Help! My Grandchild has Autism! How can I help?

1. “Help! My Grandchild has Autism!”“How can I help?” Cherryl Warnica, BS(CD), MCD, CCC Speech Language Pathologist, Reg CASLPO #2470

2. Welcome • Who I am and Why this workshop • Introduce yourself and your connection with a child with Autism. • What do you hope to get from today?

3. Agenda/Plan Autism-explanation and overview Real Life: what can you do Please feel free to ask questions throughout

4. Autism Overview • historical facts • prevalence in society • definition of ASD

5. Historical Views of Autism • non-verbal, • self-injurious, • solitary, • blaming parent for poor attachment

6. New Views on Autism • Genetic component • hard-wired (they come this way) • brains process information differently • early intervention a key

7. Prevalence • 1:100 (higher ratio of boys than girls) • more probable to have multiple children in family tree (cousins, uncles, grandparents)

8. Clinical Diagnosis • Red flags • Play: • Language: • Social:

9. Definition of ASD • Impairment in three areas • sensory • social/emotional (play) • language

10. In a CBC article in May 2013 • Neurological condition that affects the way the brain functions • Difficulties with communication and social interaction • Unusual patterns of behaviour, activities and interests • Similar behavioural, social and communication characteristics may occur • Can vary widely in the effect on day-to-day lives

11. Play • You were right: Play is a child’s work: it’s also a precursor of language and literacy • important for fine motor development as well as social and fun • different levels of play • red flags in play

12. Language • Communication • gesture, words, interaction • coherence • Language-understanding and expresssion

13. Sensory • Vision • Hearing • Smell • Taste • Touch • Movement (vestibular) • Body Awareness (proprioception)

14. (Milton and Ethel Harris Research Initiative) Intention & Reciprocity Regulation (Calm & Alert Shared Attention) Engagement Communication

15. Self Regulation-a calm and alert, ready to learn state. • The goal is to achieve self regulation. • someone might be over-responsive (avoids movement, messy play, eye contact, fussy about clothes) and someone might be under-responsive (low energy, doesn’t notice messy face, dirty diaper OR “on the go”, difficult to calm)

16. The Over Responsive Child might: • Avoid movement (swings, car rides, sliding) • Avoid eye contact • Avoid messy play, touching food, resist textures in play or clothing • Not like to be touched or hugged • Be sensitive to noise or lights • Not like grooming • Be difficult to console or comfort

17. The Under-Responsive Child with “low arousal” (think Eoyore) might: • tire easily or be very lethargic • move slowly • not notice when twisted clothes or dirty hands and face

18. The Under-Responsive Childwho is a “sensory seeker” (think Tigger) might • have high activity level “on the go” • touch everything • smell & mouth objects • be difficult to calm

19. Activities that might help Alert, Calm and Organize • Alerting:swinging, spinning, bouncingriding wheeled toyscold water play/messy playplaying musical instrumentschase games

20. Calming Activities: • slow rocking or linear swinging • deep pressure • warm baths • quiet tight spaces • chewing chewy foods

21. Organizing Activities • pushing heavy things • pulling heavy items • lifting • carrying (backpacks etc) • jumping, bouncing, rolling, crawling

22. What can I do to help? • awareness of sensory overloads • child’s sensory system is different: what bothers them does not bother you and vice versa • regulation pyramid

23. Intention & Reciprocity Regulation (Calm & Alert Shared Attention) Engagement Communication

24. What Can I do to Help • Before Communication is Engagement— • Hanen strategies such as Observe, wait, listen. Include the child’s interests and Imitate or copy the child’s actions, sounds/words.

25. Engagement is a Foundation skill • using Hanen strategies such as People Games (chase, two people action songs, airplane) • basically games without toys that are repetitive, predictable and often can include movement

26. The best predictors or communication outcomes are • the child’s ability to tune into language • respond to joint attention • imitate • gestures • play skills

27. Intention & Reciprocity lead to communication • child indicates ‘more’ • shared experience • model language “say it as he would if he could” • watch for cues • offer choices • give ‘bit by bit’

28. What can I do to help? • Building Language: • be specific with directions, short, clear concise • give them time to process • show them what you want • read stories, look at books • expand on what they say

29. What can I do to help? • strengthening play: • Hanen strategies: different levels • intrude • add-on • Expand

30. What do I do to help? • Be aware of your comments: • just do it this way • screen time restrictions—latest research • schedules already in place • use of visuals; gestures, timers, 1st/then • Examples of your children

31. What can I do help? • Information on feeding • bathing • grooming/dressing • routines • visuals

32. Final thoughts: • be supportive—listen, love • ask for information • throw out preconceptions • be willing to learn as parents learn • Be good to yourselves

33. Questions

34. Resources • Hanen.org (More Than Words, Talkability) • www.firstwords.fsu.edu (videoglossary) • Building Bridge through Sensory Integration by Yack, Sutton & Acquilla