Tuesday Tip – Visiting a Doctor Office

When you have an appointment for a major medical evaluation, it
helps if you can bring someone with you, to watch your child so you
can concentrate on your discussion with the doctor.  Bring several
favorite books or toys to keep the child occupied in the waiting
room and during the evaluation.

For more tips visit http://AutismFamilyOnline.com

Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders are known for having behavior challenges.  Communication breakdowns are often the reason.  If other communication attempts do not accomplish their goals, students will use what works.  That frequently can be something we will call a “bad behavior.”

Here’s what one educator shared about managing a meltdown.  “I gave a student the chance to just “show me” what he wanted or what was wrong.  It turned out that we had taken Library off the class schedule and the student had brought Book Fair money that day.  So how was he supposed to get to the Book Fair if Library wasn’t on the schedule!  That day confirmed to me that behavior is often communication.”

If you are dealing with behavior challenges, try to look at the whole situation to discover where the communication breakdowns are.

The book Solving Behavior Problems in Autism explores many causes of behavior problems and provides simple solutions by using visual strategies.

Tuesday Tip – Swimming

Swimming is a sport that offers competition on an individual basis,
making it ideal therapy for children with Autism Spectrum
Disorders.  They can thrive on the exercise, competition and social
interaction without being overwhelmed by the stress of team play.

 
For more tips visit http://AutismFamilyOnline.com

Tuesday Tip – Choose your battlegrounds

Decide which behaviors are most important to pay attention to.
It is not realistic to try to address everything.

First, focus on any behaviors related to the child’s personal
safety or the safety of those around him/her. Behaviors that
negatively affect participation in the classroom are
important to work on at school.  At home, focus on behaviors that
prevent the individual from participating in family activities.

For more tips visit http://AutismFamilyOnline.com

There has certainly been an IPad explosion related to individuals with autism, Asperger’s and similar learning needs.  An IPad is not the only option to provide some important learning opportunities for our kids.

I’ve received a lot of correspondence from people who want access to academic games for the IPad.  Reading, spelling, math.  Well . . . those are available for an IPad, but if that is what you really are interested in, check out the LeapFrog LeapPad Explorer Learning Tablet.

The LeapPad Explorer Learning Tablet gives you access to more than 100 educational books, games, videos, and apps. Subjects like mathematics, reading, science, spelling, phonics, music and more are covered in a fun and interactive way.  Some activities are on the tablet when it is purchased.  Others can be purchased and/or downloaded later, just like APPS for the IPad.

Here’s what I really like
The LeapPad Tablet has a great 5″ screen. It’s large and bright.  This is a much larger screen than many of the other “child” electronics.  The screen resolution is much higher, too, which means the picture quality is considerably better than a lot of other options.

The LeapPad Tablet has a touch screen that works basically like the IPad.

The LeapPad Tablet comes with a camera, video recorder and microphone. It can take 30,000 pictures and record 120 minutes of video.   That’s a lot of capacity.

The LeapPad automatically adjusts learning so that kids can learn at their own pace.

They can practice writing with an included child-sized stylus.

Kids can read e-books, play learning games, enhance art and animation skills, listen to and play music, learn writing, watch videos, and do flash cards and lots more.

An online tool enables you to track your child’s progress

The child has no direct access to the internet so the LeapPad Tablet is SAFE.  (You need to plug the device into your computer to access the website to download more apps or work with the progress tools.)

MOST IMPORTANT.  The price of the LeapPad Tablet is under $100.  Much cheaper than the IPad.  Additional APPS are available for purchase just like the APPS for the IPad.  You are able to choose which ones are most appropriate for the individual child the device is purchased for.

What it IS and what it IS NOT
The LeapPad Explorer Learning Tablet is a very child friendly alternative to the IPad.  It offers a lot of educational activities in a format that is highly desirable from a child’s point of view.  We have already established that our students on the Autism Spectrum are drawn to visual learning.  This LeapPad Tablet meets a lot of educational needs at a price point that is considerably lower that the IPad.

Just keep in mind that LeapPad Explorer Learning Tablet is NOT an IPad.  It will not work with some of the specific communication APPS like Proloquo2go that have been developed for the IPad.  But if you are looking for a less expensive, child friendly, child durable option that will help teach “basic skills” then the LeapPad Tablet might be a great option.

Good news . . . They are BACK again
The LeapPad Tablet was one of the HOT items during the holiday season.  (Don’t tell anyone that I stood in a pretty long line to get the one for Bella!)  The good news is that now that the holiday rush is over, they are back again.  Definitely worth checking out.

LeapPad Explorer Learning Tablet

Tuesday Tip – Going to the Doctor

Try to visit a doctor or dentist office before you need to go for
treatment.  Arrange a “visiting” appointment.  Try to pick a time
that the child is most likely to be contented.  Going during nap
time or when everyone is hungry isn’t the best option.

Prepare the office staff with any significant information about
your child so they can help make the visit successful.  Write it
down so that it can be put in his file as a reminder for future
visits. (This does not mean writing a lengthy report.  It means a
few comments about communication, sensory issues or behaviors to be
aware of.) Take photos of the doctor, nurse, exam room or any other
significant items.  Use the photos to talk about where you are
going when you have an appointment.

For more tips visit http://AutismFamilyOnline.com

Tuesday Tip – Child obsessed with an object

If a child is obsessed with an object, remove it from his sight.
That is the best way to handle a “problem object,” especially if it
affects the quality of life.

One more step is to think about why he was so obsessed with that
object.  What purpose did it accomplish?  What need did it meet?
What qualities about that object created the obsession?

Answering a few question may help avoid future obsessions.

Analyzing the situation can lead to finding objects or activities that meet needs better.

For more tips visit http://AutismFamilyOnline.com

Tuesday Tip – Learned Responses

As students react to specific significant events, they may repeat that same behavior or response every time the memory of that event is repeated.  This can be particularly obvious when they react strongly to something that they perceive as frightening or highly undesirable.  Even though the surrounding factors may change, they may still react strongly every time that event is triggered.  Example:  Several years ago I saw a dog that frightened me enough that I cried.  Now I cry every time I see a dog.

For more tips visit http://AutismFamilyOnline.com

Tuesday Tip – Pictures

Use pictures to communicate rules.  The best communication tool is
a picture with the words written on it that are the words you say
when communicating that rule.  Even if a student can read, pictures
are easier to recognize, especially when things are not going well
or if the student is upset.

For more tips visit http://AutismFamilyOnline.com

Tuesday Tip – Communication Breakdowns

Communication difficulties can be a primary reason for many behavior problems.  It is critical to remember that communication is more than just speech.

These students can experience significant difficulty effectively expressing themselves.  Whether they are verbal or non-verbal, the strategies these students use to get their wants and needs met and to interact socially with others may not work efficiently.  Inappropriate behaviors may actually work more effectively for a student than other forms of communication.

Understanding why communication problems exist and where communication breakdowns contribute to behavior difficulties is a significant step toward developing successful solutions.

For more tips visit http://AutismFamilyOnline.com

Tuesday Tip – Multiple Causes for Behavior Problems

It is not realistic to think that we will always be able to diagnose why a student’s behavior is a problem.  Sometimes the reason may actually be multiple reasons.  But taking the time and energy to explore the possible causes of the problems our students encounter will help create a framework for understanding that will significantly affect the success of any attempts to change the problem behaviors.

For more tips visit http://AutismFamilyOnline.com

Tuesday Tip – Learned Routines

If we don’t teach them a routine to accomplish a task, they will develop their own routine.  The problem results when the routine that they develop is not appropriate or efficient.  Once their routine is established, it is difficult to make changes.  Consequently, it is better to make sure that new tasks are learned in appropriate sequences.  It is also prudent to teach tasks and routines with a long-term view so students won’t have to spend valuable time unlearning behavior appropriate only for younger children to relearn more mature behavior as they get older.

For more tips visit http://AutismFamilyOnline.com

Tuesday Tip – Generalization

What we learn from one experience gets stored into our brains in a “storage data base.”  When we become involved in another situation, our brains go back to the data base to see if there are any similarities or if something was learned in the first situation that will have application for handling the second situation.  Some students with disabilities, particularly those with autism, are observed experiencing considerable difficulty generalizing learning from one situation or setting to another.

For more tips visit http://AutismFamilyOnline.com

Tuesday Tip – Medical Support

Finding medical support from someone who understands the unique needs of children with disabilities, (particularly with autism), is important. Because of their poor communication skills and their unique behavior patterns, these students are more difficult to evaluate.  The solutions to some of their medical needs are not simple.  Knowledge about emerging medical discoveries related to this population will affect treatment decisions.

For more tips visit http://AutismFamilyOnline.com

Tuesday Tip – How Do You Define Behavior Problems?

Here are some descriptions that people would classify as behavior problems:

1.  When a student’s behavior is causing injury or harm to himself or others
2.  When a student’s behavior prevents him from participating effectively in his life routines
3.  When an individual uses behavior as an inappropriate or ineffective means of communicating
4.  When he is engaging in behaviors or activities that are different from what is expected from him because of age, ability level, location, event, or activity
5.  When she is not following or complying with the rules, routines, or expectations of specific occasions or environments
6.  When the student is not performing skills or engaging in actions or interactions effectively
7.  When the individual is not performing his life routines at the level of independence expected for his age and ability level
8.  When a student does anything that calls attention to himself, making him significantly different from his peers

Accurately describing a behavior problem is the first step toward solving it.

 
For more tips visit http://AutismFamilyOnline.com

Tuesday Tip – Sensory Differences

Once you understand that a student has sensory differences or sensory extremes, it can help explain some of the behaviors you may observe.  For example, rocking, spinning or flapping hands may be an attempt to provide more stimulation to the brain.  Hands over the ears (because it is too noisy), ripping clothing (because it feels funny on my body) or not sitting in a certain location (because of a strange smell in that area) may be attempts to reduce over stimulation to the brain.  Being aware of the sensory environment can help us discover the cause of many behaviors.

For more tips visit http://AutismFamilyOnline.com

My grandchildren love my tech toys. It’s amazing how their generation is growing up on video and audio and earphones. There has been so much press lately about noise-induced hearing loss that I’ve been concerned about how high they set the volume when listening with earphones. It’s impossible to keep everything set at what I think is a safe volume.

Well, I just found some earphones that will ease my concerns. Protective EarGear Headphones have a built-in volume control knob to limit volume to safe levels.

They are a must for children in the car, on the plane or hanging out at home or in school listening stations.

Check them out here

Tuesday Tip – When does behavior become a problem?

Behavior becomes a problem when we encounter situations where:

• Students do not conduct themselves properly for the environment
• Their behavior does not match what we expect from their peers
• They do not do what we want them to do, when we want them to do it or how we want it done

For more tips visit http://AutismFamilyOnline.com

Tuesday Tip – Learned Helplessness:

Without realizing it we can teach students to be dependent on us to do things for them.  The principle that is sometimes difficult for us to remember is: If we do it for them, they don’t need to learn to do it for themselves.  This is as true for the college student with dirty laundry as it is for the two-year-old learning to put on his socks.

For more tips visit http://AutismFamilyOnline.com

Tuesday Tip – Who is Causing the Behavior Problem?

We focus on the individual student whose behavior is not acceptable.  We pay attention to what he or she does that is inappropriate.  We notice what he does or what he does not do.  In honest assessment, sometimes the behavior problems are really caused, not by the student, but by other people.  What the other people are doing or not doing is the real presenting problem.  Our targeted student is simply responding or reacting in the ways he knows.  Perhaps his responses are inappropriate or his communication skills do not adequately handle the situation, but the true cause of the difficulty is the other people.  This is not an attempt to suggest blaming others for the student’s behavior difficulties.  But it is necessary to view the student’s behavior in the context of the people around him.

For more tips visit http://AutismFamilyOnline.com