Book recommendation: A lovely book to help children with autism make friends

This book has lovely pictures and is really helpful for younger children with autism.  It's really an extended social story about how to make friends, but presented in a motivating way.  The only criticism of this book is some of the language is a little too American and may need some adapting for your child.  However, this is easily done!

If your child likes the sesame street games then they will love Treehouse TV

The Treehouse TV website:

http://treehousetv.com/kids/games/play.aspx?ID=70

has lots of fun games from all your child's favourite television characters.  These games will be especially motivating for a child who has a very favourite cartoon character.  Several of the clients I work with really enjoy 'In the night Garden', so would love this site as their are games, colouring in and video clips.

Tips for supporting a child with word finding difficulties

Word finding difficulties are when a child has difficulties retrieving a word when they need it.  These tips are ideal for the classroom, but can also be used at home:

• When you are introducing new vocabulary write the word on the board, repeat the word around five times throughout the lesson and get your child to repeat the word out loud. If you do this your child is more likely to remember the word and find it easier to access in the future.
• Provide the class with key topic vocabulary prior to starting the topic.  Pre-teaching vocabulary makes it easier for children to access key vocabulary when needed. 
• Use mind mapping to brainstorm class discussions.  Mind mapping is thought to simulate how words are stored in are brains.  Using this approach will increase the likelihood of children storing vocabulary properly and later retrieving it. 
• Encourage your pupils to record group discussions/take notes using a mind mapping approach. 
• Use vocabulary books: when you introduce a new topic word get your pupils to write the word in their vocabulary book with a simple definition of what the word means.  If the word comes up again you can refer them to their books.
• Use sorting and classifying activities when possible, for example sorting things that are solids, liquids and gases. This helps the pupils understand and retain new vocabulary.
• Semantic dictionaries: have dictionaries that are organized by categories rather than initial sound, for example you may have a page of different clothes types. 
• Develop word knowledge through word association skills, for example what is the function, location, parts, category and attributes of the word.

Free body language teaching tool for children with autism

Leeds Metropolitan University (UK) students have developed a body language teaching tool and It's free to download:

http://www.lmu.ac.uk/ies/comp/staff/dmoore/bodylanguage.htm

There are lots of video clips demonstrating different aspects of body language with questions to answer.  I'd been interested to hear how you find the tool.

The traffic light system

Does your child have difficulties knowing how much to write?  For instance, when they are asked to write an answer to a question would they write a couple of lines rather than a full response?  This is very typical!  If you don't tell a child what is expected of them then they won't know.  To overcome this difficulty, I use a traffic light system.  At the top of the page, I use a green circle to indicate where the child has to start writing.  Then a red circle is used to show when the child can stop writing.  This can be moved depending on the requirements of the task.

Book recommendation: Making Visual Supports Work in the Home and Community

If you need help implementating visual strategies in your home, then this book will really help you.  It's really clearly written and works you through step by step the process of creating visual supports.  The book is available from amazon: just click on the link or try ordering from your local bookshop.

Tips for supporting a child with auditory memory difficulties

Does your child have difficulties retaining information?  These tips are helpful both in the classroom and at home:

• Keep instructions short and use simple vocabulary where possible.
• Use visual aids to back up what you are saying, for example: pictures to support instructions and use of objects during practical lessons.
• Explain to the class at the start of the lesson what you are going to cover. 
• You may use a mind map: this will help focus the child's attention and can act as a visual memory aid- the child can refer back to it throughout the lesson. 
• You could also use a task board: this will have the same benefits. 
• You could write key parts of the instruction on the board for the class to refer back to.  Use an approach that is most suited to the literacy levels of your child. 
• Define difficult vocabulary: write in on the board and refer to the new word at least five times, including getting the child to say the word.
• If you need to give a specific instruction to a child: refer to them by name.
• Ask your child to feedback what you want them to do to ensure that they have retained your instructions.
• If you have a pupil that has particular difficulties with auditory memory sit them near the front of the class, or to the side of you depending on how the class is set out.
• Try not to talk for extended periods, as children with auditory memory difficulties tend to shut off.  You could give the child a task at a time.
• If you are reading a book to a child, ask frequent questions about the content of the book.
• If a child has auditory memory difficulties it may be beneficial to sit them next to a peer that is better and listening and staying on task.  They may be able to ask their peer for help. 
• Encourage pupils to take quick, short notes during lessons to help them remember what they have to do.  Notes can be pictorial or words depending on what works for that particular individual.  

A fun game: Build your own city

I found this really fun game today.  I don't know if any of you have played Sim City?  This game is a child's version of Sim City:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/games/theme/life/#/lb/metoo/buildacity

The child has to drag and drop different buildings and people to make their own city.  This game is on the CBeebies website where there are lots of great games and stories to choose from.

Weighted blankets

Many of my clients have been recommended weighted blankets by their occupational therapist.  Weighted blankets are typically recommended for children that have difficulties sleeping or require deep pressure for comfort and relaxation.  One of my clients relies on deep pressure to calm him down when he is anxious.

The one thing I have noticed is weighted blankets are very expensive.  They cost around €200.  I have been doing some research as one of my clients requires a blanket but at a more affordable price.  The best prices I can find are on E-Bay:

http://shop.ebay.ie/?_from=R40&_trksid=m570&_nkw=weighted+blankets

You can get a blanket for around €100 including postage and packaging.  Happy sleeping!

There's a volcano in my tummy

There's a volcano in my tummy is a great book for helping children learn to deal with anger.  There are lots of activities that your child can work through to help them understand what makes them angry.  Practical strategies are then taught to help the child recognise and deal with their anger in an approriate way in the future.  I have used this with several of my clients with great success.  This book can also be used by parents and teachers.

The Transporters: Teaching children with autism to understand emotions

Some of you may already have heard of 'The Transporters; as it has been around for while, however I think it deserves a mention as it is so good!

Transporters is a series of stories about the adventures of a group of vehicles.  The vehicles are animated, but have real human faces.  During each story, the child learns about a different emotion and then there is a quiz at the end to see what they have learnt.  If you would like to view an episode go the website:

http://www.thetransporters.com/index.html

The vehicles have a similar appeal as Thomas the Tank Engine.

The series was developed by Cambridge University in the UK and is backed with research.  I used this program at an autism unit I used to work at in the UK.  All of the children who used this program saw significant improvements in their understanding of emotions.  They enjoyed the programs so much that they did not realise that they were learning.

I prefer this program to the Universities earlier emotions program 'mind reading'.  I have to admit I found some of the emotions difficult to interpret even though I don't have a difficulty understanding emotions.

I love the Thomas the Tank Engine website: what great games!

I have just had a play on the Thomas the Tank Engine website:

http://www.thomasandfriends.com/usa/Thomas.mvc/Games/Home

There are lots of different games with different ability ratings: easy, medium and difficult.  There are memory games, matching games and in the difficult section there is a great emotions teaching game.  I also enjoyed the 'build an engine game'.  You have to drag the different parts of the engine with your mouse to make a complete engine.  These games would be really useful teaching aids and would be really motivating, especially as many of our children love Thomas.

Tips for supporting children with comprehension difficulties

Around 60% of children on the autistic spectrum have some degree of learning disability and find it difficult to follow instructions.  Here are some tips to help you support your child:

• Make sure that you have the childs attention and have eye contact with them prior to giving an instruction.
• Split long and complex instructions into smaller chunks.
• Use visual aids to help support understanding.
• Use vocabulary, concepts and grammar that you know that your child understands.
• Monitor your rate of speech: don't speak too quickly or slowly. 
• Children that have difficulties with understanding find it difficult to isolate specific verbal messages from all other auditory and visual stimuli around them. 
• A child with difficulties with comprehension may need more time before responding. 
• Prioritize the vocabulary and concepts that you use: use only what is essential for your child to be able to follow your instructions

Article in the press: Children with autism have distinctive patterns of brain activity

There was an interesting article in the UK newspaper 'The Guardian' today:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2010/nov/15/children-autism-patterns-brain-activity

Researchers in the US have found that children with autism have different patterns of brain activity compared with children that do not have autism.  Further research is needed, but the findings could be really useful for developing treatment targets for children on th autistic spectrum.

Tips for supporting a child with auditory processing difficulties

Children with autism often have difficulties making sense of the language that they hear and may struggle to filter instructions from background noise.  This is why children with autism are predominantly visual learners and respond so positively to visual strategies.

If your child has difficulties with auditory processing then try some of these tried and tested strategies:

• Keep instructions short and use simple vocabulary.
• Give one task at a time to decrease the processing load.
• Give the child time to answer: they may be unable to give you a response immediately, but it does not mean that they don't know the answer.  Some children can take as long as 25 seconds to process an instruction.
• If a child is taking time to answer try and refrain from repeating the instruction using a new sentence structure. The pupil will then stop processing your original instruction, as their brain is telling them that you have asked something different.
• Monitor the rate that you are delivering information: if you speak too quickly, or too slowly it will be harder for the young person to process what you are saying.
• Keep using visual strategies like timetables and task boards.

Sesame Street: some great counting games

 I was just exploring the Sesame Street website and I found some great games:

http://www.sesamestreet.org/games

The counting games are fun and would be motivating for your child, especially if you are battling to teach them their numbers.

Resources for explaining to your child that they have autism

The National Autistic Society (UK) has some great advice for deciding when to explain to your child they are autistic and how to do it:

http://www.autism.org.uk/about-autism/all-about-diagnosis/diagnosis-the-process-for-children/diagnosis-telling-a-child-about-their-diagnosis

They also recommend some books to help you.  I like:

I Have Autism... What's That?

by Kate Doherty, Paddy McNally and Eileen Sherrard

and this next book is useful for explaining to a sibling that their brother or sister has autism:

My Brother is Different: A Book for Young Children Who Have a Brother or Sister with Autism

by Louise Gorrod

Carol Gray at the Gray centre has also produced a workbook for children with autism, so that they can learn about their individuality.  This workbook incorporates the use of social stories.

Special Introductory Offer

For November & December, I'm offering new clients their first therapy session at half-price (e.g. €40 for a 1-hour session).

Please see my website for details

Tips for increasing your pre-school child's expressive (talking) vocabulary

If your child communicates with a limited vocabulary, here are some tips to help increase the number of words that they can say.  When I work on increasing a child's vocabulary, I am keen to ensure that the words a child learns are used functionally.  This means the child can use the word to make a request or comment on something rather than saying it with no purpose or intent.  To do this:

Firstly, resist the temptation to ask your child to repeat words, i.e. johnny say apple.  If you put a child under pressure to talk it can have an adverse effect.  From experience, if communication becomes as pressure inducing experience then the child becomes anxious about communicating and may stop.  This is also not teaching them communicative intent.

Instead:

Comment on aspects of the child's environment.  For instance, if your child is looking at an aeroplane flying in the sky, you can say it's an aeroplane or aeroplane flying (it's good to include verbs in your comment as this will help your child eventually move on to joining words together).

Add language.  If your child says dog you could add some more language, for example it's a brown dog, the dog is drinking.

Follow your child's lead.  Join in with the activity that your child is doing and comment and add language.  The child will be more motivated to use new words if the words are useful to them or motivate them.

Use visuals where possible.  The presence of a picture accompanied with a verbal label will help strengthen the child's understanding of the word.  If a child understands a word then they are more likely to use it.

National Autistic Society gives good advice for including autistic children on bonfire night

The National Autistic Society (NAS) have provided some useful guidelines for families on how to enjoy Bonfire parties:

http://www.autism.org.uk/en-gb/living-with-autism/out-and-about/holidays-and-days-out/bonfire-night.aspx

As you can imagine, the sound of fireworks can be too much for some children, especially if they are sensitive to loud noises.  NAS has some solutions, including the use of those sound reducing headphones which I recommended in an earlier post.

Toilet training

Toilet training can be really challenging for children with autism and their parents.  Some children get confused with all the steps involved in using the toilet and some may have a fear of using the toilet.  I used to work with one child that was scared that he would fall down the toilet.

If you need some help making a visual schedule for a toilet routine then Do2Learn has some really clear and useful images for all the steps of the process:

http://www.dotolearn.com/picturecards/printcards/selfhelp_toileting.htm

I can also recommend the book Toilet Training for Individuals with Autism or Other Developmental Issues

Good luck!

Zac Browser (Zone for Autistic Children)

I came across this free internet browser that has been especially designed for children with autistic spectrum conditions.

http://www.zacbrowser.com/

It has lots of games and videos that have been carefully selected with autistic children in mind.  It's also very secure so your child can't access parts of the internet that may not be suitable for them.   I'd be really interested to hear what you think of the browser?

Lets-Connect Autism Conference 2011

I will be speaking at the Lets-Connect autism conference 2011, Cork, Ireland.


http://letsconnectautismconference2011.weebly.com/index.html

Fun free computer games especially for children with autism

I came across this great website at the weekend:

http://www.whizkidgames.com

It has some fun computer games designed especially for children with autism.  I really like 'Rufus goes to School'.

Communication breakthrough

I work with a lovely three year girl with autism.  Her parents got her a great chair hammock from IKEA (€26.98).  The chair is great as this little girl is under sensitive to movement.  In her hammock chair she can swing and spin.

Since using the hammock chair, the girl will now initiate an interaction (she takes an adult by the hand and leads them to the hammock chair and taps it to indicate that she would like a turn).  She also said her first two words 'again' and 'go'.  She uses these two words to indicate that she wants another swing or spin.

I think this is a wonderful example of the possibilities of developing a child's skills once their sensory needs are met.  This example also shows that once you have found what motivates a child then the likelihood of the child developing speech is increased.

Child ear protectors. Ideal for kids with noise sensitivity

These ear protectors are great for children who have noise sensitivity.  A friend's kids have them for when they go to music festivals.  They come in a range of colours and kids enjoy wearing them.  There is also another range called Edz Kidz  that does the same job.

1001 Great Ideas for Teaching and Raising Children with Autism and Asperger's

This is a well written and practical book with lots of useful ideas.  Ideal for both parents and professionals.  I use this book regularly and I especially like the advice for managing trips to the hairdressers.