Maureen Bennie’s blog on a wide variety of subjects pertaining to autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Maureen is a mother of a son and a daughter ages 24 and 22 with autism. She has managed an at-home Intensive Behavioral Intervention Program for eight years for her children. She has written hundreds of articles and book reviews that have appeared in publications and on websites throughout North America and the UK. Maureen also gives presentations both live and online across Canada on various topics about autism, available books and resources and how to use them.
Saturday morning we packed up, bid Ibra good bye and the driver took us to the “Luxury” bus to Lushoto we thought we had tickets on. As in Alice’s Wonderland, nothing is as you think it will be. Fortunately it was a rather cool day and the sky was overcast because we were packed in like sardines for the 7 hour trip that was suppose to take 5.
Did I ever mention that the Dadas (teacher assistants) don’t speak English? Two of the new teachers don’t speak much either and do not let us know when they are not understanding what we are saying. They are wonderful people and very good with the children. The teachers help translate but we definitely have had some communication breakdowns.
Wow, this week has flown by. We have been practicing, practicing, practicing all week. Thankfully the children are responding to the strategies which we hope will fuel the teachers for the hard work ahead of them. We will make work tasks tomorrow afternoon then meet with the teachers. On Friday we do a wrap-up.
I forgot to tell you about the school. The program is housed in a residential neighborhood just down the road from our hotel. Mr. Chanadu meets us at our hotel as we are finishing our breakfast (peanut butter and jelly sandwich, coffee and a banana) and escorts us as we walk to school, dodging the puddles and passing school children, vendors selling fried donut-type balls and a woodworking shop.
Last night we went to the Slipway, a shopping district along the coast. Watched the Dhows sail along in the sunset, beautiful! We had barbeque for dinner and, unfortunately, the shrimp Kari had did not agree with her. She is out of commission for the day and for the night so I am on my own. There is an internet non cafe just a block down from our hotel so that is where I am.
We arrived safe and sound after a long and tiring flight. It is the end of the rainy season so there are major puddles on the dirt road in front of our hotel. On Sunday Kari and I walked to the Mwenga Village Museum (think Murphy’s landing), a living museum demonstrating tribal village life from different areas around the country. We saw wonderful dancing, artists and crafts. Very charming.
Parents of children with autism or other special needs frequently struggle with toilet training their child. Toileting a child with special needs is more difficult because there are often additional challenges such as communication difficulties, sensory issues, behavioral concerns, resistance to change, inability to generalize a newly learned skill, and the need for routine.
Motivation is a key tool for wanting to acquire new information and attending to a task. Most of us will devote more time and energy to something that interests us rather than a task that we are told to do. We are more apt to pursue or stay with something that interests us.
Asperger’s…What Does It Mean to Me? written by TEACCH therapist Catherine Faherty is a supportive, self-awareness program for young people ages 8 – 14 with high functioning autism (HFA) or Asperger Syndrome. The workbook format of this book, designed to be written in, creates a framework to assist the individual in thinking about themselves, who they are, and what makes them unique.
There is an abundance of literature available on a variety of topics about autism spectrum disorder (ASD); however, most of these materials are written with males in mind since they comprise most of population diagnosed with ASD. There are some excellent personal perspective stories written by women on the spectrum such as Dr. Temple Grandin, Donna Williams, and Liane Willey, but there are almost no books written about working or living with females with ASD.
Starting Points is a handy guide designed to help anyone who is new to the diagnosis of Asperger Syndrome. Educators, therapists, and parents will learn strategies to work effectively with that individual. Constructed in an easy-to-follow format complete with icons, charts, and other visual supports, this book will lessen the feeling of being overwhelmed when assisting someone with Asperger Syndrome.
Author: Leslie Broun and Patricia Oelwein Publishing Info: Paperback / 2007 Reviewed by Maureen Bennie: Director, Autism Awareness Centre Inc. Author Leslie Broun has been presenting Visual Strategies for Teaching Reading and Math for the Autism Awareness Centre across Canada for the past 3 years. Leslie has teamed with Patricia Oelwein, author of Teaching Reading to Children with Down Syndrome,…
Parents of children with a recent diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often feel overwhelmed, scared and anxious. Early intervention is the key to aid in the development of these children and for providing support for families dealing with a child’s social, communication, and behavioral problems. Lengthy waiting lists for services or a lack of full services in rural areas can leave parents feeling helpless and unable to meet their child’s needs.
Individuals on the autism spectrum have social deficits which affect their ability to interact with peers, converse, and make friends. Because our children spend most of their day at school, social skills need to be addressed in the school setting. Michelle Dunn’s new book S.O.S. Social Skills In Our Schools is a social skills curriculum designed for verbal children on the spectrum in grades 1 to 6 and their typical peers.
Author: Norm Ledgin Publishing Info: May 2002 Reviewed by Maureen Bennie: Director, Autism Awareness Centre Inc. Norm Ledgin successfully puts to rest the negative connotations an Asperger’s diagnosis usually has. He’s devoted his literary energy into seeing the positive aspects of Asperger’s Syndrome. Society generally looks upon people with different or unusual traits as abnormal, but Ledgin sees the Asperger’s traits…