On April 10, thousands of children with autism will be able to do something that for many of them was impossible until recently: go to the movies. They'll see How to Train Your Dragon at one of 93 "sensory-friendly" screenings in 47 cities across 30 states. The lights will dim but remain on, the volume will be lowered, the movie will start promptly at 10 a.m. with no previews, families with special dietary needs will be allowed to bring snacks from home, and if the kids yell or even stroll around the theater, no one will complain.
April Autism Awareness Month marks the first anniversary of the Sensory Friendly Films program, a joint venture of AMC Entertainment and the Autism Society. Screenings of the G- or PG-rated movies, all newly released, are held once a month on a Saturday morning. Expansion to other cities is planned.
A regular at the screenings is Marianna Pollock of Virginia Beach, Va., and her 6-year-old son Xander. "We attempted a regular movie a few times," says Pollock. "We always ended up having to leave within the first 15 minutes because Xander gets so excited that he flaps and makes noise. It was very stressful."
Xander's behavior at the movies is typical for many people with autism, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates affects 1 in 110 children. "One of the challenges for people with an autism spectrum disorder is coping with strong sensory stimulation," says psychologist Sandra Harris, who runs the Douglass Developmental Disabilities Center at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, N.J. "They may be overwhelmed by loud sounds, bright lights, crowds of people. A person of any age with an ASD may flap his or her hands, twist her fingers, call out or rock when she is excited by an event such as a movie."
Silvia Townsend of San Diego took her 12-year-old son Bailey to a regular movie. Once. "It was horrible," says Townsend. "He was terrified when the lights turned off. And when the loud music started, he was covering his ears and started screaming in obvious pain." Now Bailey loves attending sensory-friendly films.
So does 18-year-old Matthew Kay, who has severe autism and attends the films with other young adults and the staff of the group home he lives in near San Diego. The last time Matthew was able to attend a regular movie, he was 4.
The idea for the films first came about in 2007 when Marianne Ross, of Elkridge, Md., took her then 7-year-old daughter Meaghan, who has autism, to see Hairspray. Ross purposely picked an early matinee, when there would be fewer people. "Meaghan loves Zac Efron, so when he came onscreen, she just danced, twirled, flapped her hands and jumped up and down." Several patrons complained, and the manager asked the Rosses to leave. "I was so frustrated, angry and upset," recalls Ross, "because Meaghan had been so happy. I thought, There's got to be a lot of children in the same situation."
The next day, Ross called her local AMC movie theater in Columbia, Md., and spoke to manager Dan Harris. She asked if he'd be willing to set up a special screening. Harris, who had never known anyone with autism, met with Ross, heard her suggestions and came up with some adaptations to make the screening more sensory-friendly to kids with the disorder.
Ross put the word out about the upcoming screening through her local Autism Society chapter. "We didn't know if we'd have an empty auditorium," says Harris. "We had 300 seats, and we had to turn people away. I knew we were on to something."
Harris held three more monthly screenings, then contacted AMC's national headquarters in Kansas City, Mo., where he spoke with community-relations manager Cindy Huffstickler. She thought it was a great idea and was surprised no one had thought of it before. Huffstickler then contacted the Autism Society's national headquarters, which got its chapters behind a few national test screenings that proved just as successful.
"Attending a film where you know everyone in the theater is either in the same situation as you or is at least informed that the 'Silence is golden' policy doesn't apply today takes the tension away," says Angela Vandersteen of Greenwood, Ind., who takes her 5-year-old son Ray to the screenings. When Marianne Ross takes Meaghan to the movies, she also takes along her 8-year-old son Gavin, who does not have autism; he has developed a network of friends who are siblings of autistic kids at the screenings.
Even families of children without autism but with other special needs, like those with physical disabilities, have started attending the screenings, citing the sense of acceptance they feel there.
"Our children are constantly under scrutiny," says Xander's mother Marianna. "They look normal, so people often think they're just misbehaving. It becomes exhausting trying to validate their right to be themselves. At a sensory-friendly movie, we as a family finally get to go to a movie and relax. Boy, does that feel wonderful."
Friday, April 2, 2010
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
SM, ASP celebrate National Autism Week
MANILA, Philippines - The SM Committee on Disability Affairs, under the CSR umbrella of SM Cares, together with the Autism Society Philippines (ASP), is celebrating the 14th National Autism Week with the theme “Giant Leaps...Transcending Boundaries” simultaneously in all SM malls nationwide until Jan. 24.
Engineer Bien Mateo, chairman of the SM Committee on Disability Affairs, was made by the ASP as this year’s honorary chairman of the 14th National Autism Week Working Committee.
The celebration took off on Jan. 17 at the SM North Edsa Skydome with a Holy Mass and Family Fun Day. It will culminate with “Angels Walk for Autism” on Jan. 24 at the SM Mall of Asia.
The National Autism Week, which is celebrated every year, aims to raise public awareness on the need to provide a supportive environment among communities to enable children and adults with autism to live with dignity and enable them to function independently and contribute productively to society.
Autism is a lifelong disability and getting people to understand and support ASP activities can make a real difference to the lives of those affected with autism and their families.
SM, through its Committee on Disability Affairs, has been very supportive of the causes of the ASP.
It has offered SM Malls as a venue for all their activities and hosted last September the first-ever sensory film showing of the Disney animated movie “Up,” which was attended by some 100 kids with autism and their families.
Because of its success, the sensory film program will be rolled out nationwide in SM Cinemas and will be scheduled in close coordination with ASP.
Engineer Bien Mateo, chairman of the SM Committee on Disability Affairs, was made by the ASP as this year’s honorary chairman of the 14th National Autism Week Working Committee.
The celebration took off on Jan. 17 at the SM North Edsa Skydome with a Holy Mass and Family Fun Day. It will culminate with “Angels Walk for Autism” on Jan. 24 at the SM Mall of Asia.
The National Autism Week, which is celebrated every year, aims to raise public awareness on the need to provide a supportive environment among communities to enable children and adults with autism to live with dignity and enable them to function independently and contribute productively to society.
Autism is a lifelong disability and getting people to understand and support ASP activities can make a real difference to the lives of those affected with autism and their families.
SM, through its Committee on Disability Affairs, has been very supportive of the causes of the ASP.
It has offered SM Malls as a venue for all their activities and hosted last September the first-ever sensory film showing of the Disney animated movie “Up,” which was attended by some 100 kids with autism and their families.
Because of its success, the sensory film program will be rolled out nationwide in SM Cinemas and will be scheduled in close coordination with ASP.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Autism Treatment Crisis: Insufficient Number Of Providers To Meet Alarming Increase In Need
According to a study recently released by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, it is estimated that approximately 673,000 children aged 3 - 21 have been diagnosed with autism nationwide.
Leading researchers and autism treatment providers agree that children with autism need increased access to evidence-based interventions, including applied behavior analysis (ABA). Endorsed by the U.S. Surgeon General and the American Academy of Pediatrics, ABA is the only treatment for autism that has been consistently validated by independent scientific research.
However, the CDC Study implies a huge gap between the number of children who need autism treatment and the availability of evidence-based autism treatment. Gina Green, PhD., executive director of the Association of Professional Behavior Analysts, estimates that there are only approximately 4,900 Board Certified Behavior Analysts and Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analysts (who must be supervised by BCBAs) "worldwide" who work with individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities.
Rethink Autism hopes to address that gap. "As the prevalence rates of autism are now estimated to be one in 110, we must identify innovative ways to address this National Health Crisis so that children with autism will receive the intervention they so desperately need. Rethink Autism's groundbreaking web-based curriculum empowers parents of children with autism to begin intervention today," said Dr. Bridget Taylor, Senior Clinical Advisor and Board Chair of the Rethink Autism Scientific Advisory Board.
"The alarming autism incident rates just published by the CDC coupled with the staggeringly low likelihood of families gaining access to ABA interventions should be an immediate call to action," said Jamie Pagliaro, executive vice president of Rethink Autism. "The need for new technologies and scalable solutions to deliver best practice treatment has never been greater than now. Developed by some of the nation's leaders in the field of autism, Rethink Autism offers cost-effective research-based intervention tools to anyone with an Internet connection."
About Rethink Autism:
Rethink Autism, Inc. seeks to ensure that every child on the autism spectrum has access to effective and affordable research-based treatment options by providing professionals, parents, and family members with the tools and information necessary to teach children with autism in a way that is easy to understand and apply. Rethink Autism was founded in 2007 and has its headquarters at 19 West 21st Street in New York City.
Leading researchers and autism treatment providers agree that children with autism need increased access to evidence-based interventions, including applied behavior analysis (ABA). Endorsed by the U.S. Surgeon General and the American Academy of Pediatrics, ABA is the only treatment for autism that has been consistently validated by independent scientific research.
However, the CDC Study implies a huge gap between the number of children who need autism treatment and the availability of evidence-based autism treatment. Gina Green, PhD., executive director of the Association of Professional Behavior Analysts, estimates that there are only approximately 4,900 Board Certified Behavior Analysts and Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analysts (who must be supervised by BCBAs) "worldwide" who work with individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities.
Rethink Autism hopes to address that gap. "As the prevalence rates of autism are now estimated to be one in 110, we must identify innovative ways to address this National Health Crisis so that children with autism will receive the intervention they so desperately need. Rethink Autism's groundbreaking web-based curriculum empowers parents of children with autism to begin intervention today," said Dr. Bridget Taylor, Senior Clinical Advisor and Board Chair of the Rethink Autism Scientific Advisory Board.
"The alarming autism incident rates just published by the CDC coupled with the staggeringly low likelihood of families gaining access to ABA interventions should be an immediate call to action," said Jamie Pagliaro, executive vice president of Rethink Autism. "The need for new technologies and scalable solutions to deliver best practice treatment has never been greater than now. Developed by some of the nation's leaders in the field of autism, Rethink Autism offers cost-effective research-based intervention tools to anyone with an Internet connection."
About Rethink Autism:
Rethink Autism, Inc. seeks to ensure that every child on the autism spectrum has access to effective and affordable research-based treatment options by providing professionals, parents, and family members with the tools and information necessary to teach children with autism in a way that is easy to understand and apply. Rethink Autism was founded in 2007 and has its headquarters at 19 West 21st Street in New York City.
Children With Autism Use Alternative Keyboard To Communicate With Their Families And Their World
Autism can build a wall of poor communication between those struggling with the condition and their families. While a personal computer can help bridge the divide, the distraction and complexity of a keyboard can be an insurmountable obstacle.
Using a unique keyboard with only two "keys" and a novel curriculum, teachers with Project Blue Skies are giving children with autism the ability to both communicate and to explore the online world.
At the heart of the project is a device called the OrbiTouch. Human-factors engineer Pete McAlindon of BlueOrb in Maitland, Fl., conceived of the concept behind the OrbiTouch more than a decade ago as a way to prevent carpal tunnel syndrome and provide computer access to people with limited or no use of their fingers.
Developed with the support of two National Science Foundation (NSF) Small Business Innovation Research awards (9661259 and 9801506), the concept of representing keyboard strokes with paired movements was critical to the design from the start.
"If you are unable to use a keyboard and mouse effectively or at all because of a physical disability, what chance do you have of using a computer?," asked McAlindon. "The OrbiTouch is designed to keep people with physical or developmental disabilities connected to their computers."
The Project Blue Skies curriculum is based on the functions of the OrbiTouch, which allows a user to input letters, symbols and any other command by independently manipulating two computer-mouse shaped grips forward, back, diagonally and to the sides.
For people with carpal tunnel syndrome, as well as other hand and finger ailments, the motions driving the OrbiTouch are far kinder than those for a keyboard.
With Project Blue Skies, the hardware is matched to lesson plans, training aids such as games, and assessment tools. The two-grip device is ideal for people with autism because it is less distracting than a keyboard and does not require finger motion.
In addition, the various letter and number combinations are created by matching color schemes indicated on the two grips, so the training curriculum matches well to a game-like environment.
Using a unique keyboard with only two "keys" and a novel curriculum, teachers with Project Blue Skies are giving children with autism the ability to both communicate and to explore the online world.
At the heart of the project is a device called the OrbiTouch. Human-factors engineer Pete McAlindon of BlueOrb in Maitland, Fl., conceived of the concept behind the OrbiTouch more than a decade ago as a way to prevent carpal tunnel syndrome and provide computer access to people with limited or no use of their fingers.
Developed with the support of two National Science Foundation (NSF) Small Business Innovation Research awards (9661259 and 9801506), the concept of representing keyboard strokes with paired movements was critical to the design from the start.
"If you are unable to use a keyboard and mouse effectively or at all because of a physical disability, what chance do you have of using a computer?," asked McAlindon. "The OrbiTouch is designed to keep people with physical or developmental disabilities connected to their computers."
The Project Blue Skies curriculum is based on the functions of the OrbiTouch, which allows a user to input letters, symbols and any other command by independently manipulating two computer-mouse shaped grips forward, back, diagonally and to the sides.
For people with carpal tunnel syndrome, as well as other hand and finger ailments, the motions driving the OrbiTouch are far kinder than those for a keyboard.
With Project Blue Skies, the hardware is matched to lesson plans, training aids such as games, and assessment tools. The two-grip device is ideal for people with autism because it is less distracting than a keyboard and does not require finger motion.
In addition, the various letter and number combinations are created by matching color schemes indicated on the two grips, so the training curriculum matches well to a game-like environment.
Get Active For Autism, UK
If your New Year resolutions are already fading fast, The National Autistic Society (NAS) may have the perfect opportunity to get back on track.
The UK's leading charity for people affected by autism is inviting people to join its 2010 active challenge team and raise vital funds to help and support people affected by autism. Whatever your ability there really is something for everyone, from 5k fun runs to 500k cycles.
Ella Moffat, NAS Fundraising Events Manager, said: "Lots of people make New Year resolutions to get fit and what better way to do it and do something really worthwhile at the same time? Last year we had over 970 supporters who raised an amazing £750k for the NAS. This year with your help, we could raise even more!"
Walk, jog, run or cycle in any organised event and as a valued member of the NAS team you'll receive training and fundraising support every step of the way.
Emily Beet, who completed the Royal Parks Half Marathon for the NAS in 2009, said: "When I originally signed up I wasn't known for my running talents or sporting prowess! But I'm proud to say that with a bit of hard work and determination I jogged the entire distance and raised over £2,000 for the NAS. I wasn't the quickest of runners, but wanted to do what I could to help make a difference to people affected by autism and support the work the National Autistic Society does for people like my son. I would urge anyone thinking of setting themselves a challenge for the New Year to go for it and choose the National Autistic Society!"
All funds raised through active challenges will be used to support NAS services including Advocacy for Education service, Befriending scheme, Parent to Parent support service and help! programme.
- £20 - will mean we can provide specialist one-to-one befriending support for one person with autism or a member of their family for a month
- £50 - will mean ten more people getting the understanding and help they need through our telephone support
- £100 - will help pay for a full diagnosis of a child at our internationally respected and renowned NAS diagnostic and assessment centre
- £200 - will mean one more adult meeting others, doing things, going places and feeling less isolated for a year at a NAS social group
For information on NAS active challenge events call the events team on 08450 509 001 or visit http://www.autism.org.uk/events
The UK's leading charity for people affected by autism is inviting people to join its 2010 active challenge team and raise vital funds to help and support people affected by autism. Whatever your ability there really is something for everyone, from 5k fun runs to 500k cycles.
Ella Moffat, NAS Fundraising Events Manager, said: "Lots of people make New Year resolutions to get fit and what better way to do it and do something really worthwhile at the same time? Last year we had over 970 supporters who raised an amazing £750k for the NAS. This year with your help, we could raise even more!"
Walk, jog, run or cycle in any organised event and as a valued member of the NAS team you'll receive training and fundraising support every step of the way.
Emily Beet, who completed the Royal Parks Half Marathon for the NAS in 2009, said: "When I originally signed up I wasn't known for my running talents or sporting prowess! But I'm proud to say that with a bit of hard work and determination I jogged the entire distance and raised over £2,000 for the NAS. I wasn't the quickest of runners, but wanted to do what I could to help make a difference to people affected by autism and support the work the National Autistic Society does for people like my son. I would urge anyone thinking of setting themselves a challenge for the New Year to go for it and choose the National Autistic Society!"
All funds raised through active challenges will be used to support NAS services including Advocacy for Education service, Befriending scheme, Parent to Parent support service and help! programme.
- £20 - will mean we can provide specialist one-to-one befriending support for one person with autism or a member of their family for a month
- £50 - will mean ten more people getting the understanding and help they need through our telephone support
- £100 - will help pay for a full diagnosis of a child at our internationally respected and renowned NAS diagnostic and assessment centre
- £200 - will mean one more adult meeting others, doing things, going places and feeling less isolated for a year at a NAS social group
For information on NAS active challenge events call the events team on 08450 509 001 or visit http://www.autism.org.uk/events
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
How do I talk to a kid with autism?
From Tina Cruz, a Fullerton writer who has two children on the spectrum:
1. Ask questions about things you are interested in. Get him to talk about what you want… lead the conversation. If he starts in on Indiana Jones, change the subject…make it something related. “Yes, Indy was a really cool movie, but what did you think of Wall-E?” “Really? What did you like about it?” If you steer the conversation, it will go more smoothly.
2. Bring someone else into the conversation, and throw my son a bone…er, rather, a thread of conversation that he and the other person has in common. Once he is talking to the other person, escape! Yes, I am mostly kidding with this one! Besides, he would just catch you…
3. Be HONEST. Just tell him you can’t talk about that right now. That you are busy, maybe later you can discuss it. He probably won’t be hurt by it, he will appreciate your candor. But if you tell him this, know he has the memory of an elephant and long after you have forgotten? He will find you.
4. Play a game. I Spy, “I’m Thinking of a Word…” “When I Go To the Moon I’m Bringing…” these are all good choices. But don’t be surprised if he kicks your butt. The kid has an amazing attention to detail and his memory will blow you away.
5. Engage in an activity you both enjoy. Go to a ball game. Do a craft. Find time for one-on-one. Just know we are working on good sportsmanship to board games and video games…win or lose, he will shake your hand and say, “Good game!” Be prepared.
6. If all else fails, shoot me a look. I will rescue you both. Under no circumstances be unkind to him…he will remember it. You may not get a second chance.
1. Ask questions about things you are interested in. Get him to talk about what you want… lead the conversation. If he starts in on Indiana Jones, change the subject…make it something related. “Yes, Indy was a really cool movie, but what did you think of Wall-E?” “Really? What did you like about it?” If you steer the conversation, it will go more smoothly.
2. Bring someone else into the conversation, and throw my son a bone…er, rather, a thread of conversation that he and the other person has in common. Once he is talking to the other person, escape! Yes, I am mostly kidding with this one! Besides, he would just catch you…
3. Be HONEST. Just tell him you can’t talk about that right now. That you are busy, maybe later you can discuss it. He probably won’t be hurt by it, he will appreciate your candor. But if you tell him this, know he has the memory of an elephant and long after you have forgotten? He will find you.
4. Play a game. I Spy, “I’m Thinking of a Word…” “When I Go To the Moon I’m Bringing…” these are all good choices. But don’t be surprised if he kicks your butt. The kid has an amazing attention to detail and his memory will blow you away.
5. Engage in an activity you both enjoy. Go to a ball game. Do a craft. Find time for one-on-one. Just know we are working on good sportsmanship to board games and video games…win or lose, he will shake your hand and say, “Good game!” Be prepared.
6. If all else fails, shoot me a look. I will rescue you both. Under no circumstances be unkind to him…he will remember it. You may not get a second chance.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Virtual world teaches real-world skills
Game helps people with Asperger's practice socializing
If home is where the heart is, then home for a dozen people with Asperger Syndrome could be a 16-acre island blessed with lush gardens and rolling green hills.
The island is called "Brigadoon," but unlike its literary namesake, this place is real — or real enough in a 21st century way. "Brigadoon" belongs to a public virtual world called "Second Life," a popular online 3-D environment frequented by tens of thousands of users.
If home is where the heart is, then home for a dozen people with Asperger Syndrome could be a 16-acre island blessed with lush gardens and rolling green hills.
The island is called "Brigadoon," but unlike its literary namesake, this place is real — or real enough in a 21st century way. "Brigadoon" belongs to a public virtual world called "Second Life," a popular online 3-D environment frequented by tens of thousands of users.
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"Brigadoon" is a real-world experiment in social skills made virtual, a private enclave limited to a select mixture of caregivers and individuals with Asperger Syndrome, a higher functioning form of autism. The inhabitants, or "Dooners" as they call themselves, enjoy the same privileges as those in the more public arenas of "Second Life." They are free to create their own digital representations of themselves, called "avatars," build virtual houses and seek out friends. And, most importantly, they are free to create a "second life" with a level of social interaction that, for reasons of their condition, has been hard to come by in their real lives.
Is gaming a good thing?
Talk of video gaming can set off feelings of unease among parents — no one wants a kid to be glued to a screen for hours on end. But the stakes for children with Asperger's and other autism spectrum disorders — who have difficulties with social interaction — tend to be higher.
At issue is the importance of developing enriching personal relationships and becoming a part of society. While video games can be educational and entertaining, their reputation as a solitary activity can present an impediment to progress for people with autistic disorders by limiting their exposure to social situations.
Researchers are also concerned that playing video games could simply become one of the many repetitive activities that an affected child engages in.
"One feature that highlights the risk of video games is that the behavior of children with autism can be repetitive. They like sameness and routine," says Sally Ozonoff, an associate professor of psychiatry at the MIND Institute at the University of California, Davis. This preference for repetition and familiarity often limits their experiences and prevents them from learning how to adapt to new situations.
But if used correctly, video game technology could be beneficial. "Children with autism have a natural inclination to video games and television," Ozonoff adds. "The goal is to try to exploit that inclination therapeutically."
New technology in the works
Researchers around the world are now attempting to do just that. At the University of Victoria in British Columbia, cognitive psychologist James Tanaka is using a custom-built game called "Let's Face It!" to teach facial recognition. Actually a suite of mini-games, the program uses photos, sounds and positive feedback as part of a scoring system to encourage kids with autism to learn.
"You can have kids do an exercise, but they usually don't have the richness or the continuity [of the video game]," says Tanaka.
Meanwhile, researchers at the University of Edinburgh and Glasgow Caledonian University are creating video games to study cognitive skills in children with autism using a revolutionary interface: gesture recognition software that registers the players' movements and transfers them to the screen.
"From my work, I know that a lot of children [with autism] have production skills we never would expect," says Maggie McGonigle, leader of the project and an expert on non-verbal communication. "So I'm hoping that language-like skills are locked up in their brain even if they can't speak."
But in the small world of video games with real-life applications for people with autistic disorders, "Brigadoon" stands out.
When "Brigadoon" founder John Lester, an information systems director at Massachusetts General Hospital and research associate at Harvard Medical School, discovered the virtual world "Second Life," one of the first things that came to mind was how he could share the experience.
A decade earlier, Lester had founded Braintalk Communities, a self-help support site dedicated to neurological conditions. "I'm big on creating spaces where patients and caregivers can share experiences and emotional support and essentially help themselves," he says.
"Second Life" was different. Although not exactly a game, it was rooted in 21st century game technology. In gaming parlance, "Second Life" was "immersive," a world that's both three-dimensional (think "Halo 2") and "persistent," meaning the world is always up and running.
"A lot of what's happening in 'Second Life' is social," says Lester. "And I thought that this could be a fantastic place for people dealing with Asperger Syndrome. Give them a simulated environment and let them practice social skills in a three-dimensional space."
Individuals with Asperger's usually aren't comfortable in social situations, but many display an innate understanding of computer technology. These two factors — social deficiencies and computer knowledge — made them perfect candidates to test "Brigadoon."
Last year Lester purchased a virtual island in "Second Life," invited participants from Braintalk Communities to establish a claim, and in July 2004, "Brigadoon" was launched.
Although virtual, it's possible to explore "Brigadoon" like a real-world island. On a recent personal tour, Lester and "Brigadoon" resident Jamison Read, a mother of a son with Asperger's, showed off the sights.
The tour began inside the Temple of Zeus, a meeting place positioned at the top of "Brigadoon's" highest hill. There are meeting places throughout the island — precisely the type of spaces that individuals with Asperger's would avoid in the real world.
"That's what most of the spaces around "Brigadoon" are focused on," says Lester.
The tour led to a valley and past an aquarium inhabited by a jumping shark created by an individual with Asperger's who goes by the online name of Coos Yellowknife. Nearby, a virtual screen mixed snapshots of past "Brigadoon" social events, like a virtual lobster dinner, with photos from the real-world.
"People with Asperger Syndrome get pretty 'beat up' by society," says Read. "Here they can go at their own pace and move into the mainstream."
Read originally joined "Brigadoon" to discover if the game would help her son who has Asperger's. He is still figuring out if he wants to join, but for Read there was something about "Brigadoon" — its whimsy, the ability to be creative with colorful virtual gardens and homes, and its reputation as a safe haven — that compelled her to stay.
"I have learned a lot about [Asperger Syndrome] from the adults here, so I am trying to help my son counter some of the problems he will have as an adult," she says.
"Brigadoon" is still an experiment. It is small in size — just 16-acres if the island existed in the real world — as well as in population. The world may be rich in color, but communication is limited to instant text messaging. When compared to the $10 billion video game industry, "Brigadoon" and its host world "Second Life" register as a mere blip on the radar.
But in a field where the quest to lead an enriching and "normal" life is measured by even the smallest steps, "Brigadoon" may be a sign of how video game technology can be used for good.
Lester is already convinced. "[The inhabitants] have learned a lot about themselves in how they socialize and they've gained confidence," he says.
And, as the "Dooner" named Coos wrote in a "Brigadoon" blog, "We are aliens in this RL [real world]. SL ['Second Life'] has showed me it is OK to be an alien in a strange new world!"
If home is where the heart is, then home for a dozen people with Asperger Syndrome could be a 16-acre island blessed with lush gardens and rolling green hills.
The island is called "Brigadoon," but unlike its literary namesake, this place is real — or real enough in a 21st century way. "Brigadoon" belongs to a public virtual world called "Second Life," a popular online 3-D environment frequented by tens of thousands of users.
If home is where the heart is, then home for a dozen people with Asperger Syndrome could be a 16-acre island blessed with lush gardens and rolling green hills.
The island is called "Brigadoon," but unlike its literary namesake, this place is real — or real enough in a 21st century way. "Brigadoon" belongs to a public virtual world called "Second Life," a popular online 3-D environment frequented by tens of thousands of users.
Story continues below ↓advertisement | your ad here
"Brigadoon" is a real-world experiment in social skills made virtual, a private enclave limited to a select mixture of caregivers and individuals with Asperger Syndrome, a higher functioning form of autism. The inhabitants, or "Dooners" as they call themselves, enjoy the same privileges as those in the more public arenas of "Second Life." They are free to create their own digital representations of themselves, called "avatars," build virtual houses and seek out friends. And, most importantly, they are free to create a "second life" with a level of social interaction that, for reasons of their condition, has been hard to come by in their real lives.
Is gaming a good thing?
Talk of video gaming can set off feelings of unease among parents — no one wants a kid to be glued to a screen for hours on end. But the stakes for children with Asperger's and other autism spectrum disorders — who have difficulties with social interaction — tend to be higher.
At issue is the importance of developing enriching personal relationships and becoming a part of society. While video games can be educational and entertaining, their reputation as a solitary activity can present an impediment to progress for people with autistic disorders by limiting their exposure to social situations.
Researchers are also concerned that playing video games could simply become one of the many repetitive activities that an affected child engages in.
"One feature that highlights the risk of video games is that the behavior of children with autism can be repetitive. They like sameness and routine," says Sally Ozonoff, an associate professor of psychiatry at the MIND Institute at the University of California, Davis. This preference for repetition and familiarity often limits their experiences and prevents them from learning how to adapt to new situations.
But if used correctly, video game technology could be beneficial. "Children with autism have a natural inclination to video games and television," Ozonoff adds. "The goal is to try to exploit that inclination therapeutically."
New technology in the works
Researchers around the world are now attempting to do just that. At the University of Victoria in British Columbia, cognitive psychologist James Tanaka is using a custom-built game called "Let's Face It!" to teach facial recognition. Actually a suite of mini-games, the program uses photos, sounds and positive feedback as part of a scoring system to encourage kids with autism to learn.
"You can have kids do an exercise, but they usually don't have the richness or the continuity [of the video game]," says Tanaka.
Meanwhile, researchers at the University of Edinburgh and Glasgow Caledonian University are creating video games to study cognitive skills in children with autism using a revolutionary interface: gesture recognition software that registers the players' movements and transfers them to the screen.
"From my work, I know that a lot of children [with autism] have production skills we never would expect," says Maggie McGonigle, leader of the project and an expert on non-verbal communication. "So I'm hoping that language-like skills are locked up in their brain even if they can't speak."
But in the small world of video games with real-life applications for people with autistic disorders, "Brigadoon" stands out.
When "Brigadoon" founder John Lester, an information systems director at Massachusetts General Hospital and research associate at Harvard Medical School, discovered the virtual world "Second Life," one of the first things that came to mind was how he could share the experience.
A decade earlier, Lester had founded Braintalk Communities, a self-help support site dedicated to neurological conditions. "I'm big on creating spaces where patients and caregivers can share experiences and emotional support and essentially help themselves," he says.
"Second Life" was different. Although not exactly a game, it was rooted in 21st century game technology. In gaming parlance, "Second Life" was "immersive," a world that's both three-dimensional (think "Halo 2") and "persistent," meaning the world is always up and running.
"A lot of what's happening in 'Second Life' is social," says Lester. "And I thought that this could be a fantastic place for people dealing with Asperger Syndrome. Give them a simulated environment and let them practice social skills in a three-dimensional space."
Individuals with Asperger's usually aren't comfortable in social situations, but many display an innate understanding of computer technology. These two factors — social deficiencies and computer knowledge — made them perfect candidates to test "Brigadoon."
Last year Lester purchased a virtual island in "Second Life," invited participants from Braintalk Communities to establish a claim, and in July 2004, "Brigadoon" was launched.
Although virtual, it's possible to explore "Brigadoon" like a real-world island. On a recent personal tour, Lester and "Brigadoon" resident Jamison Read, a mother of a son with Asperger's, showed off the sights.
The tour began inside the Temple of Zeus, a meeting place positioned at the top of "Brigadoon's" highest hill. There are meeting places throughout the island — precisely the type of spaces that individuals with Asperger's would avoid in the real world.
"That's what most of the spaces around "Brigadoon" are focused on," says Lester.
The tour led to a valley and past an aquarium inhabited by a jumping shark created by an individual with Asperger's who goes by the online name of Coos Yellowknife. Nearby, a virtual screen mixed snapshots of past "Brigadoon" social events, like a virtual lobster dinner, with photos from the real-world.
"People with Asperger Syndrome get pretty 'beat up' by society," says Read. "Here they can go at their own pace and move into the mainstream."
Read originally joined "Brigadoon" to discover if the game would help her son who has Asperger's. He is still figuring out if he wants to join, but for Read there was something about "Brigadoon" — its whimsy, the ability to be creative with colorful virtual gardens and homes, and its reputation as a safe haven — that compelled her to stay.
"I have learned a lot about [Asperger Syndrome] from the adults here, so I am trying to help my son counter some of the problems he will have as an adult," she says.
"Brigadoon" is still an experiment. It is small in size — just 16-acres if the island existed in the real world — as well as in population. The world may be rich in color, but communication is limited to instant text messaging. When compared to the $10 billion video game industry, "Brigadoon" and its host world "Second Life" register as a mere blip on the radar.
But in a field where the quest to lead an enriching and "normal" life is measured by even the smallest steps, "Brigadoon" may be a sign of how video game technology can be used for good.
Lester is already convinced. "[The inhabitants] have learned a lot about themselves in how they socialize and they've gained confidence," he says.
And, as the "Dooner" named Coos wrote in a "Brigadoon" blog, "We are aliens in this RL [real world]. SL ['Second Life'] has showed me it is OK to be an alien in a strange new world!"
Friday, February 27, 2009
Friendship House Autism Center plans announced
Muted lighting, soft colors and quiet plumbing — what sounds like interior options for a spa actually will be a carefully calibrated environment for autistic children.
“A lot of children with autism have issues with hypersensitivity, whether it’s a light flicker or the swish of a flushed toilet,” said architect Brian Doran, who conducted research and consulted behavior therapists for a modern vision in designing Friendship House’s $1.4 million Northeast Regional Autism Center expansion.
Friendship House officials on Thursday announced the 14,000-square-foot project, expected to begin in March, with a display of architectural renderings and a short tour of the proposed site, a former warehouse at Friendship House’s Maple Street offices.
Mr. Doran, with the Scran�ton design firm Hemmler & Camayd, also is the father of a mildly autistic child.
“We’re trying to create the right environment for therapists to execute their work,” he said.
Friendship House’s existing autistic program treats 60 children 2 to 21 years old at a building two blocks away on Derby Avenue. The expansion will move the program to Maple Street after the project’s expected completion in October.
According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, autism is a condition in a group of developmental disorders characterized by impaired social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication problems and limited activities or interests. It is estimated three to six children of every 1,000 will have autism, and boys are four times more likely to have autism than girls, the institute said.
“A lot of children with autism have issues with hypersensitivity, whether it’s a light flicker or the swish of a flushed toilet,” said architect Brian Doran, who conducted research and consulted behavior therapists for a modern vision in designing Friendship House’s $1.4 million Northeast Regional Autism Center expansion.
Friendship House officials on Thursday announced the 14,000-square-foot project, expected to begin in March, with a display of architectural renderings and a short tour of the proposed site, a former warehouse at Friendship House’s Maple Street offices.
Mr. Doran, with the Scran�ton design firm Hemmler & Camayd, also is the father of a mildly autistic child.
“We’re trying to create the right environment for therapists to execute their work,” he said.
Friendship House’s existing autistic program treats 60 children 2 to 21 years old at a building two blocks away on Derby Avenue. The expansion will move the program to Maple Street after the project’s expected completion in October.
According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, autism is a condition in a group of developmental disorders characterized by impaired social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication problems and limited activities or interests. It is estimated three to six children of every 1,000 will have autism, and boys are four times more likely to have autism than girls, the institute said.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Teaching Kids With Autism The Art Of Conversation
Math and numbers are easy for 10-year-old Alex Lee. He can tell you what pi is out to 100 digits.
But Alex doesn't do so well with chitchat. On a late fall day, he meets with psychologist Brian Freedman.
Alex asks Freedman if he knows how to play the piano.
Freedman starts to reply that the two weren't having a conversation about pianos, but Alex interrupts him: "What instrument do you play?"
"Hang on," Freedman repeats, "were we talking about me playing the piano?"
"No."
"What were we talking about?" Freedman asks again.
"What instrument do you play?" Alex continues.
"Were we talking about me playing instruments?" says Freedman.
Finally, Alex replies, "No."
"No," Freedman agrees.
Social Studies
For children like Alex with autism, social interactions are a struggle. But Freedman is part of a team of researchers at Baltimore's Kennedy Krieger Institute that has developed a course to help these kids improve their social skills. The program is called Building Up Development of Socialization, or BUDS.
Alex says he is doing better than he used to since starting the program several months ago.
"I had a perfect week last week," he tells Freedman. "I was never going into the red zone." That refers to a number of behaviors that get Alex in trouble.
Alex and several other children with mild autism have been meeting every week with Freedman and autism specialist Elizabeth Stripling. The idea is to teach the social skills that most kids pick up without even thinking about it.
Freedman says the gap between kids with autism and other kids isn't so wide when they're in kindergarten. But after that it can become a chasm.
The kids in Alex's group are between 10 and 12 years old. "They're starting to move toward middle school," says Freedman, "and the social rules are changing all around them, and so it's incredibly hard for them to keep up. So that's why we need to have a group like this."
Conversation 101
During the sessions, Freedman and Stripling give pointers on how to do things as basic as keeping a conversation going.
For instance, they're told, if someone says he likes music, ask what kind of music. Freedman and Stripling remind the kids to make eye contact and listen when someone else is talking.
Freedman says it's all about coaching and practice, not just rules.
"One of the problems that kids with autism can run into is that when they're taught very rigid rules, they only stick to those rules," Freedman explains. "So we try to help them understand some nuances within interaction."
On this November afternoon, only two boys have shown up, Alex and another 10-year-old, named Joseph Santana.
A few minutes into the session, Joseph says he wants to talk about something that happened to him. Freedman and Stripling help Alex respond appropriately.
"On Sunday, I went to the emergency room," Joseph says.
"Oh, my gosh," Freedman replies.
"Because I couldn't breathe," Joseph continues.
Stripling jumps in: "Oh, my goodness!"
Then Alex takes their cue, "Were you dying or what? So sorry to hear that."
Freedman praises Alex for picking up the conversation and asks him what other questions might be appropriate to ask Joseph about his trip to the ER.
It's not completely spontaneous or natural. But Freedman says the conversation shows how far Alex has come. He is clearly listening, and his responses even suggest empathy.
And for Joseph, just telling the story is a big achievement. He has trouble communicating with other kids. But he has been trying hard with the children he's met in these sessions.
Freedman says the first thing Joseph did after getting out of the hospital was send an e-mail to the entire group.
"The e-mail wasn't just to check in and say hi, but it provided context to say that something had happened to him," Freedman says. "The next sentence was followed by, 'I'm OK.' And all of that was followed up by emoticons that showed the feelings that went along with that. So I would say especially for a kid like Joseph, that was tremendous progress."
Joseph grew up loving The History Channel, but hating school.
"Kids would pick on him, beat him up. You know, they were really not very kind to him at all," says his mother, Kathleen Santana.
When kids at school handed out invitations to birthday parties, Joseph never received any.
"In the beginning he just wasn't aware," Kathleen Santana says. "But now that he is getting older and learning more that that is happening, he is becoming more aware, and I think that is a hurtful situation for him."
Eventually, Santana decided to teach Joseph at home.
Alex has been doing OK at school. But his father, Hugh Lee, says his son is lonely.
"He wants to make friends with other kids. I think it's just a disability in him that he doesn't know how to," says Lee.
Final Exam
After many weeks of practice, Alex and Joseph are getting ready for a kind of final exam — at the Baltimore aquarium.
The boys spend a December afternoon at the Australia exhibit, checking out animals and asking each other questions about what they're seeing and what the animals are doing.
Their parents, meanwhile, are awarding points when the boys do well and taking points away when they don't.
At the end of the visit, the scores are tallied. Alex is told that he gets a lot of points for initiating conversations. But he also has a few deducted.
This is the sort of conversation Alex likes. It's about numbers.
"OK, so 18 minus 3 equals 15. So I have more than 10, and I have exactly 15. So a large prize," Alex happily says.
For kids like Alex, the stakes are high. They're more than smart enough to go to college, find jobs and live on their own.
But Freedman says his goal is to make sure they acquire the social skills to accomplish those things.
But Alex doesn't do so well with chitchat. On a late fall day, he meets with psychologist Brian Freedman.
Alex asks Freedman if he knows how to play the piano.
Freedman starts to reply that the two weren't having a conversation about pianos, but Alex interrupts him: "What instrument do you play?"
"Hang on," Freedman repeats, "were we talking about me playing the piano?"
"No."
"What were we talking about?" Freedman asks again.
"What instrument do you play?" Alex continues.
"Were we talking about me playing instruments?" says Freedman.
Finally, Alex replies, "No."
"No," Freedman agrees.
Social Studies
For children like Alex with autism, social interactions are a struggle. But Freedman is part of a team of researchers at Baltimore's Kennedy Krieger Institute that has developed a course to help these kids improve their social skills. The program is called Building Up Development of Socialization, or BUDS.
Alex says he is doing better than he used to since starting the program several months ago.
"I had a perfect week last week," he tells Freedman. "I was never going into the red zone." That refers to a number of behaviors that get Alex in trouble.
Alex and several other children with mild autism have been meeting every week with Freedman and autism specialist Elizabeth Stripling. The idea is to teach the social skills that most kids pick up without even thinking about it.
Freedman says the gap between kids with autism and other kids isn't so wide when they're in kindergarten. But after that it can become a chasm.
The kids in Alex's group are between 10 and 12 years old. "They're starting to move toward middle school," says Freedman, "and the social rules are changing all around them, and so it's incredibly hard for them to keep up. So that's why we need to have a group like this."
Conversation 101
During the sessions, Freedman and Stripling give pointers on how to do things as basic as keeping a conversation going.
For instance, they're told, if someone says he likes music, ask what kind of music. Freedman and Stripling remind the kids to make eye contact and listen when someone else is talking.
Freedman says it's all about coaching and practice, not just rules.
"One of the problems that kids with autism can run into is that when they're taught very rigid rules, they only stick to those rules," Freedman explains. "So we try to help them understand some nuances within interaction."
On this November afternoon, only two boys have shown up, Alex and another 10-year-old, named Joseph Santana.
A few minutes into the session, Joseph says he wants to talk about something that happened to him. Freedman and Stripling help Alex respond appropriately.
"On Sunday, I went to the emergency room," Joseph says.
"Oh, my gosh," Freedman replies.
"Because I couldn't breathe," Joseph continues.
Stripling jumps in: "Oh, my goodness!"
Then Alex takes their cue, "Were you dying or what? So sorry to hear that."
Freedman praises Alex for picking up the conversation and asks him what other questions might be appropriate to ask Joseph about his trip to the ER.
It's not completely spontaneous or natural. But Freedman says the conversation shows how far Alex has come. He is clearly listening, and his responses even suggest empathy.
And for Joseph, just telling the story is a big achievement. He has trouble communicating with other kids. But he has been trying hard with the children he's met in these sessions.
Freedman says the first thing Joseph did after getting out of the hospital was send an e-mail to the entire group.
"The e-mail wasn't just to check in and say hi, but it provided context to say that something had happened to him," Freedman says. "The next sentence was followed by, 'I'm OK.' And all of that was followed up by emoticons that showed the feelings that went along with that. So I would say especially for a kid like Joseph, that was tremendous progress."
Joseph grew up loving The History Channel, but hating school.
"Kids would pick on him, beat him up. You know, they were really not very kind to him at all," says his mother, Kathleen Santana.
When kids at school handed out invitations to birthday parties, Joseph never received any.
"In the beginning he just wasn't aware," Kathleen Santana says. "But now that he is getting older and learning more that that is happening, he is becoming more aware, and I think that is a hurtful situation for him."
Eventually, Santana decided to teach Joseph at home.
Alex has been doing OK at school. But his father, Hugh Lee, says his son is lonely.
"He wants to make friends with other kids. I think it's just a disability in him that he doesn't know how to," says Lee.
Final Exam
After many weeks of practice, Alex and Joseph are getting ready for a kind of final exam — at the Baltimore aquarium.
The boys spend a December afternoon at the Australia exhibit, checking out animals and asking each other questions about what they're seeing and what the animals are doing.
Their parents, meanwhile, are awarding points when the boys do well and taking points away when they don't.
At the end of the visit, the scores are tallied. Alex is told that he gets a lot of points for initiating conversations. But he also has a few deducted.
This is the sort of conversation Alex likes. It's about numbers.
"OK, so 18 minus 3 equals 15. So I have more than 10, and I have exactly 15. So a large prize," Alex happily says.
For kids like Alex, the stakes are high. They're more than smart enough to go to college, find jobs and live on their own.
But Freedman says his goal is to make sure they acquire the social skills to accomplish those things.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
'Like going to Disney World every Saturday'
Horse-riding program has healing effects on Waukegan boys coping with disorders
July 31, 2008
BY CHARLIE ADELMAN
Despite suffering from numerous health crises, two Waukegan boys have found solace in the unlikely therapy of horseback riding.
For Evan Dustan, 9, and his 2½-year-old brother Ian, life hasn't been such an easy ride.
At age 3, Evan was discovered to have autism, and just two weeks ago he was diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia.
His brother, meanwhile, has suffered from an undiagnosed digestion problem that prohibits his stomach from processing any food. He has been connected to feeding tubes since shortly after he was born.
Both boys have been going through therapeutic horseback riding sessions at the Midwest Therapeutic Riding Program in Racine, Wis. since they were toddlers.
"It's a place where kids don't have disabilities and kids are kids," said the boys' mother, Jamie. "It's the best therapy we've ever given them. Ian said his first word on a horse."
For the family, who lives in Waukegan, Evan's recent diagnosis has been a huge blow.
"We were not even prepared," Jamie said. "We were so ignorant, we had no concept of what we were looking at."
Only a day after Evan was diagnosed, Jamie and her husband Chris took the boys up to Milwaukee to begin Evan's treatment.
"Evan's had a really rough beginning," Jamie said. "He had a seizure disorder that has resurfaced since undergoing treatment."
Playing supermom to her children, Jamie admits Evan's latest developments have been a struggle.
"Having a second child already medically fragile, this complicates things a bit," she said.
To ease their stay in Milwaukee, the family has moved into a suite at a Ronald McDonald house there and will likely stay until January while Evan goes through chemotherapy.
With all the recent tribulations, it's not surprising Evan is looking forward to getting back on a horse, although, "it's going to be a little while," said Jamie.
"The program is really a place where kids' dreams come true," she said. "It's been like going to Disney World every Saturday. It's been life-changing for the entire family."
July 31, 2008
BY CHARLIE ADELMAN
Despite suffering from numerous health crises, two Waukegan boys have found solace in the unlikely therapy of horseback riding.
For Evan Dustan, 9, and his 2½-year-old brother Ian, life hasn't been such an easy ride.
At age 3, Evan was discovered to have autism, and just two weeks ago he was diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia.
His brother, meanwhile, has suffered from an undiagnosed digestion problem that prohibits his stomach from processing any food. He has been connected to feeding tubes since shortly after he was born.
Both boys have been going through therapeutic horseback riding sessions at the Midwest Therapeutic Riding Program in Racine, Wis. since they were toddlers.
"It's a place where kids don't have disabilities and kids are kids," said the boys' mother, Jamie. "It's the best therapy we've ever given them. Ian said his first word on a horse."
For the family, who lives in Waukegan, Evan's recent diagnosis has been a huge blow.
"We were not even prepared," Jamie said. "We were so ignorant, we had no concept of what we were looking at."
Only a day after Evan was diagnosed, Jamie and her husband Chris took the boys up to Milwaukee to begin Evan's treatment.
"Evan's had a really rough beginning," Jamie said. "He had a seizure disorder that has resurfaced since undergoing treatment."
Playing supermom to her children, Jamie admits Evan's latest developments have been a struggle.
"Having a second child already medically fragile, this complicates things a bit," she said.
To ease their stay in Milwaukee, the family has moved into a suite at a Ronald McDonald house there and will likely stay until January while Evan goes through chemotherapy.
With all the recent tribulations, it's not surprising Evan is looking forward to getting back on a horse, although, "it's going to be a little while," said Jamie.
"The program is really a place where kids' dreams come true," she said. "It's been like going to Disney World every Saturday. It's been life-changing for the entire family."
Autism swim program designed to save lives
Thursday, July 31, 2008
COURTESY SOMERSET HILLS YMCA
Statistics show that the highest rate of accidental death of autistic children is through drowning.
In response to this disturbing fact, in January, 2008, children from the Mount Prospect Pre-School Autistic Program (ages 3-5 years) began swim lessons each week at the Somerset Hills YMCA using the ABA (Applied Behavioral Analysis) methodology, a systematic step-by-step approach to learning that is implemented specifically in teaching children with autism.
The cooperative program between the YMCA and the Bernards Township School District is the brainchild of Jean O'Connell, Supervisor of Special Education, Bernards Township Schools, and Anna Scanniello, Director of Aquatics and Safety at the Somerset Hills YMCA in Basking Ridge.
Named ABA Swimming -- A Better Approach to Swimming -- the program is based on the ABA methodology that extends the use of the principles of applied behavior analysis to teaching children with autism. Lessons are held at the Somerset Hills YMCA training pool, where lead teacher, Allyson Sudol, pre-school Speech pathologist and former competitive swimmer, has developed a curriculum, based on her 12 years of experience teaching children with developmental difficulties.
With additional swim instructors and pool space provided at no cost by the YMCA, children are learning this vital life skill.
At the same time, the children learn essential social skills as they ride the school bus, change in and out of swimwear, navigate their way around the pool, and interact with instructors.
"We must continue to enable families to better face autism by providing the support services that they desperately need," stated Dr. Joseph Morandi, board-certified family physician and chairman of the Medical Committee for the Somerset Hills YMCA. "The ABA swimming program teaches essential skills, both in and out of the water, which these children might not otherwise learn. When you think about the YMCA's core principles of helping the people in our community grow in spirit, mind and body, this program is a perfect example that encompasses all of those values and leaves us with that warm sense of accomplishment and purpose."
Anna Scanniello of the YMCA insists that teaching the children to swim is a gift to the instructor and child alike and, at the same time, allows the children to increase their own independence for community involvement.
"This pilot program will hopefully be the first of many to address this issue," adds Scanniello.
Optimism is high that this program's success will encourage the widespread development of similar programs and trigger more grants to help underwrite operating costs such as instructor training, transportation, etc., so that other age groups can benefit from this opportunity.
For more information, visit www.somersethillsymca.org or e-mail Anna Scanniello at ascanniello@somersethillsymca.org.
The Somerset Hills YMCA is a community service, mission based, 501c3 non-profit organization of dedicated staff and volunteers, serving all individuals regardless of gender, age, race, faith, ethnic heritage, mental/physical ability or economic circumstance.
Each year, the Somerset Hills YMCA provides over $550,000 in financial assistance and program subsidy through the Strong Kids Campaign. Located in Basking Ridge and dedicated to helping people grow in spirit, mind and body, the Somerset Hills YMCA is guided by the core principles of caring, honesty, respect and responsibility.
COURTESY SOMERSET HILLS YMCA
Statistics show that the highest rate of accidental death of autistic children is through drowning.
In response to this disturbing fact, in January, 2008, children from the Mount Prospect Pre-School Autistic Program (ages 3-5 years) began swim lessons each week at the Somerset Hills YMCA using the ABA (Applied Behavioral Analysis) methodology, a systematic step-by-step approach to learning that is implemented specifically in teaching children with autism.
The cooperative program between the YMCA and the Bernards Township School District is the brainchild of Jean O'Connell, Supervisor of Special Education, Bernards Township Schools, and Anna Scanniello, Director of Aquatics and Safety at the Somerset Hills YMCA in Basking Ridge.
Named ABA Swimming -- A Better Approach to Swimming -- the program is based on the ABA methodology that extends the use of the principles of applied behavior analysis to teaching children with autism. Lessons are held at the Somerset Hills YMCA training pool, where lead teacher, Allyson Sudol, pre-school Speech pathologist and former competitive swimmer, has developed a curriculum, based on her 12 years of experience teaching children with developmental difficulties.
With additional swim instructors and pool space provided at no cost by the YMCA, children are learning this vital life skill.
At the same time, the children learn essential social skills as they ride the school bus, change in and out of swimwear, navigate their way around the pool, and interact with instructors.
"We must continue to enable families to better face autism by providing the support services that they desperately need," stated Dr. Joseph Morandi, board-certified family physician and chairman of the Medical Committee for the Somerset Hills YMCA. "The ABA swimming program teaches essential skills, both in and out of the water, which these children might not otherwise learn. When you think about the YMCA's core principles of helping the people in our community grow in spirit, mind and body, this program is a perfect example that encompasses all of those values and leaves us with that warm sense of accomplishment and purpose."
Anna Scanniello of the YMCA insists that teaching the children to swim is a gift to the instructor and child alike and, at the same time, allows the children to increase their own independence for community involvement.
"This pilot program will hopefully be the first of many to address this issue," adds Scanniello.
Optimism is high that this program's success will encourage the widespread development of similar programs and trigger more grants to help underwrite operating costs such as instructor training, transportation, etc., so that other age groups can benefit from this opportunity.
For more information, visit www.somersethillsymca.org or e-mail Anna Scanniello at ascanniello@somersethillsymca.org.
The Somerset Hills YMCA is a community service, mission based, 501c3 non-profit organization of dedicated staff and volunteers, serving all individuals regardless of gender, age, race, faith, ethnic heritage, mental/physical ability or economic circumstance.
Each year, the Somerset Hills YMCA provides over $550,000 in financial assistance and program subsidy through the Strong Kids Campaign. Located in Basking Ridge and dedicated to helping people grow in spirit, mind and body, the Somerset Hills YMCA is guided by the core principles of caring, honesty, respect and responsibility.
Penn State Conference to Provide Lessons for Educators and Families of Kids with Autism
Thousands expected to attend as the number of diagnosed autism cases continues to increase
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa., July 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Educators, interested professionals and families of autistic children who hope to create effective educational programming will descend on Penn State's 2008 National Autism Conference, August 4-8 at the Penn Stater Conference Center.
According to the latest figures by the U.S. Department of Education, the number of diagnosed autism cases has increased 172 percent since 1990. The amount of new cases continues to be a challenge for those who are educating and treating people with autism.
"As awareness of autism continues to grow, this conference will remain a vital forum for educators, providers and families to discuss the latest findings in treating and educating students with autism spectrum disorders," said Nancy Eckard, conference planner. "We host close to 400 conferences and meetings at the Penn Stater and the Autism Conference is one of the biggest."
The conference, which averages approximately 2,500 participants, will feature experts in autism, educators, autism advocates and people with autism and their family members. Speakers at this year's conference include:
-- Eustacia Cutler, author and speaker, whose studies in autism and retardation led to two television documentaries: The Disquieted, on disturbed children, and The Innocents. Her book, A Thorn in My Pocket: Temple Grandin's Mother Tells the Family Story, is in its third printing.
-- Rachel Marie Brooks, Miss Pennsylvania 2007, promoted her platform -- "Autism Awareness: Unlocking the Mystery" -- across the state. A graduate student in the University of Pennsylvania's Fels Institute of Government, she advocates for legislation and policies designed to benefit the autism community at the local, state and federal levels.
-- Joe Gans will share his challenges -- and successes -- as a 20-year-old Penn State student with autism.
The conference is sponsored by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Information about the conference is available at http://www.outreach.psu.edu/programs/Autism/ online.
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa., July 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Educators, interested professionals and families of autistic children who hope to create effective educational programming will descend on Penn State's 2008 National Autism Conference, August 4-8 at the Penn Stater Conference Center.
According to the latest figures by the U.S. Department of Education, the number of diagnosed autism cases has increased 172 percent since 1990. The amount of new cases continues to be a challenge for those who are educating and treating people with autism.
"As awareness of autism continues to grow, this conference will remain a vital forum for educators, providers and families to discuss the latest findings in treating and educating students with autism spectrum disorders," said Nancy Eckard, conference planner. "We host close to 400 conferences and meetings at the Penn Stater and the Autism Conference is one of the biggest."
The conference, which averages approximately 2,500 participants, will feature experts in autism, educators, autism advocates and people with autism and their family members. Speakers at this year's conference include:
-- Eustacia Cutler, author and speaker, whose studies in autism and retardation led to two television documentaries: The Disquieted, on disturbed children, and The Innocents. Her book, A Thorn in My Pocket: Temple Grandin's Mother Tells the Family Story, is in its third printing.
-- Rachel Marie Brooks, Miss Pennsylvania 2007, promoted her platform -- "Autism Awareness: Unlocking the Mystery" -- across the state. A graduate student in the University of Pennsylvania's Fels Institute of Government, she advocates for legislation and policies designed to benefit the autism community at the local, state and federal levels.
-- Joe Gans will share his challenges -- and successes -- as a 20-year-old Penn State student with autism.
The conference is sponsored by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Information about the conference is available at http://www.outreach.psu.edu/programs/Autism/ online.
Hundreds attend Autism Summit in Temecula
By CLAUDIA BUSTAMANTE
The Press-Enterprise
TEMECULA - There's no magic bullet for autism, but family and friends of children who have the condition learned Tuesday about various health therapies, research and communication methods.
Hundreds of people attended the area's first Autism Summit at Rancho Community Church in Temecula. The event drew more than 50 vendors, both local and from nearby counties.
There were tables from schools such as Oak Grove in Murrieta, lawyers specializing in special education, nutrition information and autism research centers.
The Press-Enterprise
TEMECULA - There's no magic bullet for autism, but family and friends of children who have the condition learned Tuesday about various health therapies, research and communication methods.
Hundreds of people attended the area's first Autism Summit at Rancho Community Church in Temecula. The event drew more than 50 vendors, both local and from nearby counties.
There were tables from schools such as Oak Grove in Murrieta, lawyers specializing in special education, nutrition information and autism research centers.
Parents, Professionals Share Experiences At Autism Summit
Just one year ago, Casandra Oldham's life was changed forever with one word: autism. Before that her then-two-and-a-half year old son was normal, she said.
"He had words, he put them together; he would play. He slowly regressed over the winter," Oldham said. "He got to the point where he would sit in the corner all day, chewing on his shirt and playing with the shadows that came in through the window. He lost all his words. He lost his communications skills. He lost his ability to play."
Her story was one of many shared during Monday night's Autism summit held in Lansdowne to focus attention on the needs of children with the brain development disorder and on proposed state legislation that could help families afford treatments.
Oldham said her family had only moved to the area about a year before her son's diagnosis. They started an applied behavior analysis program for her son, a costly treatment not covered by health insurance, but which has received much praise in recent years as an effective treatment for autism. When the family's car broke down and as bills began to pile up, they eventually had to shut off part of their water to continue paying for their son's treatments.
Oldham then watched as her second child, only 17 months old at the time, began to regress. He lost the ability to point, and to chew, she said. Her younger son was then tested for mitochondrial disease, and the test came back positive. She had her older son, then three years old, tested as well. His test also came back positive.
"They were born normal," Oldham said. "They acquired the mitochondrial condition that brought about their autism."
"Let me say this about the [applied behavioral analysis]: the ABA works on both my children. But I had to sit there, and I had to choose. Do I pay the $3,000 to have my kid potty trained, or do I ask if my child can speak?" she said. "These are the choices I had to make. Do I help my baby, who at least they caught sooner, and might have more hope, or do I help my three year old?"
After her sons' were diagnosed, Oldham turned to the community of parents with children suffering from autism, and was able to get help for her 17-month-old child this summer. Her three year old started school last year, and while she praised the teachers who work with her son, both she and the teachers know it is not enough, she said. But the cost of treatments is just too high.
"They're young, and they have potential," she said of her children, "but we just don't have the resources."
When she started her 17-month-old child's ABA treatments, the cost of 21 hours of treatment every week was $3,600 per month. Her doctor recommended 40 hours of treatment each week. To treat both of her children at the doctor's recommendations, her family would have to pay more than $14,000 every month.
Parents at Monday's Autism Summit also heard testimony from experts in the field of autism treatment about advances in treatments, and from state legislators backing a bill that would require insurance companies to provide coverage for autism treatment.
Jane Barbin was at the event representing the Association for Science in Autism Treatment. The association works to spread scientific information about the treatment of autism. Barbin spoke in favor of ABA treatments, citing studies by several task forces, including the New York State Department of Health of the Office of the U.S. Surgeon General.
"And what that office has said," Barbin said, referring to the Surgeon General's report, "is they have concluded that there is over 30 years ... demonstrating the effectiveness of applied behavioral analysis in decreasing inappropriate behaviors," such as aggression, hand-flapping, and non-functional vocal responses.
Barbin said the Surgeon General's Office also concluded ABA "is effective in increasing certain behaviors that are important," such as communication and social skills.
Delegates Robert Marshall (R-13), David Poisson (D-32), Thomas Rust (R-86), Charles Caputo (D-67), and Senator Mark Herring (D-33) attended the event, hosted by the Loudoun County Autism Network, and expressed their support for House Bill 83.
The bill, which was introduced by Marshall, after working with one of his constituents, originally sought to address the lack of insurance coverage for services for all children with developmental disabilities, but has since been amended to focus only on those children who have been diagnosed in the autism spectrum.
The bill was left in committee during last spring's session, but it has been regenerated with a public hearing anticipated in Richmond some time this fall.
"Every child is special. And we need to remember that providing these services is expensive, but it is an investment. And most importantly, it is an investment in children," Rust said Monday.
Children with autism who receive treatment early can eventually enter the work force, instead of becoming wards of the state, which would offset the costs of covering autism under insurance programs, he said.
Marshall spoke about how parents and advocates need to network to gather contacts from around the state who can petition local delegates and senators to support the bill, especially those on the State Corporation Commission's mandated benefits commission, and the commerce and labor committees in the House of Delegates and Senate.
Marshall was able to recruit four volunteers from the crowd to serve as phone organizers for northern, southern, western, and the tidewater regions of Virginia, and encouraged everyone present to give their information to Pat DiBari, a Lansdowne resident whose grassroots efforts spawned the Autism Summit and who founded The Loudoun Project, an online community and resource for parents of children with autism.
"Has everyone given their name and number and e-mail to Pat here?" Marshall asked during his speech. "If you haven't done it, you have to do it before you leave the room. You will not be allowed to leave to room until you do so," he said, drawing much laughter from the audience.
James Lafferty, president of the Autism Advocacy Coalition whose son was diagnosed with autism at the age of two and has undergone ABA treatments, spoke to the crowd about his own experiences with autism.
Lafferty told the audience about the anger he experienced when his son's teacher told him that his son did not need speech therapy, because he could not speak, and the pride he felt about being able to drop his son off for the his first day of regular kindergarten this fall.
He agreed with Marshall's ideas for organizing people at a local level to help influence legislators when it comes to autism matters, saying the audience would "have to be ready for the fight of our lives."
"He had words, he put them together; he would play. He slowly regressed over the winter," Oldham said. "He got to the point where he would sit in the corner all day, chewing on his shirt and playing with the shadows that came in through the window. He lost all his words. He lost his communications skills. He lost his ability to play."
Her story was one of many shared during Monday night's Autism summit held in Lansdowne to focus attention on the needs of children with the brain development disorder and on proposed state legislation that could help families afford treatments.
Oldham said her family had only moved to the area about a year before her son's diagnosis. They started an applied behavior analysis program for her son, a costly treatment not covered by health insurance, but which has received much praise in recent years as an effective treatment for autism. When the family's car broke down and as bills began to pile up, they eventually had to shut off part of their water to continue paying for their son's treatments.
Oldham then watched as her second child, only 17 months old at the time, began to regress. He lost the ability to point, and to chew, she said. Her younger son was then tested for mitochondrial disease, and the test came back positive. She had her older son, then three years old, tested as well. His test also came back positive.
"They were born normal," Oldham said. "They acquired the mitochondrial condition that brought about their autism."
"Let me say this about the [applied behavioral analysis]: the ABA works on both my children. But I had to sit there, and I had to choose. Do I pay the $3,000 to have my kid potty trained, or do I ask if my child can speak?" she said. "These are the choices I had to make. Do I help my baby, who at least they caught sooner, and might have more hope, or do I help my three year old?"
After her sons' were diagnosed, Oldham turned to the community of parents with children suffering from autism, and was able to get help for her 17-month-old child this summer. Her three year old started school last year, and while she praised the teachers who work with her son, both she and the teachers know it is not enough, she said. But the cost of treatments is just too high.
"They're young, and they have potential," she said of her children, "but we just don't have the resources."
When she started her 17-month-old child's ABA treatments, the cost of 21 hours of treatment every week was $3,600 per month. Her doctor recommended 40 hours of treatment each week. To treat both of her children at the doctor's recommendations, her family would have to pay more than $14,000 every month.
Parents at Monday's Autism Summit also heard testimony from experts in the field of autism treatment about advances in treatments, and from state legislators backing a bill that would require insurance companies to provide coverage for autism treatment.
Jane Barbin was at the event representing the Association for Science in Autism Treatment. The association works to spread scientific information about the treatment of autism. Barbin spoke in favor of ABA treatments, citing studies by several task forces, including the New York State Department of Health of the Office of the U.S. Surgeon General.
"And what that office has said," Barbin said, referring to the Surgeon General's report, "is they have concluded that there is over 30 years ... demonstrating the effectiveness of applied behavioral analysis in decreasing inappropriate behaviors," such as aggression, hand-flapping, and non-functional vocal responses.
Barbin said the Surgeon General's Office also concluded ABA "is effective in increasing certain behaviors that are important," such as communication and social skills.
Delegates Robert Marshall (R-13), David Poisson (D-32), Thomas Rust (R-86), Charles Caputo (D-67), and Senator Mark Herring (D-33) attended the event, hosted by the Loudoun County Autism Network, and expressed their support for House Bill 83.
The bill, which was introduced by Marshall, after working with one of his constituents, originally sought to address the lack of insurance coverage for services for all children with developmental disabilities, but has since been amended to focus only on those children who have been diagnosed in the autism spectrum.
The bill was left in committee during last spring's session, but it has been regenerated with a public hearing anticipated in Richmond some time this fall.
"Every child is special. And we need to remember that providing these services is expensive, but it is an investment. And most importantly, it is an investment in children," Rust said Monday.
Children with autism who receive treatment early can eventually enter the work force, instead of becoming wards of the state, which would offset the costs of covering autism under insurance programs, he said.
Marshall spoke about how parents and advocates need to network to gather contacts from around the state who can petition local delegates and senators to support the bill, especially those on the State Corporation Commission's mandated benefits commission, and the commerce and labor committees in the House of Delegates and Senate.
Marshall was able to recruit four volunteers from the crowd to serve as phone organizers for northern, southern, western, and the tidewater regions of Virginia, and encouraged everyone present to give their information to Pat DiBari, a Lansdowne resident whose grassroots efforts spawned the Autism Summit and who founded The Loudoun Project, an online community and resource for parents of children with autism.
"Has everyone given their name and number and e-mail to Pat here?" Marshall asked during his speech. "If you haven't done it, you have to do it before you leave the room. You will not be allowed to leave to room until you do so," he said, drawing much laughter from the audience.
James Lafferty, president of the Autism Advocacy Coalition whose son was diagnosed with autism at the age of two and has undergone ABA treatments, spoke to the crowd about his own experiences with autism.
Lafferty told the audience about the anger he experienced when his son's teacher told him that his son did not need speech therapy, because he could not speak, and the pride he felt about being able to drop his son off for the his first day of regular kindergarten this fall.
He agreed with Marshall's ideas for organizing people at a local level to help influence legislators when it comes to autism matters, saying the audience would "have to be ready for the fight of our lives."
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Micro-lending blog funds controversial autism treatments
Tori Tuncan didn’t know Logan Rogers or his mom, but she posted their request on her blog:
Logan, 10 years old, is unable to ride his bike because he has “absolutely no muscle tone.” He needs occupational therapy. Insurance will cover it, but his mom needs $250, immediately, to pay for the evaluation up front.
Can you lend his mom the money?
Within eight hours, Tori had raised the funds for Logan’s mom, thanks to five strangers who agreed to the loans. For Tori, it was on to the next kid.
A month ago, Tori quietly launched a very ambitious blog. At Lend4Health.blogspot.com, parents of autistic children who seek biomedical treatments — chelation, visits with DAN! doctors, hyperbaric oxygen treatments, and more — can ask for micro-loans from Tori’s readers.
Those biomedical treatments are used by thousands of parents who swear by them, but they’re often difficult to get insurers to pay for because they are not accepted by mainstream doctors as safe, effective treatments for autism. (For more on DAN! treatments, read our primer.)
The first loan took about a month to fulfill — $266 for food sensitivity testing. The second, Logan’s, took just eight hours. The third was posted Tuesday afternoon.
For a community of parents who are already comfortable getting treatment advice, sharing health problems and dishing on their kids’ diets online, this goes a step further: It gives them a chance to be actually invested in another family’s autistic journey.
Tori is a consultant in the Washington, D.C. area. She has a 3-year-old son with a sensory processing disorder (not on the autism spectrum), though she suspects he had autism. Because her son is on a gluten-free/ casein-free diet (a biomedical treatment for autism), she spends a lot of time on message boards with parents dealing with autism. (She also blogs about GF/CF diets, and — really — poop.)
“Everyone (on the message boards) is like, ‘We’re $30,000 in debt, we had to sell our house, our car, we’re living with my parents, insurance doesn’t cover any of this stuff,’” she said in an interview. “Most stuff you do with a DAN! doctor is not covered by insurance. Getting your olive leaf extract is not covered by insurance.”I haven’t read Jenny McCarthy’s next book, but I’m guessing a huge part of what she’s going to talk about is all the stuff moms have to go through to heal their kids. And it takes a major financial toll. But you do what you gotta do because it’s your kid.”
When she got the idea last month — inspired by Kiva.org, which facilitates micro-loans to developing countries — she ran downstairs to tell her husband. She vowed not to launch it until she lost 20 pounds — hoping the excitement of the idea would be the motivation she needed to lose the weight. But she couldn’t wait. She’s still working on the 20 pounds.
Loans are made and and repaid through PayPal, and borrowers sign a written loan agreement. The terms of the loan are set by the borrower. One of the moms is paying it off in a month; another, over the next year. I ask her if they pay interest. “Of course not,” she says.
She admits she rushed into the idea. She requires references, and she checks them out, but she doesn’t know what she’ll do if somebody defaults. “I have a FAQ section I haven’t done yet, and I know that’s one of the questions.”
But she doesn’t think that’ll happen. “I don’t think people will. It’s such a big deal. These moms are excited, like ‘Oh my gosh I can’t believe a bunch of strangers will lend me $10 to help my kid.”
I ask her if, when somebody asks for a loan, she takes their credit card number or something so she has some official leverage.
“No, but thank you. That’s a good idea.”
Logan, 10 years old, is unable to ride his bike because he has “absolutely no muscle tone.” He needs occupational therapy. Insurance will cover it, but his mom needs $250, immediately, to pay for the evaluation up front.
Can you lend his mom the money?
Within eight hours, Tori had raised the funds for Logan’s mom, thanks to five strangers who agreed to the loans. For Tori, it was on to the next kid.
A month ago, Tori quietly launched a very ambitious blog. At Lend4Health.blogspot.com, parents of autistic children who seek biomedical treatments — chelation, visits with DAN! doctors, hyperbaric oxygen treatments, and more — can ask for micro-loans from Tori’s readers.
Those biomedical treatments are used by thousands of parents who swear by them, but they’re often difficult to get insurers to pay for because they are not accepted by mainstream doctors as safe, effective treatments for autism. (For more on DAN! treatments, read our primer.)
The first loan took about a month to fulfill — $266 for food sensitivity testing. The second, Logan’s, took just eight hours. The third was posted Tuesday afternoon.
For a community of parents who are already comfortable getting treatment advice, sharing health problems and dishing on their kids’ diets online, this goes a step further: It gives them a chance to be actually invested in another family’s autistic journey.
Tori is a consultant in the Washington, D.C. area. She has a 3-year-old son with a sensory processing disorder (not on the autism spectrum), though she suspects he had autism. Because her son is on a gluten-free/ casein-free diet (a biomedical treatment for autism), she spends a lot of time on message boards with parents dealing with autism. (She also blogs about GF/CF diets, and — really — poop.)
“Everyone (on the message boards) is like, ‘We’re $30,000 in debt, we had to sell our house, our car, we’re living with my parents, insurance doesn’t cover any of this stuff,’” she said in an interview. “Most stuff you do with a DAN! doctor is not covered by insurance. Getting your olive leaf extract is not covered by insurance.”I haven’t read Jenny McCarthy’s next book, but I’m guessing a huge part of what she’s going to talk about is all the stuff moms have to go through to heal their kids. And it takes a major financial toll. But you do what you gotta do because it’s your kid.”
When she got the idea last month — inspired by Kiva.org, which facilitates micro-loans to developing countries — she ran downstairs to tell her husband. She vowed not to launch it until she lost 20 pounds — hoping the excitement of the idea would be the motivation she needed to lose the weight. But she couldn’t wait. She’s still working on the 20 pounds.
Loans are made and and repaid through PayPal, and borrowers sign a written loan agreement. The terms of the loan are set by the borrower. One of the moms is paying it off in a month; another, over the next year. I ask her if they pay interest. “Of course not,” she says.
She admits she rushed into the idea. She requires references, and she checks them out, but she doesn’t know what she’ll do if somebody defaults. “I have a FAQ section I haven’t done yet, and I know that’s one of the questions.”
But she doesn’t think that’ll happen. “I don’t think people will. It’s such a big deal. These moms are excited, like ‘Oh my gosh I can’t believe a bunch of strangers will lend me $10 to help my kid.”
I ask her if, when somebody asks for a loan, she takes their credit card number or something so she has some official leverage.
“No, but thank you. That’s a good idea.”
Autism Baseball League First in Chicago
The Autism Awareness Kids Baseball Program, a summer baseball league taking place on Sunday mornings in Humboldt Park, is Chicago’s first sports program for children with autism. The league was conceived by Alex Cruz, who was reluctant to place his autistic son in a competitive environment where he might be teased or ignored. Local families came together to help make the idea a reality, and now with the support of former White Sox infielder Alex Cintrón, the league has plans to expand into four little league teams for children with autism and with other special needs. Future plans are to expand the program into indoor soccer, basketball, and floor hockey.
For more information, contact Alex Cruz at 773-663-8909
For more information, contact Alex Cruz at 773-663-8909
Autism partner dog helps Horry County family
Dru Forster
Published: July 29, 2008
In their Horry County backyard, they seem like the picture perfect family, but the Clemants have had there fair share of challenges. Both of their sons have Autism.
Monique Clemant says, “No two kids with Autism are alike. They say it’s the disease of three-hundred and sixty degrees and it really and truly is like every degree is different and makes a child with autism that much more different.”
Monique and her husband Jim have needed all the guidance they can get with their sons, seven year old Daniel and six year old Thomas. They turned to “The North Star Foundation”, a non-profit program that helps children with developmental disabilities.
Someone made an anonymous donation to the foundation and changed the Clemant Family forever by bringing an Autism partner dog into their lives. Autism partner dogs are trained to provide comfort and guidance and that is exactly what “Bennie” is doing for the Clemant family.
”He’s larger then we thought he would be but he’s fits right in with the craziness of our family everyday,” says Monique.
Bennie has been with the Clemant’s for more than a year now. Jim says it’s made a difference watching his sons play free now. He also sees that the interaction between Bennie and his sons makes a huge difference in their lives.
Gina Crist, Bennie’s trainer says, “The dog naturally reduces anxiety, stress and blood pressure in the child.” Gina’s main goal is to get the families used to Autism partner dogs.
The Clemant family is thankful for Bennie and Monique says he will be a part of her children’s lives for many years to come, and will always live up to his title of boy’s best friend.
If your interested in the program or have a child struggling with autism. You can call “The North Star Program” at 843-449-0554.
Published: July 29, 2008
In their Horry County backyard, they seem like the picture perfect family, but the Clemants have had there fair share of challenges. Both of their sons have Autism.
Monique Clemant says, “No two kids with Autism are alike. They say it’s the disease of three-hundred and sixty degrees and it really and truly is like every degree is different and makes a child with autism that much more different.”
Monique and her husband Jim have needed all the guidance they can get with their sons, seven year old Daniel and six year old Thomas. They turned to “The North Star Foundation”, a non-profit program that helps children with developmental disabilities.
Someone made an anonymous donation to the foundation and changed the Clemant Family forever by bringing an Autism partner dog into their lives. Autism partner dogs are trained to provide comfort and guidance and that is exactly what “Bennie” is doing for the Clemant family.
”He’s larger then we thought he would be but he’s fits right in with the craziness of our family everyday,” says Monique.
Bennie has been with the Clemant’s for more than a year now. Jim says it’s made a difference watching his sons play free now. He also sees that the interaction between Bennie and his sons makes a huge difference in their lives.
Gina Crist, Bennie’s trainer says, “The dog naturally reduces anxiety, stress and blood pressure in the child.” Gina’s main goal is to get the families used to Autism partner dogs.
The Clemant family is thankful for Bennie and Monique says he will be a part of her children’s lives for many years to come, and will always live up to his title of boy’s best friend.
If your interested in the program or have a child struggling with autism. You can call “The North Star Program” at 843-449-0554.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Swimmer aims for his dream
Trying to conquer Lake Ontario
By JORDAN PRESS, SUN MEDIA
In early May, Jay Serdula dreamed that he was swimming across Lake Ontario, each stroke bringing him closer to the Toronto shoreline.
He could see the CN Tower looming larger. His body felt fresh and he was feeling good about making it ashore.
Yesterday that dream came true for the Kingston resident. Setting out from Niagara-on-the-Lake at 10 a.m., he is trying to swim across Lake Ontario to raise money and awareness for Asperger's syndrome, a disorder on the mild end of the autism spectrum that makes it difficult for people to adapt to new things.
He is scheduled to end his swim at Toronto's Marilyn Bell Park today between 3-6 p.m.
Serdula, 36, was born with Asperger's. He has prepared two years for this moment, and it's the preparation, he said, that should help him finish the swim.
By JORDAN PRESS, SUN MEDIA
In early May, Jay Serdula dreamed that he was swimming across Lake Ontario, each stroke bringing him closer to the Toronto shoreline.
He could see the CN Tower looming larger. His body felt fresh and he was feeling good about making it ashore.
Yesterday that dream came true for the Kingston resident. Setting out from Niagara-on-the-Lake at 10 a.m., he is trying to swim across Lake Ontario to raise money and awareness for Asperger's syndrome, a disorder on the mild end of the autism spectrum that makes it difficult for people to adapt to new things.
He is scheduled to end his swim at Toronto's Marilyn Bell Park today between 3-6 p.m.
Serdula, 36, was born with Asperger's. He has prepared two years for this moment, and it's the preparation, he said, that should help him finish the swim.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
How Adults Cope With Autism In The Workplace
MINNEAPOLIS (CBS) ― Alex Ashkar is a model employee at the Bull Run coffee roasters. And he has autism.
"You know, its one thing to have somebody who works well, but it's also something to have someone whom you like," said Bull Run owner Greg Hoyt.
At Bull Run, Ashkar's autism is a non-issue. He typically works in the packaging department putting stickers on the boxes of coffee and taping them shut.
For Ashkar, finding meaningful work has been a lesson in understanding his limits. His first job at a local retailer didn't work out.
"They had him in a situation where he ended up working in isolation, you know, just straightening the cans, making sure that they're all facing the right way," said Alex's father Sean Ashkar.
For Alex Ashkar, a true people person, it wasn't a good match. So his family turned to Partnership Resources Incorporated, a nonprofit agency helping people with autism and other developmental disabilities find work.
With autism rates on the rise, PRI finds they are helping a lot more people who have the disorder.
"In the old days, you maybe would have out of 10, one or two. And now today, in 2008, we have eight out of 10 are on the autism spectrum, and that presents a whole different set of challenges and opportunities for us," said PRI's Dan Reed. "There's absolutely no reason they can't be extremely successful and happy in the community."
Through PRI, adults with autism or other developmental disabilities are set up with a job coach whose only job is to see that the worker succeeds. The coach devises supports that help supplement their skills, such as the counting board Alex's job coach created to keep track of how many bags of coffee go in a box.
"Alex can meander mentally a little bit, but that's part of where the job coach comes in," Reed said.
Alex and his family have had the advantage of knowing he had autism since he was only 2-years-old, but there are a lot of adults who are just now finding out they're on the spectrum.
"It explained so much. It was a relief," said Rich Cracraft, an adult with autism. "To finally have an answer to why I am the way I am."
Cracraft was diagnosed just last year. He'd suffered through countless jobs before finding success as a historical guide at the Oliver Kelly Farm in Elk River, Minn.
"It's a great mix of physical and mental," he said. "I'm not stupid. I'm a college graduate and everything like that, but my brain works slower than other people and I don't work as quickly as other people."
Cracraft sought out a diagnosis after learning his son was on the autism spectrum. He and his wife recognized a lot of common traits.
"Little things that a normal, a typical person would normally slough off are a little more sensory for him," said Lora Cracraft, Rich's wife.
Looking back, Rich Cracraft now sees symptoms that were always there.
"I can remember having a mantra of look normal, look normal, look normal, as I'm walking down the halls at school," he said.
Rich Cracraft received a diagnosis through the Autism Society of Minnesota.
"You have to be ready to accept the information the that you get," he said.
He also said he wishes there were more services for people like him, who mostly just need help understanding the social aspects of work, someone to help explain "when you walk in and there's a group of people standing there, what's the protocol for saying 'hi'."
"We have an obligation not to simply serve someone on one end of the spectrum or the other. It's an entire spectrum," said Shamus O'Meara, the head of the Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities.
He added that a goal for the State of Minnesota is to implement more vocational services and spread the word about services that already exist. He said assembling a single resource guide for people with developmental disabilities has taken years, but there's finally a result and people with autism helped put it together through a unique digital imaging program conceived by the Governor's Council.
"I think our state is starting down an innovative road to matching technological innovation with the needs of people with disabilities," O'Meara said.
Through the digital imaging program, state and local agencies as well as private businesses are eliminating paper files.
"Technology, if used in the right way, is a great equalizer with people in the disability community," O'Meara said, adding he believes the next step is an autism task force. "I think that our state legislature needs to realize that these are families with disabilities, that there are a lot of us out there, that we're Democratic, Republican and we're not going to go away."
"You know, its one thing to have somebody who works well, but it's also something to have someone whom you like," said Bull Run owner Greg Hoyt.
At Bull Run, Ashkar's autism is a non-issue. He typically works in the packaging department putting stickers on the boxes of coffee and taping them shut.
For Ashkar, finding meaningful work has been a lesson in understanding his limits. His first job at a local retailer didn't work out.
"They had him in a situation where he ended up working in isolation, you know, just straightening the cans, making sure that they're all facing the right way," said Alex's father Sean Ashkar.
For Alex Ashkar, a true people person, it wasn't a good match. So his family turned to Partnership Resources Incorporated, a nonprofit agency helping people with autism and other developmental disabilities find work.
With autism rates on the rise, PRI finds they are helping a lot more people who have the disorder.
"In the old days, you maybe would have out of 10, one or two. And now today, in 2008, we have eight out of 10 are on the autism spectrum, and that presents a whole different set of challenges and opportunities for us," said PRI's Dan Reed. "There's absolutely no reason they can't be extremely successful and happy in the community."
Through PRI, adults with autism or other developmental disabilities are set up with a job coach whose only job is to see that the worker succeeds. The coach devises supports that help supplement their skills, such as the counting board Alex's job coach created to keep track of how many bags of coffee go in a box.
"Alex can meander mentally a little bit, but that's part of where the job coach comes in," Reed said.
Alex and his family have had the advantage of knowing he had autism since he was only 2-years-old, but there are a lot of adults who are just now finding out they're on the spectrum.
"It explained so much. It was a relief," said Rich Cracraft, an adult with autism. "To finally have an answer to why I am the way I am."
Cracraft was diagnosed just last year. He'd suffered through countless jobs before finding success as a historical guide at the Oliver Kelly Farm in Elk River, Minn.
"It's a great mix of physical and mental," he said. "I'm not stupid. I'm a college graduate and everything like that, but my brain works slower than other people and I don't work as quickly as other people."
Cracraft sought out a diagnosis after learning his son was on the autism spectrum. He and his wife recognized a lot of common traits.
"Little things that a normal, a typical person would normally slough off are a little more sensory for him," said Lora Cracraft, Rich's wife.
Looking back, Rich Cracraft now sees symptoms that were always there.
"I can remember having a mantra of look normal, look normal, look normal, as I'm walking down the halls at school," he said.
Rich Cracraft received a diagnosis through the Autism Society of Minnesota.
"You have to be ready to accept the information the that you get," he said.
He also said he wishes there were more services for people like him, who mostly just need help understanding the social aspects of work, someone to help explain "when you walk in and there's a group of people standing there, what's the protocol for saying 'hi'."
"We have an obligation not to simply serve someone on one end of the spectrum or the other. It's an entire spectrum," said Shamus O'Meara, the head of the Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities.
He added that a goal for the State of Minnesota is to implement more vocational services and spread the word about services that already exist. He said assembling a single resource guide for people with developmental disabilities has taken years, but there's finally a result and people with autism helped put it together through a unique digital imaging program conceived by the Governor's Council.
"I think our state is starting down an innovative road to matching technological innovation with the needs of people with disabilities," O'Meara said.
Through the digital imaging program, state and local agencies as well as private businesses are eliminating paper files.
"Technology, if used in the right way, is a great equalizer with people in the disability community," O'Meara said, adding he believes the next step is an autism task force. "I think that our state legislature needs to realize that these are families with disabilities, that there are a lot of us out there, that we're Democratic, Republican and we're not going to go away."
Day camp lets special kids get their kicks
Summit Academy fits the bill
By Richard Price CORRESPONDENT
LEOMINSTER— As far as summer camps go, this one isn’t much to write home about to mom and dad.
There’s no archery, no lake for swimming, no campfire sing-alongs. There’s not a marshmallow to be found for roasting.
Yet parents from as far away as Andover are driving past the traditional summer camps to Leominster, where they drop off their son or daughter at a day camp in the Summit Academy School at 365 Lindell Ave.
To 7-year-old Brandon Moss, it’s the best camp in the world, even though he travels 45 minutes each way to attend. Here, he learns martial arts and loves it. For his mother, Kelly, it means a 5 a.m. wake-up and $80 a week in gas to drive round trip from Oxford.
Inside the school’s small auditorium, the class — mostly boys 7 to 10 years old — practices an age-appropriate, therapeutic version of martial arts.
They shout out the numbers 1 to 10 in Japanese while performing a series of jumping front kicks and arm-pumping thrusts.
They live with Asperger’s syndrome (an autism spectrum disorder), attention deficit disorders or other developmental disorders.
Standing on checkered floor mats, Brandon doesn’t see this as therapy to build strength, self-confidence and respect. He thinks it’s just fun.
But this modest day camp is the only one of its kind in Central Massachusetts — and only one of five in the state, according to campresource.com. Frustrated with the limited options in their communities, parents of children with learning and social disorders are willing to commute long distances every day despite the early morning wake-up time and high gas prices.
Children such as Brandon usually don’t qualify for summer programs in their towns because they are classified as highly functioning, meaning they won’t lose their skills over the summer, unlike those with severe cases of autism, said Susan Loring, director of the Autism Resource Center in West Boylston. Her state-funded center is a resource for more than 1,200 families in the area. Since these children have poorer social skills, it’s challenging for them to fit in with others at a regular day camp. Ms. Loring said the Summit camp is a welcome relief in Central Massachusetts.
Half of the children who go to the camp travel 30 minutes or more. Designed for children who struggle in a traditional public school setting, the Summit Academy is a private, year-round school with a modified program for learning and social disorders. The camp, which is in its inaugural season, costs $150 per week and runs until Aug.1. There is no financial assistance, but some school districts, Groton-Dunstable for one, have paid for six students to attend.
Daniel DiMezza, director of the Summit Academy School, said more than 40 children per week have signed up. Since building on the child’s emotional and social needs is important, the camp takes advantage of teaching moments when they happen, he said.
Jimmy Nason, 7, enrolled at Summit in April. As a first-grade student at the Hubbardston Center School, he was often overwhelmed in class and would curl up under his desk. He was diagnosed at age 3 with PDD-NOS, which is similar to Asperger’s syndrome.
Lissette Nason, Jimmy’s mother, said he is at par with other children his age academically, but socially he was evaluated way below his grade level. At times disruptive, he often spent four of his six-hour school days in the principal’s office, sent by frustrated teachers because he couldn’t grasp the imaginary elements of particular school assignments.
“He couldn’t write a story about being a bear,” Ms. Nason said. Equally frustrated with the way her son was treated, she added, “You wouldn’t penalize a child who couldn’t run a 50-yard dash.”
Since coming to Summit, Jimmy appears to be doing better. At the start of the martial arts class, he bows as he enters the room and stands on his spot on the mat, marked with a T. Wearing a blue Nike basketball outfit and skinny as a string bean, Jimmy shouts out commands with the others, “When I control my ‘T,’ I control me.”
Tammaris Mitchell is the teacher, or sensei. Referring to the program as martial arts therapy, she said the goal is to work on the whole child, not just the academic portion. Aside from developing eye-hand coordination, the program also focuses on how to identify and manage personal space and establish non-verbal communication, traits not easily learned by children like Jimmy and Brandon.
In class the students recite their creed: always to do their best, accept responsibility and show respect for others.
The lessons learned in Ms. Mitchell’s class enable the children to function for the rest of their camp day, which includes tennis, arts and crafts, and an extended school year of math, science and English.
Late in the afternoon Jimmy heads home with his mother, eager to teach his sister how to count in Japanese.
The parking lot is jammed with cars as Brandon begins his long ride home. He will rise early to attend his next martial arts class on time. This is important, according to the school handbook, because anyone can be a sensei if willing to be dedicated.
By Richard Price CORRESPONDENT
LEOMINSTER— As far as summer camps go, this one isn’t much to write home about to mom and dad.
There’s no archery, no lake for swimming, no campfire sing-alongs. There’s not a marshmallow to be found for roasting.
Yet parents from as far away as Andover are driving past the traditional summer camps to Leominster, where they drop off their son or daughter at a day camp in the Summit Academy School at 365 Lindell Ave.
To 7-year-old Brandon Moss, it’s the best camp in the world, even though he travels 45 minutes each way to attend. Here, he learns martial arts and loves it. For his mother, Kelly, it means a 5 a.m. wake-up and $80 a week in gas to drive round trip from Oxford.
Inside the school’s small auditorium, the class — mostly boys 7 to 10 years old — practices an age-appropriate, therapeutic version of martial arts.
They shout out the numbers 1 to 10 in Japanese while performing a series of jumping front kicks and arm-pumping thrusts.
They live with Asperger’s syndrome (an autism spectrum disorder), attention deficit disorders or other developmental disorders.
Standing on checkered floor mats, Brandon doesn’t see this as therapy to build strength, self-confidence and respect. He thinks it’s just fun.
But this modest day camp is the only one of its kind in Central Massachusetts — and only one of five in the state, according to campresource.com. Frustrated with the limited options in their communities, parents of children with learning and social disorders are willing to commute long distances every day despite the early morning wake-up time and high gas prices.
Children such as Brandon usually don’t qualify for summer programs in their towns because they are classified as highly functioning, meaning they won’t lose their skills over the summer, unlike those with severe cases of autism, said Susan Loring, director of the Autism Resource Center in West Boylston. Her state-funded center is a resource for more than 1,200 families in the area. Since these children have poorer social skills, it’s challenging for them to fit in with others at a regular day camp. Ms. Loring said the Summit camp is a welcome relief in Central Massachusetts.
Half of the children who go to the camp travel 30 minutes or more. Designed for children who struggle in a traditional public school setting, the Summit Academy is a private, year-round school with a modified program for learning and social disorders. The camp, which is in its inaugural season, costs $150 per week and runs until Aug.1. There is no financial assistance, but some school districts, Groton-Dunstable for one, have paid for six students to attend.
Daniel DiMezza, director of the Summit Academy School, said more than 40 children per week have signed up. Since building on the child’s emotional and social needs is important, the camp takes advantage of teaching moments when they happen, he said.
Jimmy Nason, 7, enrolled at Summit in April. As a first-grade student at the Hubbardston Center School, he was often overwhelmed in class and would curl up under his desk. He was diagnosed at age 3 with PDD-NOS, which is similar to Asperger’s syndrome.
Lissette Nason, Jimmy’s mother, said he is at par with other children his age academically, but socially he was evaluated way below his grade level. At times disruptive, he often spent four of his six-hour school days in the principal’s office, sent by frustrated teachers because he couldn’t grasp the imaginary elements of particular school assignments.
“He couldn’t write a story about being a bear,” Ms. Nason said. Equally frustrated with the way her son was treated, she added, “You wouldn’t penalize a child who couldn’t run a 50-yard dash.”
Since coming to Summit, Jimmy appears to be doing better. At the start of the martial arts class, he bows as he enters the room and stands on his spot on the mat, marked with a T. Wearing a blue Nike basketball outfit and skinny as a string bean, Jimmy shouts out commands with the others, “When I control my ‘T,’ I control me.”
Tammaris Mitchell is the teacher, or sensei. Referring to the program as martial arts therapy, she said the goal is to work on the whole child, not just the academic portion. Aside from developing eye-hand coordination, the program also focuses on how to identify and manage personal space and establish non-verbal communication, traits not easily learned by children like Jimmy and Brandon.
In class the students recite their creed: always to do their best, accept responsibility and show respect for others.
The lessons learned in Ms. Mitchell’s class enable the children to function for the rest of their camp day, which includes tennis, arts and crafts, and an extended school year of math, science and English.
Late in the afternoon Jimmy heads home with his mother, eager to teach his sister how to count in Japanese.
The parking lot is jammed with cars as Brandon begins his long ride home. He will rise early to attend his next martial arts class on time. This is important, according to the school handbook, because anyone can be a sensei if willing to be dedicated.
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