What is beyond the diagnosis? All that lingo; Developmental Delay, Self stimulatory Behaviors, Communication Delay, Echoic Speech, Sensory Processing Disorder, what lies beyond that? Who really are these children? When a new child walk into a classroom, a good teacher of course, wants to be as well equipped as possible. If records, or IEP’s are available, a good teacher… Read more »
Solveable “Choice Stopper” Techniques In Helping Kids To Choose Well
So you read the last blog and it did not work out quite that easy? Did your child waffle, refuse to choose, take forever choosing, or keep changing his/her mind? Or were you in a classroom situation where the child had figured it out and is consistently choosing the lesser choice to get out of… Read more »
Three Simple steps to Guide Your Child to Choose Healthy Behavior Independently
I don’t know how it got started, but my 18 year old was saying, “Yea, I really like it when you start out saying,” “I’ll tell you what,” like it is the deal of the century. “Then you end it with a choice of cleaning my room or cleaning the bathroom.” I had to laugh… Read more »
4 Steps in Turning Repetitive Behaviors into Functional/Playful Learning
It is part of who we all are – we need to play and have fun. Can even laborious tasks be turned into something not only useful, but healthy and enjoyable? Take a look at this study; Play can change our perspective, give life a structure we want to do. Each individual is different. Each… Read more »
How To Nuture Developmental Progress That Your Child Will Love
Sometimes kids need a little nudge, and then sometimes they just need to let go and have fun – that’s when it all comes together! These recent weeks I have seen, or heard about, unusual behaviors from two of my autistic clients. Apparently, once again demonstrating the quote “All behavior is communication.” Both children, a… Read more »
Secrets of Repetitive Behaviors and Organized People
Sometimes when kids have had an “out of the cave” moment, they need to go back to something familiar, to feel safe, know where they are in life before moving on. Sometimes we become agitated or concerned (as parents, teachers or therapists) that a child is regressing, however we all do that sort of thing… Read more »
“Life is not a Race”
One of my childrens teachers handed this out the night when we met the teachers. I just loved this and thought I would share it: “Life is not a race – but indeed a journey. Be honest. Work hard. Be choosy. Say “thank you,” and “great job” to someone each day. Take time for reflection… Read more »
The Shocking Truth About Crying: Autism and “Out of the Cave,” Moments
The shocking truth about crying is that sometimes it is a spring board towards growth. Upon bringing a non-verbal child to his father at the conclusion of his session, the father asked me “What happened, why is he crying?” Unfortunately, when children are non-verbal we don’t always know they are crying. However, as I have… Read more »
Sensory Integration – Meeting the Need
Symptoms of autism, hand flapping, unusual sounds, toe walking are just some of them. What are they all about and what are we to do about them? I must once again refer to my previous blogging quote by Temple Grandin,”All behavior springs from a reason, and all behavior is communication.” What are we to do… Read more »
Treatment of Autism
In the treatment of autism,or really, the progress of any individual, there is something we all must remember. Progress is never a direct line forward. Specifically with autism, there must always be a careful watch on our own expectations of progress. We must always remember the individual and realize we need to see progress as… Read more »