child does not qualify for an IEP, she may still qualify for a 504 if she requires accommodations to help her succeed at school. An IEP is enforceable under special education law and a 504 is enforceable under the American with Disabilities Act. A thorough list of possible accommodations that can be written into an IEP or 504 is provided, as well as possible personnel supports.

Conclusion

Although this book is geared towards teachers, I see it being highly valuable for parents. It can help parents to better understand SPD and to create a more effective IEP. The information will also help parents to work with their child’s teacher to become more familiar with what types of changes can be made to a classroom to make it more sensory friendly.

For parents who are just embarking on the SPD journey, Rebecca advised:

Seek the advice of an occupational therapist with sensory integration training. Once you learn the techniques, you will be able to apply them at home. Make your home sensory friendly. Think about all the ways you can engage your child’s senses. Try to make a daily chart where you can list one activity for each sense to do with your child. Although you want to be compassionate if your child wants to avoid certain sensory experiences, it’s important to realize that very quickly, a child who escapes can become very isolated. Gentle exposure with lots of praise and reinforcement is helpful. So is helping your child learn stress management techniques.“

In conclusion, Rebecca offered the following insight:

Sensory integration has been considered by some to be “junk science.” However, even those interventions that are odd or unusual can suddenly be very influential when they are backed by data. Keep data about what works or doesn’t work! You won’t have so much trouble convincing teachers that using one of the strategies is a way to go when you can show concrete data that backs your request!”

I would like to offer a big “thank you” to Rebecca Moyes for providing her unique insight into developing classrooms to better serve children with SPD. You can purchase Rebecca’s book at Future Horizons.

Giveaway

In honor of Autism Awareness Month, I am pleased to offer this book to one lucky reader. You can enter this giveaway up to two times. Here are the rules for entering:

Register for the new S-O-S Step-by-Step FREE Standard Membership over in the right-hand column and gain access to the Step-by-Step online information; and/or
Sign up for the new and revised S-O-S newsletter over in the right-hand column.

Please enter one comment here for registering with Step-by-Step and one comment for signing up for the newsletter. If you have already signed up for Step-by-Step and/or the Newsletter, you are already eligible to enter this contest! (Please remember to enter a comment(s) and let me know.)

This giveaway will appear in the April 15th Best of the Best and will end at 11:59 pm (PST) on April 30th. Good luck!

Melissa won this book!

Note: Future Horizons provided me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for being featured on Help! S-O-S for Parents. The opinions expressed in this post are mine and have not been influenced in any way.

Categories Books, School, Sensory Processing Disorder
Comments (19)

Talksmith: A Person Who Makes Conversation

September 24th, 2010 by Danette Schott, M.A.

Recently Geoff Brown, the President of Talksmith, left a comment on my post titled Asperger’s on the Job. I was intrigued with his comment and decided to learn more about Talksmith.

As an English suffix, -smith suggests a meaning of a specialized craftsman, for example, blacksmith, coppersmith, goldsmith, and locksmith. (Wikipedia) A company geared towards creating specialized craftsmen in conversation, piqued my interest. Here is what I found.

Talksmith is a Minneapolis startup offering software that allows people to rehearse difficult conversations online and to receive immediate feedback. Geoff Brown further explained, “Our current niche is Asperger’s Syndrome students and special education departments in school districts, but we also make corporate training and e-learning courses.”

An autism spectrum disorder (ASD) course library was created with the support of the West Fargo, North Dakota school district, Osseo Area Schools (Minneapolis), and Hennepin County, Minnesota, along with the assistance of the Autism Society of Minnesota. Geoff stated, “Our conversation rehearsal courses also draw on the ASD expertise of Lisa King of College Autism Spectrum (advisor on transitions from high school to college) and Theresa Namie of ANSWER (an Asperger’s parent support group).”

Youth with Asperger’s (AS) or high-functioning autism (HFA) are able to use Talksmith to rehearse social skills in a private setting. The courses use a multiple choice branching technique attempting to better replicate a typical conversation. This technique allows for mistakes, feedback, recovery, and normalization. A student also has the ability to try out different conversational approaches.

Talksmith offers three free courses: asking for what you want; disagreeing with a friend; and a warehouse interview. I decided to give them a try. In general, here is how it worked:

I logged on using the FREE password and account.
I selected the course.
I was presented with a written introduction to the scenario and an explanation on how to select my responses.
When the course started, a face popped up to represent a friend and I read what he said to me.
I had three options from where I could select my response.
When I made my selection, I received written feedback on my response and then I had the option to return to the role-playing.

At each response selection a new screen appeared. My friend’s facial expression changed based on how I had replied, his new response was indicated, and then I was able to select another response. Because Talksmith uses a branching technique, I could replay the course and get an entirely different interaction by changing my responses.

The courses that can be purchased for a monthly or annual subscription fee are:

Handling unfair criticism,
Coping with frustration,
Disagreeing with a teacher,
Fast food job interview,
Disagreeing with your boss, and
Electronics job interview.

For me it was awkward to have a “conversation” but to not hear anything. I think I would have liked the course more and it would have felt more realistic if the friend’s part of the conversation was spoken and I could have heard it. A voice could even be applied to my part of the conversation so that my selection could also be heard.

Overall, Talksmith appears to have promise. Children with AS and HFA need to work on their social skills and this gives them one more way to do it. Many of these children (and children in general) are very comfortable with the computer and may actually prefer to learn this way. Also, many times children with special needs require a lot of repetition to really learn a particular concept. Talksmith can easily be used over and over until the concept has been grasped.

That being said, there really is no substitute for a one-on-one real-life conversation. Once a person with AS or HFA feels comfortable with a particular scenario, I could see the benefit of taking that subject and role-playing it with another person. I could imagine that school districts could build around Talksmith, making it one component of many in their social skills training. Talksmith is certainly an interesting idea that was brand new to me.

To find hundreds of more resources like Talksmith, join S-O-S Step-by-Step. You can access close to 100 social skills resources for free.

Categories Social, Treatment
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The Ultimate Guide to Sensory Processing Disorder

September 22nd, 2010 by Danette Schott, M.A.

: Image via Wikipedia

See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil. The visual of this simple proverb makes me think of Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD). The “evil” in this case is bright or flickering lights, noise that is too loud, or perhaps food that is too spicy or has an unappealing texture. When these evil things bombard a child with SPD, she will squint her eyes, plug her ears, close her mouth, or try to find some other form of escape. Unlike the three wise monkeys, children with SPD are not of sound mind, speech, and action. They are being bombarded by stimuli and their bodies do not know how to respond.

The Ultimate Guide to Sensory Processing in Children: Easy, Everyday Solutions to Sensory Challenges by Roya Ostovar, Ph.D. is a fabulous addition to the existing resources addressing SPD. I was fortunate enough to not only be able to review her book, but also interview Dr. Ostovar.

The Author

When she’s not writing, Dr. Ostovar keeps herself busy as a clinical instructor in psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and is the director of the Center for Neurodevelopmental Services at McLean Hospital. Regarding her interest in SPD, Dr. Ostovar shared:

I have been working with children with developmental and psychiatric disorders and their families for over 13 years and in that time I have seen, first hand, how children and the quality of their lives are affected by symptoms of Sensory Processing Disorder. The effects can be devastating, if left untreated. SPD impacts all areas of functioning and makes the world feel overwhelming for the child. I felt compelled to share the knowledge and experience that I had gained over the years from working with individuals, families, and schools with everyone through my book.”

Understanding SPD

The Ultimate Guide to Sensory Processing starts out with the customary explanation of SPD and a review of the current research. Dr. Ostovar has defined Sensory Processing Disorder as “an inefficiency in our central nervous system to process information, namely incoming stimuli.” In addition to issues with the typically known five senses, children with SPD may also have balance and coordination problems.

Next in her book, Dr. Ostovar encourages parents to step into their child’s shoes and understand what it feels like to live with SPD. She offers a number of exercises for parents to help them experience excessive sensory input. There’s nothing like an example to drive home a point and I found them very useful. Here is an example of one exercise:

For an understanding of tactile over responsibility, put a piece of sandpaper inside your sock or attach it to the back of your shirt where the tags are, or on the inside of a turtleneck shirt. Then try spending a day going around your normal daily activities, such as work, school, shopping, watching TV, reading, talking to others, and so on, while experiencing the feelings of having sandpaper on your skin.” (pages 51-52)

Dr. Ostovar further adds to the growing body of knowledge on Sensory Processing Disorder by explaining that living with SPD is similar to living with a constant stress that does not diminish. This information along with the exercises provided by Dr. Ostovar, helps parents, teachers, and other professionals to better understand what a child with SPD is experiencing.

Diagnosis and Treatment

A proper diagnosis is important, otherwise a child’s actions may be misinterpreted as defiant, difficult, volatile, and uncooperative. A diagnosis puts a family on a path for treatment that can significantly improve their child’s behavior and alleviate stress at home and school.

I asked Dr. Ostovar what she believes are the most important considerations when selecting a professional to evaluate a child for SPD and here is her response:

This is an important question since getting a correct diagnosis is the first step to getting the right treatment. In my book, “The Ultimate Guide to Sensory Processing Disorder in Children”, I have dedicated an entire chapter, chapter 5, to this question. This chapter, “Assessment, Diagnosis, and Treatment-Where to begin,” walks you through what you need to know step-by-step. The short answer, however, is to look for an Occupational Therapist with expertise and training in the assessment and treatment of Sensory Processing Disorder.”

“The Ultimate Guide” is peppered with true accounts of children with SPD. These stories reveal issues that children were experiencing prior to the SPD diagnosis, the evaluation process is shared, as well as treatment recommendations. These personal accounts help parents and others to learn what SPD looks like, how it affects a child and her family, what to expect during an evaluation, and possible treatment plans. Dr. Ostovar elaborated:

The most effective treatment option for a child with SPD is Occupational Therapy, more specifically, Sensory Integration Therapy by a properly trained Occupational Therapist. After a thorough evaluation, the therapist will provide you with a Sensory Diet, an individualized treatment plan that outlines specific activities that will effectively treat the child’s sensory challenges. At times, it might make sense to augment OT with other therapies depending on the specific needs of the child. These may include Physical Therapy, if, for example, the child presents with significant problems with gross motor skills, balance, and movement or psychological counseling if the symptoms and/or the diagnosis have led to psychological issues such as self-esteem problems for the child.”

An entire chapter addresses SPD and common events that families’ encounter, such as holidays, weddings, vacations, birthday parties, and more. Dr. Ostovar presents the event and specific things to consider when deciding if a child should participate. Each event has tips for handling it and debriefing afterward is encouraged.

Other Disorders with Similar Symptoms

I really liked Chapter 7: The Difference between SPD and Look-Alike Disorders. Similar to many other disorders like autism and ADHD, there is no blood test or paper and pencil test for SPD to determine 100% what is going on with your child. Dr. Ostovar describes other disorders that have similar symptoms to SPD, such as autism, Asperger’s, bipolar, and ADHD. In addition to this, a child may have one or more of these disorders in combination with SPD. Dr. Ostovar further explained:

The term Sensory Processing Disorder is relatively new as far as public and professional awareness is concerned. Not all clinicians are trained at this time to recognize and discern the symptoms of SPD which can lead to misdiagnosis or, even worse, the child being labeled as a “behavioral” child. Due to the terrible implications of mislabeling a child, I have included an entire chapter in the book addressing the difference between SPD and what I call the “look-alike disorders.” Encouragingly, I am seeing more and more coverage and interest on SPD which will over time increase awareness among parents, teachers, and professional.“

Conclusion

“The Ultimate Guide to Sensory Processing Disorder” can be a helpful tool for any parent suspecting sensory issues or who are already dealing with a child with a SPD diagnosis. You will find many useful pieces of information to share with your child’s teacher and an entire chapter is devoted to how to create a classroom that is sensory-friendly. This easy-to-understand book on SPD can be purchased at Sensory World.

Update:The giveaway can be found here and ends on 10/07/10.

Categories Books, Sensory Processing Disorder
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A Door to Providing Support to Special Needs Families Around the World

September 16th, 2010 by Danette Schott, M.A.

Back in August, Vicki Hill wrote a guest blog where she revealed how her son with Asperger’s Syndrome, schizoaffective disorder, Tourette Syndrome and epilepsy led her on an unplanned journey. Her story inspired me to start a new series called “When One Door Closes, Another Door Opens,” where people reveal how their paths have changed since a child with special needs has entered their lives.

Susan Stephens could have taken the easy way out. She is not the parent of a child with special needs, but the grandmother. Grandparents are supposed to enjoy the fun that their grandchildren have to offer, but the day-to-day care and concern are to be left with the parents. But Susan has not taken a back seat to dealing with her grandson’s special needs. Ever since his diagnosis at age 2, Susan has been “working towards providing resources, encouragement and support to families around the world raising children with special needs.”

Susan has tried multiple methods to fulfill this quest and today she is excited to announce the birth of Family Network TV. Utilizing WebTV and online Radio, Family Network TV will reach a worldwide audience. Susan provided the following details regarding some of the show line ups:

Dare to be Rare hosted by Meagan Cross from Australia will focus on Angelman Syndrome and her work there in Australia, as well as featuring many other rare diagnoses as well as the undiagnosed. Megan founded the first international foundation to fund research to Cure Angelman Syndrome. Within this show her 4-year-old typical daughter (“Walk About with Eva”) will act as our tour guide showing us the rain forest and the Great Barrier Reef, to name a few spots.

The Imperfection Connection hosted by Patty Konjoian and Gina Gallagher, authors of “Shut Up About Your Perfect Kid: A Survival Guide for Ordinary Parents of Special Children“, will focus their season 1 on taking better care of yourself with a twist of humor, while discussing hard topics as well.

Siblinghood is hosted by four teenagers:

Nick Lombardi who five years ago designed the button “I’m not Misbehaving, I have Autism, Please be Understanding.” He has sold them for $3 and has donated over $45,000 to Autism Speaks;

Amit Heiz who has a brother with Tourette Syndrome;

Alex who has an older sister with Down Syndrome; and

Meagan Badock who has a five-year-old sister with a very rare chromosome deletion.

Filming will be in New York and will showcase places of interest there and talk about all the emotions that these typical siblings go through.

Perspective will share the points of view from all ages and situations within the special needs community. Everything from parents raising children with disabilities to teens dealing with social issues to young adults making that transition to college or the work place to owning their own business to adults and senior adults living with a special need and their unique perspective offering encouragement and “you can do it” advice.

A Matter of LAW hosted by Sheryl Frishman and Jaill Faber who are special needs attorneys from New York who are also mothers of children with special needs. They will cover things that you should know, documents you should have in place, and how to set up a trust for your child.

As a strategic alliance, Family Network TV will produce episodes on Abilities Expo TV that features exhibitors and attendees at the six expo’s across the country. Product demonstrations and testimonials from families will encourage everyone to attend an Expo near where they live. Learn more at the Abilities Expo website and on their Facebook page.

We also have an unnamed show that will allow companies to spotlight their products in the form of a five minute or less “infomercial.” This is an effort to expose new products to the community, allowing families that are interested to contact them directly.”

Premiere week of the shows is planned for mid-January, 2011.

Network Radio

Family Network Radio hosted by Tara Ecklund will feature families and medical professionals as guests allowing listeners to ask questions live on the air. Tara will also feature the host of our upcoming shows on Family Network TV.

BUTTERFLYWHEEL Effect hosted by Monica Foster, motivator, advocate and consultant, will feature guests from around the world encouraging a “Life Without Limits”.

Lauren Henry, Founder of “With a Brush of Love, Inc.” will feature guests on her show as she shares her research about the effects of color on emotion and interviews psychologists who specialize in the field of study.”

Susan also shared that “along the way we will have weekly giveaways, beginning with the launch of our website. Products will range from books, toys, gift certificates, and the S-O-S Rescue Series resource packets, building up to a Mexican Riviera Cruise for 2 to be given away during premiere week in mid-January, 2011. To enter you simply “like” the Family Network TV Facebook fan page. There will be other opportunities to enter again so stay tuned!”

Launch Schedule:

September 16 – Facebook Fan page launch
Mid-October – Website launch along with Network Radio
Mid-January 2011 – Season 1 Premiere Week and Mexican Riviera Cruise for 2 giveaway. Enter to win by “liking” the Family Network Fan Page.

Family Network TV will be donating 10% of annual proceeds to Grant Angel Wishes and Travel ~ Travel Angels Granting Wishes.

Susan finished with:

Family Network TV will also offer live video chat, Twitter and Facebook right from our site so you can stay on top of everything without leaving the network. We will also have safe, fun games for everyone to play and the ability to upload your family photos to show off how beautiful they are.

…and this is just the beginning…“

I don’t know about you, but I think this is one amazing grandma who looks like she has the beginnings of something big. Join the Family Network TV Facebook page and hold on…this should be an exciting ride!

Categories Autism/Aspergers, Doors, Other Disorders
Comments (5)

Asperger’s on the Job

September 15th, 2010 by Danette Schott, M.A.

People with Asperger’s (AS) and high functioning autism (HFA) are all around us, whether you are aware of this or not. She may be the person who appears to lack a sense of humor, is overly anxious, or seems emotionally detached. Or he may be the person who only talks about cars, appears to be very logical, or doesn’t hold eye contact.

But people with AS and HFA also have strengths and gifts that Rudy Simone spells out in her first chapter in Asperger’s on the Job. She has written this go-to book for people with Asperger’s or HFA and their employers, educators, and advocates so that everyone can learn to work effectively and productively together. In addition to reading Rudy’s book, I had the pleasure of being able to interview her.

As an adult with AS, Rudy is able to provide her unique insight into the struggles those with Asperger’s face in finding and keeping employment in Asperger’s on the Job. As Rudy explained:

Some with AS do poorly at interviews, others do well because it is a ‘performance’. I always got the job, it was mostly the social stuff that came after that robbed my peace of mind and kept me from staying long or rising in the ranks. My first real job had been as a singer, but when that ended, and I had no degree, I ended up in jobs that required ‘people skills’ because jobs that don’t require degrees often do require people skills—waitress, hostess, cashier, receptionists, secretary, etc. This is why I urge people on the spectrum to get their qualifications.

The last job I had where I had a boss, entailed the same social, sensory, and cognitive problems I’ve always had at work. They misread me, asked me to do things in a way I wasn’t able to deal with, or changed the methods overnight with no warning or chance to assimilate the idea of change. It wasn’t until after these jobs ended, that I understood AS was the underlying reason for my difficulties with work. But since then, I have been self-employed by choice. I still have to deal with people—employees, publishers, editors, the public and so all the principles I talk about in my books come into play—managing my social and sensory issues is a daily duty.”

I asked Rudy if she could reveal some of her successes on the job. She offered the following:

By far, being an author is the best thing in the world for me. Interviewing people, writing about it, sharing what I’ve discovered with others in the hopes of improving people’s lives. Sheer bliss, but it’s not a high-paying career for most of us. Strangely enough though, I love performing…it enables me to connect with people in a way I simply cannot do in day to day life. As far as working for others, the last two jobs I had were the best: TAPS, (the stars of “Ghost Hunters”) had a magazine and I was head writer. I simply had to ask a lot of questions and write. Being a senior editor was also good—I was able to use my special interests, going through others’ work with a fine tooth comb and pointing out mistakes or room for improvement—heaven! But I also did well in other positions, such as screening applicants at a head hunting agency in NYC. Again, it was about getting to the heart of the matter— asking the right questions.”

In her book, Rudy also includes the experiences of over 50 people with Asperger’s located all over the world. She presents various issues in each chapter and then provides insight into what the employee can do and what the employer can do to work through the presented issue. Comments from people interviewed for the book are generously scattered throughout the pages and help provide a personal component to each problem. Finally, Rudy ends each chapter asking thoughtful questions for the reader to consider.

Asperger’s on the Job contains useful information for young teens with AS or HFA who may be preparing to apply for their first part time job. But I also see this book being useful for parents of children with AS or HFA. By reading the book and analyzing the potential employment pitfalls, parents can determine the areas that will be key to their child’s future with regards to employment. The areas are nothing new, but when they are discussed with perspective to employment their importance seems to be elevated. Here are some of the areas of difficulty:

Problems making small talk;
Inability to read nonverbal cues and gestures;
Lack of facial expressions;
Problem recognizing familiar people; and
Problems with sensory issues, such as loud noises, bright lights.

A child with AS struggles with these areas and these struggles will continue into adulthood without work. Parents can work with professionals to address these issues and attempt to minimize their child’s problems into adulthood and on the job.

Asperger’s on the Job can benefit both the employee with AS and HFA and the employer. Rudy does a wonderful job of looking at aspects of the work environment that can affect a person’s success but is not necessarily within the scope of a job. Hopefully with her insight and advice future pitfalls by employees and employers alike can be minimized.

There is an interesting chapter towards the end of the book titled “To Tell or Not to Tell, That is the Question.” Parents of children with AS or HFA tackle this question throughout their children’s lives, sometimes starting as early as preschool. In the book Rudy does not take a stand on the issue, but rather she presents differing perspectives of those she interviewed. Also, the pros and cons of disclosure of the diagnosis are discussed. Since I had the luxury of interviewing Rudy, I asked what her belief has been regarding this issue and she explained:

It is a personal decision but I would never put myself through the trouble again of being ‘in the closet’. I get tired of the same old questions and observations about my behavior—e.g. I get very quiet, blunt, confused and overloaded and all the other things that come with the AS territory. I want to educate the world as much as possible, so people don’t have to explain themselves as much. For others, if you simply can’t disclose, partial disclosure may be the way to go. But many of my clients have disclosed and have had good results doing so, i.e. they got the accommodations and understanding they asked for. If you are going to disclose, talk to an expert first if you can, to help you do it in the best way possible.”

Asperger’s on the Job concludes with a section on “Additional Tools.” The reader is walked through a process to help them determine what type of job would suit them best. Interview tips are reviewed and useful resources are provided.

Rudy offered the following advice to parents of a young teen with Asperger’s who will be preparing for a job in couple of years:

Besides your special interests, you must know what your triggers are and have an artillery of things which counter them. Also work on social skills, empathy, taking an interest in others, etc. I’m not advocating being false, just expanding the boundaries of who you are. There are many different methods for improving your overall health and well-being to minimize your reactions to triggers and there are many ways to build your confidence. Find a way to express yourself that commands respect—that is the one thing we often get short-changed on, and it is very painful. Lastly, but most importantly, beware self-pity, it is an unhealthy addiction. We all get down about the difficulties, but we must be pro-active and have strategies. Depression and bitterness are not strategies.”

With regards to an older teen with AS who is looking for his first job, Rudy explained:

I have a thing in the book called a ‘personal job map’. It is a tool I designed specifically for people with AS to help them figure out what field they should be working in, by cross-referencing special interests with triggers and personal needs. It is very interesting to work with clients, when the lights come on and they say “oh, I really should be doing that!” or “I don’t think I want to do that after all” This should be done in high school, before college, and before career (as needed) to help guide the person on the path to personal expression and fulfillment. That is always what it comes down to.“

Rudy’s book is very thought-provoking and reading it made me curious to know more about her. I asked about her current endeavors and she shared the following:

I have a few occupations: author (my 4^th book is just being finished), lecturer and AS consultant, then I am also a jazz singer and comedienne, as well as owning property which I rent out. It is important to me to have a few sources of income, in case the bottom drops out on one, plus I get bored quickly, my mind is always searching for the next fun thing. I’ve just finished a screenplay which I am trying to have made into a movie. The other thing my occupations have in common is that they are all self-employment. I like autonomy, being able to make decisions without needing approval, etc.”

I would like to offer a big “thank you” to Rudy Simone for providing this unique perspective into employment for those with Aspergers and HFA, as well as taking the time to share her insight and advice on many related issues. You can purchase Rudy’s book at Future Horizons.

Giveaway

In honor of Autism Awareness Month, I am pleased to offer this book to one lucky reader. You can enter this giveaway up to two times. Here are the rules for entering:

Register for the new S-O-S Step-by-Step FREE Standard Membership over in the right-hand column and gain access to the Step-by-Step online information; and/or
Sign up for the new and revised S-O-S newsletter over in the right-hand column.

This giveaway will appear in the April 15th Best of the Best and will end at 11:59 pm (PST) on April 30th. Good luck!

Check out my other giveaways HERE.

Categories Autism/Aspergers, Books, Other
Comments (17)

Orton-Gillingham Hears, Sees and Touches a Who!

September 13th, 2010 by Danette Schott, M.A.

: Image via Wikipedia

Dr. Seuss may have written “Horton Hears a Who”, but Orton-Gillingham wants us to not only hear, but also see and touch the who! In a previous post I wrote about the multisensory teaching approach and why I am such a fan. Multisensory teaching uses more than one of the child’s senses to teach the material. In traditional teaching environments, sight and hearing is employed. In a multisensory classroom, a teacher also uses kinesthetic to teach. This involves touching or handling an object or movement of some kind.

Categories School, Treatment
Comments (7)

Early Childhood Education – Acquiring Sign Language

September 10th, 2010 by Emily Patterson and Kathleen Thomas

This guest post was co-written by Emily Patterson and Kathleen Thomas. They are Communications Coordinators for the Zionsville educational day care facility, a member of the AdvancED® accredited family of Primrose Schools (located in 16 states throughout the U.S.) and part of the network of Indiana educational day care preschools delivering progressive, early childhood, Balanced Learning® curriculum.

One of the keys to surviving in a tilted economic system in which opportunities to achieve a decent standard of living will be limited is versatility – and the ability to communicate articulately in a variety of ways with the widest possible audience. This includes bilingual ability as well as the ability to communicate in non-verbal ways for the benefit of the disabled – primarily the deaf.

At the same time, a growing shortage of qualified interpreters fluent in American Sign Language has led to more career opportunities – and if current trends continue, it’s likely that skilled ASL interpreters will have little problem securing lucrative employment in a society where such a commodity is destined to be in short supply.

Signing Before They Can Speak

A great deal of research has clearly demonstrated that the early years – ages 2 to five – are the best time to educate children in different modes of communication and language. This goes beyond the spoken word (though it is an optimal time for children to learn a second language); many young children have an aptitude for signing as well.

This is not as odd as you may think. As you know, many indigenous peoples around the world, including American Indian nations, have used sign language for centuries to facilitate communication with other tribes with whom they do not share a language. Some paleontologists and anthropologists theorize that Neanderthals – who apparently lacked the vocal mechanism to produce many spoken words – depended a great deal upon hand gestures to communicate.

In fact, recent research suggests that sign language is innate. An article published in the Boulder Daily Camera in 2003 presented strong evidence that babies as young as six months old communicate with their hands:

…by 6 to 7 months, babies can remember a sign. At eight months, children can begin to imitate gestures and sign single words. By 24 months, children can sign compound words and full sentences. They say sign language reduces frustration in young children by giving them a means to express themselves before they know how to talk.” (Glarion, 2003)”

The author also cites a study funded by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development demonstrating that young children who are taught sign language at an early age actually develop better verbal skills as they get older. The ability to sign has also helped parents in communicating with autistic children; one parent reports that “using sign language allowed her to communicate with her [autistic] son and minimized his frustration…[he now] has an advanced vocabulary and excels in math, spelling and music” (Glarion, 2003).

The Best Time To Start

Not only does early childhood education in signing give pre-verbal youngsters a way to communicate, it can also strengthen the parent-child bond – in addition to giving children a solid foundation for learning a skill that will serve them well in the future. The evidence suggests that the best time to start learning ASL is before a child can even walk – and the implications for facilitating the parent-child relationship are amazing.

Categories Treatment
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Wild Ride to the Heart: Learn to Control Anxiety While Having Fun

September 7th, 2010 by Danette Schott, M.A.

A lot of articles and blogs are currently addressing the stress and anxiety that children and parents are experiencing over starting a new school year. We are back to nightly homework, long-term projects, writing assignments, and tests. Our kids need to be on a routine for eating dinner and bedtime, as the alarm sounds awfully early the following morning.

In my household, I have a sophomore son in high school and a daughter in middle school. My son’s schedule alternates between early and late morning start times and homework was assigned on day one. He stays after school every day to practice with the jazz band and then rushes home to complete his homework. Once in a while he gets lucky and fits in the relief of an hour of skateboarding.

My daughter is in the 7th grade and just completed her first week of school. The school has been kind enough to not assign any homework this week, which in turns means I have had no homework. That being said, she is on her third school driver in just one week. The schedule has not been firm but it is looking like it will settle in at a 6:45am pick-up (ouch!) and back home by 4:00pm. A long day for any child, but in particular one with a variety of special needs issues, one of them being anxiety.

Wild Ride to the Heart

I was approached by the Institute of HeartMath to review a game they developed to help children learn about and manage their emotions and stress. The Wild Ride to the Heart board game is colorful and reminiscent of CandyLand. The first player to reach the heart wins.

As you move along the board you land on a surprise face, a feeling face, a detour, or a blank space. A surprise face requires you to select a Surprise Face card and follow the instructions. There are a range of things to do from “Give your best smile to the other players.” to “What makes you sad? Tell the other players.” When you land on a feeling face you have three options. You can make the face that matches that emotion, tell a story about when you experienced that emotion, or “go to the heart.” Going to the heart involves practicing a calming method that is outlined on the game board.

The game also comes with an Emotion Definition Card. The card shows twelve faces depicting twelve different emotions. Additionally, twenty emotions or feelings are described, followed by a sentence to further illustrate their meaning. Both the Emotion Card and the directions for the game come in English and Spanish.

The overall goal of Wild Ride to the Heart is to teach children the skills to self-regulate their emotions and to learn stress management techniques while playing a fun, interactive board game. I highly recommend this game for parents and believe the entire family will benefit from the fun assignments and useful tools. It is reasonably priced at $14.95 and can be purchased at the HeartMath shop.

The Institute of HeartMath

The Institute of HeartMath is a nonprofit organization founded in 1991 that has become an international leader in stress research, resilience and education. As HeartMath explains it, “One of our primary areas of research explores the connection between emotions and our ability to learn, retain information, and perform in both children and adults.”

HeartMath desires to improve academic performance by developing the well-being of students, teachers, and the classroom environment. They offer programs that include their “award winning emWave technology” aimed at teaching people to alter their physiological response to anxiety and stress. There are programs geared towards students and teachers.

The HeartMath My Kid! Facebook page contains free tips and tools to help children manage anxieties and fears. Here is an example of what is offered:

Shift and Shine® Technique for ages three to six:

Modeling positive emotions for children as young as three can help them begin learning emotion-management skills. Start this exercise by telling your child who you care about. Now ask your child who he or she cares about. Thinking about these positive feelings of care will lay a foundation as you guide your child through this technique using the following steps.

Step 1. Heart Attention: Begin by putting your attention on the area around your heart or the center of your chest.

Step 2. Heart Breathing: Now pretend to breathe in and out of your heart area. Take three slow breaths.

Step 3. Heart Feeling: Think of someone or something that makes you feel happy. Feel that happy feeling in your heart and then shine that feeling to someone or something special.

The Heartshift™ Tool for ages seven to eleven:

This tool helps children calm down and think more clearly when things upset them. It can help children shift from a negative emotion to a positive one. Parents can teach children this tool using the following steps.

Step 1. Notice what you are feeling. Take a moment and ask yourself, “How am I feeling?” Then say out loud what you are feeling.

Step 2. Shift to your heart. Put two fingers on your forehead and then move them from your head to your heart while saying, “Focus on the area of my heart.”

Step 3. Breathe a feeling of calmness. Breathe slowly and easily. Imagine the air flowing in and out of your heart area. Take your time breathing in and out. Do this three to five times. What changes did you notice in your body? How do you feel now?”

A full guide and introduction to these techniques are available on the HeartMath My Kids! Facebook page under “boxes.” In addition, you will find other tools such as “Warp Speed” that helps build coordination and team skills, “Awareness Walk” that teaches children to slow down and listen to their heart to become more aware of their surroundings, and “Banquet for the Senses” that allows a child to experience stimuli while blindfolded. These and more tools and techniques are presented and offer your child a lot of fun while participating in a learning event.

I also highly encourage you to check out HeartMath’s website. They offer a free newsletter and a number of free e-books. There is also an entire section devoted to free material and information on topics ranging from solutions to stress to two decades of an archive containing press releases, past newsletters, and video podcasts. A wealth of information is available and it is definitely worth taking the time to search for something that may benefit your child.

I like the work that HeartMath has been doing and the products they offer to help individuals learn to regulate their emotions and stress. They are included in the S-O-S Rescue Series on Anxiety, Stage 3 as a resource for parents. I hope to bring you more information on their research and products in the future.

Categories Anxiety and Stress, Other Products, School
Comments (3)

S-O-S Research

Archive for September 2010

This is Gabriel Making Sense of School

30 Families Parenting a Child with SPD in 30 Days!

Building Sensory Friendly Classrooms

The Ultimate Guide to Sensory Processing Disorder

A Door to Providing Support to Special Needs Families Around the World

Asperger’s on the Job

Orton-Gillingham Hears, Sees and Touches a Who!

Early Childhood Education – Acquiring Sign Language

Wild Ride to the Heart: Learn to Control Anxiety While Having Fun

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