NO MATTER WHAT (AUTISM) BY SANDY HOWARTH
Understanding and Dealing with the challenges of Autism
CONTENTS
1. Foreword 24
CHAPTER ONE 26
AUTISM - THE PUZZLING DISORDER (26-56)
2. The onset
3. Detecting a difference before the diagnosis
4. Diagnosis
5. How parents feel
6. MEDICAL TESTS (31-33)
Hearing test
EEG
Metabolic screening
MRI
Cat scan
7. Confirmation of the diagnosis
8. Learning your child is Autistic
9. Dealing with the stress of the diagnosis
10. Commitment level
11. What does the label mean?
12. Creating public awareness
13. Help for Parents
14. Autistic family life
15. Understanding self
16. The fear of the unknown
17. The beauty of innocence
18. Feeling alone and rejected
19. Going into denial
20. Dealing with an Autistic child after the initial diagnosis
21. WHAT DOES AUTISM MEAN? (47-56)
Difficulty with verbal communication
Difficulty with nonverbal communication
Lacking in social development
Lacking in emotional development
Lacking in imagination
Lacking or no eye contact
Insistence on routine
Difficulty with taking turns
Over or under sensitive senses
Play in a manner that is unusual or odd
Lack of awareness to danger
Repetitive or obsessive behaviour
Bizarre behaviour
Hyperactive
Passive
Gives impression of being deaf or blind
Spinning objects
Laughing or crying for no apparent reason
Prefer being alone
Echolalia
Lack of awareness of personal space
Lack of facial expression
Unusual body posture
Lack of ability to imitate
Lack of ability to sustain a conversation
Lack of ability to gesture
Poor eating habits
22. Recognising sensory difficulties in Autistic children
CHAPTER TWO 57
MINDBLINDNESS, INNOCENCE & GRATITUDE (57-66)
23. Thinking in Autism
24. Theory of mind
25. Humour and Autism
26. Apportioning blame
27. Is it the MMR vaccine?
28. Whatever the reason
29. Dealing with siblings
30. Love and Discipline
31. WHAT DOES AN AUTISTIC CHILD TEACH YOU? (63-64)
Patience
Looks can be deceptive
Honesty & innocence
To give love unconditionally
To be grateful for small mercies
To be understanding of others in distress
To focus on priorities
To find a hidden strength
Sharpens your sense of awareness
32. Will the Autism ever go away?
33. Parents’ views
CHAPTER THREE 67
STEVEN’S DEVELOPMENTAL HISTORY – LEARNING THE HARD FACTS (67-96)
34. Recognising early signs of Autism in Steven
35. Interaction with others
36. Early Travel
37. Can grandmas cope? An incident in New Zealand
38. Steven’s second trip abroad
39. Moving house
40. Is it or isn’t it Autism?
41. Confirmation of Autism
42. Return to Dubai after the diagnosis
43. Teaching Steven at home - Developing motivation in Autistic children
44. We were different
45. A lack of specialist teaching for Autism in Dubai
46. Concerns over Educational provision in Dubai
47. Preparing for Riana’s birth
48. An incident in Dubai - Can grandmas cope?
49. Impact of Riana’s birth on Steven
50. Concerns over Educational provision in the UK
CHAPTER FOUR 97
COMMITMENT TO EDUCATION (97-119)
51. Choosing a suitable educational environment
52. Effective strategies for teaching children with cognitive and communication disorders
53. TYPES OF EDUCATIONAL PROVISION (99-101)
• Mainstream school with a one-to-one classroom support
• Autistic unit attached to a mainstream school
• Mainstream school without one-to-one support
• Autistic school catering specifically for Autistic children
• Language unit catering for children with - language and communication difficulties
• Home based education
54. METHODS USED IN TEACHING AUTISTIC CHILDREN (101-114)
• LOVAAS
• ABA ( Applied Behaviour Analysis)
• PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System)
• TEACCH
55. SPEECH & LANGUAGE (104-107)
56. Typical speech & Language development
57. Speech & language problems in Autism
58. Encouraging speech development
59. Sign Language / Makaton
60. OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY (107-110)
61. Developing attention span
62. Developing sensory processing skills
63. Fine & Gross motor skills
64. Activities involving daily living
65. Visual perceptual skills
66. Sensory Integration Therapy
67. Who would benefit from Sensory Integration Therapy?
68. Tactile defensiveness
69. Play Therapy
70. Holding Therapy
71. Dolphin Therapy
72. Option Therapy
73. Facilitated Communication
74. Physical Therapy
75. Computer Training
76. Vision Training - Irlene Lenses
77. Relationship development intervention
78. Social skills training
79. OTHER TREATMENTS (114-119)
Mega vitamin Therapy
Folic acid
Vitamin B6
Fish oil - EyeQ
Gluten - Casein free diet
Dimethyglycine supplements (DMG)
Secretin injection
Cranial Osteopathy
Singing
Vestibular Stimulation
CHAPTER FIVE 120
EFFECTIVE SERVICES? (120–146)
80. THE STATEMENTING PROCESS AND THE CODE OF PRACTICE
81. Understanding the code of practice
• The code of practice explains what special educational needs mean
• Suggests ways to deal with concerns over your child requiring special educational needs or not
• The LEA must agree with your preference as long as:
THE STATEMENT OF SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS (122-131)
Stages of special needs assessment
• Stage one
• Stage two
• Stage three
• Stage four
• Stage five
What does the statement of educational needs contain?
Part 1 - Introduction of the child
Part 2 - Special educational needs
Part 3 - Special educational provision
Part 4 - Placement
Part 5 - Non Educational needs
Part 6 - Non - Educational provision
All provision to be provided by the school or Authority or both
Parental request for a statutory assessment
82. Assessments
83. Who do you trust with assessments?
84. BATTLE FOR RIGHTS TO EDUCATION (132-142)
Attacks on Steven
A result of a lack of choice
Taking the LEA to Tribunal
Reasons for pursuing tribunal proceedings - My child was placed in a provision that was inappropriate
Procedures that followed
What was included in the documentation
Evidence of my child having regressed
Evidence of attacks
What steps did the LEA take?
LEA’s Defence
Educational provision appropriate or inappropriate?
85. FORMS OF COMMUNICATION (142,143)
Daily communication via home school book
Weekly report
Term report
The importance of home school book
Progress chart
86. Do the staff working with your child understand Autism?
87. THE UNITED KINGDOM PARLIAMENT - DEBATE (145,146)
CHAPTER SIX 147
88. UNDERSTANDING AUTISM (147-191)
The individuality of Autism
Differentiating Autism
How does the Autistic individual think?
Understanding anxiety and fears in typical development
Understanding Autistic behaviour
Behaviour induced by allergies
Managing Autistic behaviour - Programme 1
Programme 2
Dealing with Autistic behaviour - Distress : Understanding distress
Cause for distress
Confusion through having to accept a change in routine
Confusion through change in teaching
Frustration through having to wait or turn take
Frustration through having to wait in a public setting
Frustration through walking around a supermarket
Distress through not being able to do as she/he wants
Distress through confusion of departure
Anger : Cause for anger
Result of anger
Anger through confusion in coping with the surrounding
Anger through having to work
Over excitement : Cause for over excitement
Result of over excitement
Hyperactivity through over excitement
Rocking
Flapping arms
Attention seeking
Obsessive behaviour
Dealing with everyday situations
Teaching your child to recognise rules
Creating a bedtime routine
Time out
Redirecting negative behaviour
Helping an Autistic individual to - understand and cope with their feelings
Understanding and treating self - injurious behaviour
Behaviour management rules
How do Non Autistic peers see Autistic behaviour?
89. EARLY SIGNS OF BEHAVIOUR IN (“TYPICAL”/“AUTISTIC”) DEVELOPMENT (181 – 187)
“Typical” development
Attachment, sharing interests or feelings
Eye contact
Autistic development
Lack of sharing interests and feelings
Leading an adult by the hand
Lack of imitation
Lack of understanding the feelings of others
Unusual language development
Lack of attention
Interaction with adults
90. Symptoms related to Autism
Repetitive behaviour
Resistance to change
Self stimulory behaviour
Head banging
91. Learning your child is Autistic
92. Conditions associated with Autism
Mental retardation
Seizures
CHAPTER SEVEN 192
93. PERVASIVE DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDER (192–199)
Autism
Asperger’s Syndrome
Rett Syndrome
Childhood Disintegrative Disorder (CDD)
Pervasive Developmental Disorder - Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS)
94. OTHER CONDITIONS THAT COULD BE CONFUSED WITH AUTISM (195-198)
Fragile X Syndrome
Severe hearing impairments
Severe visual impairments
Developmental language disorder
Semantic-Pragmatic Disorder
Elective mutism
Socially deprived child
Attention Deficit Disorder
95. Autism - The groups (198-199)
The aloof group
The active but odd group
The over formal, stilted group
The passive group
CHAPTER EIGHT 200
96. PARENTS’ CONCERNS (200-212)
Concerns and stress on the family
Dealing with health issues and the - role of caring
Organising respite care
97. Coping with anger and disappointment
98. What to expect of the future
99. Predicting your child’s potential
100. Initial concerns
Will my child ever gain speech?
Will my child be able to make friends?
Will my child be able to attend a mainstream school?
Will my child be able to care for himself / herself?
Will my child be able to walk independently?
Will my child ever be able to live independently?
Will my child need care for the rest of his/her life?
Will my child be accepted by society?
101. TEACHING LIFE SKILLS TO AUTISTIC CHILDREN (214-219)
Learning to use the toilet
Learning to wash hands
Learning to dry hands
Learning to wash face
Learning to dry face
Learning to brush teeth
Rinsing mouth
Washing hair
Washing self
Brushing hair
102. TEACHING BODY AWARENESS THROUGH PHYSICAL ACTIVITY (219-224)
Using a swing
Learning to hop
Learning to throw / catch a ball
Learning to kick a ball
Learning to bounce a ball
Learning to enjoy a roundabout / scooter
Learning to ride a tricycle / bike
CHAPTER NINE 225
103. DEALING WITH THE PUZZLE IN THE BRAIN (225 – 244)
Teaching Steven awareness of himself
Teaching Steven to recognise his senses
Teaching Steven to associate food with eating
Teaching Steven to identify parts of his body
Teaching imitation of gross motor movements
Teaching imitation of fine motor movements
Teaching Steven to use a pencil
Teaching Steven to colour within a shape
Teaching Steven the meaning of colours
Teaching Steven to use scissors
CHAPTER TEN 245
104. RESEARCH ON AUTISM (245 – 259)
Increase in the prevalence of Autism
Medication - Side effects
Hyperactivity
Social behaviour
Theories of Autism
Genetics of Autism
The Cerebellum and Autism
Structural differences in the Autistic brain
Motivation to talk
Brain imaging
105. Summary 260
106. GLOSSARY OF TERMS (262 – 278)
107. AUTISM REFERENCES (279 – 289)
108. INDEX (290-296)
