Autism Awareness Centre

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People on the autism spectrum tend to learn best using visual supports rather than through auditory input. Seeing it, rather than saying it, helps the person retain and process information. Temple Grandin, the most famous woman in the world with autism, describes being a visual thinker in her excellent book Thinking in Pictures.

Visual supports can be used to: create daily/weekly schedules, show sequential steps in a task such as a bedtime routine or getting dressed, demonstrate units of time, make a “to do” list, or to aide communication.

How can we best use visual supports? What exactly are they? Visuals can be pictures, objects, sign language or text. They can come in a variety of forms. Some examples of programs that generate visuals are:

Boardmaker (Mayer-Johnson) – This popular software generates Picture Communication Symbols (PCS) and other graphics. The draws are line drawings and not actual photos. Boardmaker does not work for every child because some children do not understand what the line drawings mean.

Communicate: SymWriter (formerly Writing with Symbols) - A different approach to writing, reading and literacy development, this program is a talking word processor that matches symbols to words to help students of all ages and abilities increase comprehension and fluency. Writing activities challenge students with a focus on creating summaries, biographies, letters, persuasive papers, reports and reviews. A great tool for students with limited spelling abilities or those who have trouble accessing a keyboard, SymWriter comes equipped with symbol-supported grids for writing, making independent engagement in assignments and projects possible for all students.

PictureSET - a collection of downloadable visual supports that can be used by students for both receptive and expressive communication in the classroom, at home, and in the community. This searchable database allows you to find a wide range of useful visual supports for different curriculum areas, activities, and events. PictureSET resources are created and updated by dedicated professionals working with students in British Columbia.

Visual Aids for Learning - free downloadable visuals to help people learn everyday activities. The images are ideal for children, particularly those with learning difficulties. Where appropriate, the images are gender specific.

Visual Suite DVD - This is a new product that has thousands of photos in situations often encountered in everyday life, like chores, money, school supplies, what’s different and many more.

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Finding the right person to provide respite or in-home care can be a daunting task. The person needs to be a good fit with both the child and the family. How do you find the best person? What qualities to you look for?

 Before you even start looking and interviewing, ask the following questions and write down your answers:

• What are our family values?
• Do you want someone who shares your family values or do you want to introduce your family to different ways of thinking?
• What kind of pace does your family feel comfortable with?
• What is your lifestyle – casual or formal?
• Is your family structured with routine or are you spontaneous?
• Do you value privacy or are you more open with personal issues?
• How much time are you willing to devote to train someone or do you want someone with a lot of experience?
  

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Introducing the topic of menstruation to girls on the autism spectrum can be a daunting task. Mothers worry about how their daughters will react to the event. Will there be sensory issues around blood flow and the use of sanitary pads? How will they feel about this change in their body? Will it be painful? How do you teach hygiene around menstruation? Will menstruation be understood and accepted?

There are ways to ease the transition into menstruation. Introduce the topic of menstruation early, one to two years before you think it may occur, to get used to what it is about and how natural a process it is. Allow time to become familiar with the vocabulary around menstruation and practice routines. Have the child wear a pad from time to time to get used to the feeling of it. Teach how to put on a pad and proper disposal of pads (not in the toilet, wrapping up a used one, putting it in the wastebasket). Visual supports can help with the process of breaking down the routine into steps. A great book that addresses this topic with the use of visual supports and social stories is Mary Wrobel’s book Taking Care of Myself.

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When it is suspected that a child has autism, they are often placed on a waiting list for an assessment. The wait can be several months, sometimes longer. In the  meantime, parents, grandparents, caregivers and other professionals would like to help that child in any way that they can. There is much that can be done even before an official diagnosis is given. If suspicions turn out to be incorrect, the help given will not have been harmful in any way. Where do you start? 

Communication and language development are often the first red flags for seeking an initial assessment. If a child is not speaking or using gestures to communicate needs, a system of communication needs to be developed. Once this is in place, challenging behaviors often decrease.

Develop a communication system by using visual supports. These can be anything from digital photos of familiar objects and routines to pictures. (Note – there is a hierarchy to using visual supports. Start with using actual objects, then move to color photographs). Model how to use these supports. For example, if a child wants a drink of juice, use simple language and say “juice” then have the photo/visual handy and point to it. You can take the child’s hand and place it on the photo and say “juice”. Don’t worry about using complete sentences at this point. You just want to model using the visual with a word and a gesture such as pointing. One helpful website for using visual supports is Do2Learn.

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Most people don’t like going to the dentist. For child with autism, the sounds, smells and sensations of a dental appointment can send them over the edge. Here are some ways to make a dental appointment a success.

The first step and most important is to take away the unpredictability of the dental visit. There are two ways to achieve this – by creating a social story and letting the child see the dentist’s office before the actual appointment. The social story walks the child through the dental visit step by step. Start with a photo of the outside of the building. This can be the title page –“ (Name) Visits the Dentist”. Photograph the elevator or stairs, then the door to the office. Get pictures of the staff in the order the child will meet them: receptionist, dental hygienist, and dentist. Snap pictures of the waiting area and some toys that might amuse entice the child. Unsure of the breakdown of a dental appointment? Click here to see photos of a dental appointment. There is also an app available for dental visits.

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There is a dizzying array of information about autism and what treatments/therapies work best. You’ll get advice from parents who’ll tell you how well something worked for their child. Medical professionals will have an opinion. Internet research, forums, and articles may also influence your decision.

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Higher functioning individuals on the autism spectrum often go undiagnosed until school life ends and independence begins. When the routines and structure of school end and work or post-secondary education begins, young adults can start to feel the pressure. There are more decisions to be made, greater organizational skills required, less structure and an increase in social complexities. The parent-child relationship is often redefined at this stage of life. The young adult may want more independence from parents but does not understand how to do this.

All of these new challenges can lead to mental health issues such as depression or increased anxiety. The young adult often reaches a crisis point after struggling with the new demands of adulthood and failures in the areas of education, relationships, and/or losing a job. It can be at the apex of this crisis that a diagnosis is pursued and received.

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Whether you are switching schools, moving from elementary to junior high or junior high to high school, or starting school for the first time, entering into a new school environment can be stressful for the child with autism.

There are a few things a parent can do to make this transition a success. Call the school and ask if you and your child may do a tour of the building and view the classrooms. The best scenario is to do this in June before the end of the school year and then again in August before school starts – it’s a good idea to refresh the child’s memory after the summer break. Bring your camera and take photos of the relevant rooms your child will be using (i.e. the gym, library, front office, playground, the classroom). If the teachers and office staff are there, take their pictures as well. Assemble the photos into a book and label them so that the child can look at these photos with you and on his own.

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The Gluten-Free/Casein Free (GF/CF) diet involves removing all food items that contain gluten or dairy. Gluten is a protein that is found in wheat, barley and rye so any products made from these items will have gluten in them. Casein is a protein found in milk. Dairy products such as yogurt, cheese, butter, and sour cream will have casein in them.

Reading about the diet is a good place to start to understand what needs to be eliminated from the diet, the commitment involved, and how to implement and monitor the diet and its effects.

The two best books to start with are:
Special Diets for Special Kids by Lisa Lewis
Diet Intervention and Autism - Implementing the Gluten Free and Casein Free Diet for Autistic Children and Adults - A Practical Guide for Parents by Marilyn Le Breton