Autism Magazine - Issue 4

TABLE OF CONTENT

WELCOME MY BROTHER WAS DIAGNOSED WITH AUTISM EARLY LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT IMPROVING YOUR CHILD’S PLAYSKILLS TOILET TRAINING TIPS WHY CHILDREN HURT THEMSELVES

CASUAL DAY HIKING DRAIL PHOTO DUMP HOW TO IMPROVE LANGUAGE SKILLS.

WELCOME

Welcome to Autism Magazine a platform that is specially designed to share all the information about autism spectrum disorder. We aim to provide information about development, special education, behaviour, communication and social skills.

Autism Magazine aims to serve as guidance to all the questions relating to autism. We will regularly have interviews of professionals, organizations and families affected by autism around South Africa.

Our Autism Magazine is suitably made for adults or parents with children on ASD, NOS and professionals.

M

y brother was diagnosed with autis M

What was your experience of growing up with your sibling, did you ever think he was differnt?

My brother & I have a 6 year gap - me being the eldest. Growing up I did not fully understand what was happening or what the situation was with regards to my little brother. I never saw him as “different” in any way whatsoever. Even when I was at the age that I understood, he was never seen”different” to any of us. I do remember being rather envious as a child - of him - as my parents paid special attention to him & his needs. Most of their time was dedicated to him, especially my moms. As she was determined to assist him as much as she could. But my brother loved me greatly! He was truly fond of me as a baby.

From your point of view how were your parent’s parenting style towards your brother?

I cannot remember the exact age my brother got his diagnosis - Asperger’s Syndrome - however, my mom had her suspicions that something was up. At the time, no one could medically assist her & was always told he was a “slow learner”, “lazy child” (As he could not utter a word until the age of 3), or a “late bloomer”. Autism wasn’t heard of at the time, until one day my mom was reading a newspaper & came across an ad on a specialist who spoke briefly shared her knowledge based on autism spectrum disorder. My brother fit the criteria & my mom immediately made contact with the specialist. I remember driving really far out with my parents, we reached our destination - I wasn’t allowed to go in - but once my mom & brother came out, she was in tears. He had officially gotten a diagnosis. Which was a utter relief for my mom, so she could now help him.

How did parents help your brother?

My mom got special training from this specialist, as driving so far was something we could not afford. My mom had left university to gain as much knowledge as she could to help my brother. My fathers office at home was turned into a room for my brother, where he’d spend most of his time in with my mom while she taught & helped him. She spent, if I remember correctly, about 6 hours a day with him to help his speech & various other sensory issues that he had. I remember the tears she had when his first word was “Mommy”. As she felt she had achieved something. Both my parents had a really great hold on the situation, especially my mom as she could than take her knowledge gained to assist others.

Did you ever feel like you needed to protect your sibling?

I was exceptionally over protective of him. My family could not afford to put him in a special needs school & he had to attend a mainstream school. He got bullied a lot & I remember fetching him at school & he would come really upset & confused as to why he was being treated differently. Until one day I became really upset & went to confront an 8 year old. I was in high school at this point. I could not understand why others were mistreating him, but he held his head so high. In my eyes, his like you & I. And why could others not see this.

Most people think that people diagnosed with autism struggle to show sympathy, Would you agree?

To a certain extent, its true. Physically, yes! My brother & I have never hugged, because he does not like any sort of affection. The most i’ve gotten is a high 5! However, my brother can sympathize verbally. Even though his facial expressions may not show it. He has his own means & ways of communicating sympathy, but it is something we understand & accept.

What’s your advise advise to other parents out there raising a child on a spectrum?

My advise is to love them unconditionally & not give up on them in any way. My moms hopes for my brother was to try & assist him to live some kind of normal life, despite him being “different”. There has been many tears, difficulties & times of helplessness, but my parents never gave up on him. They continue to encourage him & support him, no matter what. And sometimes my mom does push him in a direction that he may be uncomfortable in, for him to explore & see for himself. To prove others wrong, because you never know unless you try right!

AUTISM 101

Early Language Development

Non verbal does not always mean that a person can not hear you. You should not stop speaking to your child just because they do not have words, speaking with children helps to improve their communication and language skills.

The first step to teaching communication is eye contact , eye contact does not only improve attentiveness but it is also important for catching and responding to other people’s social cues.

Children learn to communicate even before they can start speaking. Early pre verbal communication is when a child communicates with you without using words (when they start directing you or pointing at a desired item).

Strategies of communication and early language development

• Children learn more by the need to communicate. You need to be creative and create a situation that requires a child to request for items( signing or saying please) eg instead of giving your child a whole packet of chips, give them in small portions so that they can come back and ask for more.

• Always encourage your child to request for something without crying or throwing a tantrum(could be through picture exchange method, sign language or using words).

• Always use language when you are with your child eg when they want you to open a bottle of water make eye contact and say OPEN. this helps them to communicate and learn language.

• If they show signs of speech (when they try sounding few words) always encourage them to sound words. note the approximation of words that they are trying to sound and work on them to make them sound better.

• Children are visual leaners, have a PECS file at home with pictures of things they use on a daily basis.

IMPROVING YOUR CHILD’S PLAY SKILLS

I have been observing how children play and why children with autism would rather keep to themselves instead of playing with their peers. Children with autism tend to play alone for different reasons, some of the reasons are:

• They play differently (they would rather line up toys instead of using them for their purpose)

• Hold on to a particular toy for a while

• Repeat some actions over and over again

• They can not focus on one game for a long time

• They enjoy walking or running around

How to teach your child to engage and play with other children

Teach imitation skills

When teaching your child imitation skills you can start with simple skills like feeding the doll or pushing a car, make sure you prompt the first few times until they get used to it. This technique teaches them to play with their toys and with time they will also start imitating their peers.

Teach pretend play (Symbolic play)

This skill can be taught through playing tea parties or superheroes. Pretend play helps children to actively experiment with social and emotional roles This skill teaches children to wait, take turns, solve problems and to share responsibilities.

Teach joint attention skills

Engage in activities that allow team work like building blocks or working on puzzles together. This allows children to work in pairs and groups.

Teach social communication skills

Children should be able to understand and communicate with other people. This skill will help with social interaction and children will be able to understand people’s intention.

Toilet training tips

What if the child doesn’t sit on the toilet?

When children with autism are afraid of the toilet, use a transitional potty, and encourage them to sit on it. You may need to have him/her sit on it outside the bathroom and slowly transition it into the bathroom. Reinforce your child for sitting on the transitional potty for 10 seconds and slowly increase the time spent on the pottty.

What if my child has an excessive interest in flushing the toilet?

You will have to block every time they want to flush Explain to your child that flushing is only when there is pee or poop in the toilet and deny access to having your child flush the toilet by closing the door.

What if my child likes to play with the toilet water?

Deny access to the toilet by closing the bathroom door. Playing with toilet water means children with autism have a sensory need that isn’t being met. Set up appropriate places in your house where your child can play with water.

What if my child is afraid to have a bowel movement in the toilet and becomes constipated?

What if my child has a fear of flushing the toilet?

The flushing sound can be loud and scary to children. Flush the toilet when they are outside the bathroom and once they are comfortable you can try to reintroduce flushing.

Often times, children will wait until they get their diaper or pull-up at night so they can poop in that. If this happens, do not get discouraged, as peeing and pooping are two different parts of toilet training. The first step is getting your child to successfully pee in the toilet. Try to get children eat children with fiber if possible.

WHY CHILDREN HURT THEMSELVES?

Some children tend to engage in self-injurious behavior and the most common one is head banging against the wall, furniture or the floor. Children engage in head banging when they are frustrated, I have read posts on Facebook of concerned parents wanting to know how they can prevent head banging. Every behavior has an antecedent, before it happened something must have triggered it and its important to know what motivated the behavior so that it will be easier to prevent it.

1Your child might be trying to communicate

Non verbal children have difficulties communicating and it sometimes leads to crying or engaging in different behaviors to get their caregiver’s attention. Sometimes banging their head is to express their frustrations, desires and anxiety.They might be seeking attention

2when they are trying to escape demands

In most cases head banging occurs when something is taken away from the child or when they are trying to escape a task or an activity presented to them.

3

When they are trying to get attention

The one course of head banging that most parents are probably familiar with is when children bang their heads to get attention. Children quickly learn when they are most attended to and they have realized that if they bang their heads their needs will be quickly attended to.

It’s not pleasant to see your child engage in injurious behavior, you can try to determine the patterns that triggers head banging. If your child is banging their heads because of sensory processing issues, you can provide sensory alternatives (swing, trampoline, weight vest or blanket) and you can teach your child emotional self regulation especially if they bang their heads when they feel like they are not being understood. The most important way to prevent self injury is to have a safe environment for your child and remove sharp dangerous objects around the house.

CASUAL DAY

What is casual day?

Casual Day is the National Council of and for Persons with Disabilities (NCPD)’s flagship awareness and fundraising project. Casual Day is a widely celebrated national campaign that occurs annually in South Africa, this year on Friday 2 September.

What are the donations used for?

Your Casual Day donations are channeled nationally to those in need via care homes, food gardens, women and youth programmes (including GBV), skills workshops and educational centers while providing inclusive employment, assistive devices, advocacy, transport and universal access services. Here’s a snapshot of our impact since we started in 1995 at the dawn of South Africa’s democracy.

How to involved?

You can become a beneficiary of Casual Day by participating in the fundraising effort. Participating beneficiaries directly benefit by immediately retaining 40% of every sticker donation collected, therefore you are able to fundraise for your own organisation within your own community.

“Casual Day is ot only the largest fundraising project for persons with disabilities in South Africa. It is also an important national campaign to raise awareness about persons with disabilities through which their rights are promoted. These include access, equality, social inclusion and economic participation”

HIKING TRAIL PHOTO DUMP

How to improve language?

• Encourage language and non verbal communication: always talk to your children even if they are not verbal yet. Try to have conversations of things they are interested in(colors of their toys, the weather outside, their favorite tv shows etc.) and always encourage eye contact.

• Use pictures and labels: children are visual leaners, using pictures and labels when trying to teach certain objects and saying the actual names of the objects will develop their language.

• Always use speech even when using other methods of communication: always use words, even when they are using other methods or ways to communicate(could be AAC devices or gesturing and pulling when they are communicating). When they request for items, name the items before handing it to them and encourage eye contact when they are receiving or getting things from you or other people.

• Encourage play and social interaction: play is the most effective and enjoyable way to teach children. Allow them to lead you in their games, follow along with words and keep them interested.

Augmentative and Alternative Communication(AAC)

AAC is a method of communication used to assist people who are unable to use verbal speech to communicate. Most popular and affordable AAC methods used at schools is PECS(Picture Exchange Communication System) PECS is a file with pictures that individuals exchange to communicate.