Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Yeah, He's Clapping
Anyway, for about a month we've been playing the starter video for Jaden. He really likes it! When he hears the music, his eyes are just glued onto to the tv. One of the words that they go over in the video is "clap." And Jaden has started clapping. That's tremendous for me because anytime I try to get him to clap, he takes my hands and clap my hands. He never used to clap his hand himself. I must say also that they started doing "clap hands" in his ABA program as well.
The next gesture I would love to see him do is to wave hi and bye. His not waving and clapping was an early indication to me that we may need to seek help.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Triumph Over Autism Bilingually
Here's an encouraging article about a girl who talks when the doctors said she wouldn't, but she's bilingual! Read on Triumph over Autism
The parents used a therapy call the Son-Rise Programme. I decided to look more into this therapy and found that it's very similar to Floortime. Over the next few posts I will put up information about Floortime. This method of therapy seems like something we can learn to do at home. Right now Jaden get ABA (applied behavior analysis) for 2 hours at home and 2 hours at school.
Saturday, May 9, 2009
AOL Article: Research Suggests Children Can Recover from Autism
Here's an article I happened upon about children recovering from autism. I believe all things are possible and it's a good reminder to never give up hope. It's not easy when you're living it day to day and not seeing results...but results come from the inside out. It's in there.
Research suggests children can recover from autism
CHICAGO -Leo Lytel was diagnosed with autism as a toddler. But by age 9 he had overcome the disorder. His progress is part of a growing body of research that suggests at least 10 percent of children with autism can "recover" from it — most of them after undergoing years of intensive behavioral therapy.
Skeptics question the phenomenon, but University of Connecticut psychology professor Deborah Fein is among those convinced it's real.
She presented research this week at an autism conference in Chicago that included 20 children who, according to rigorous analysis, got a correct diagnosis but years later were no longer considered autistic.
Among them was Leo, a boy in Washington, D.C., who once made no eye contact, who echoed words said to him and often spun around in circles — all classic autism symptoms. Now he is an articulate, social third-grader. His mother, Jayne Lytel, says his teachers call Leo a leader.
The study, funded by the National Institute of Mental Health, involves children ages 9 to 18.
Autism researcher Geraldine Dawson, chief science officer of the advocacy group Autism Speaks, called Fein's research a breakthrough. (Read more)
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
DVD Teaches Autistic Kids Meaning of a Smile
DVD teaches autistic kids what a smile means
By Maria Cheng, Associated Press
"It was revelatory," his mother, Caron Freeborn told AP Television News in Cambridge, England. Before watching the video, Jude didn't understand what emotions were and never noticed the expressions on people's faces, even those of his parents or younger brother.
Jenny's adventures are part of a DVD for autistic children released this week in the United States called The Transporters.
The DVD teaches autistic children how to recognize emotions like happiness, anger and sadness through the exploits of vehicles including a train, a ferry, and a cable car.
*As this post gets old, the source of this article may be archived or removed.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Healing for Autism
Thursday, April 16, 2009
When Toddlers Point a Lot...
Jaden is mastering many skills: problem solving, twisting lids on and off, appropriate play with his sisters. We're still working with him on clapping and pointing. Here's an interesting article on why toddlers learning how to point is so important.
Don't just talk to your toddler - gesture, too. Pointing, waving bye-bye and other natural gestures seem to boost a budding vocabulary.
Scientists found those tots who could convey more meaning with gestures at age 14 months went on to have a richer vocabulary as they prepared to start kindergarten. And intriguingly, whether a family is poor or middle class plays a role, the researchers report Friday.
Anyone who's ever watched a tot perform the arms-raised "pick me up now" demand knows that youngsters figure out how to communicate well before they can talk. Gesturing also seems to be an important precursor to forming sentences, as children start combining one word plus a gesture for a second word. (Read More)
Friday, March 20, 2009
Looking for a Preschool (CPSE)
I've heard it depends on the school whether or not they will hold a spot. I've heard that no school will hold a spot because they will be losing money. So, I just want us to be ready for September.