Sensory Integration

I started teaching a 7 year old boy with Autism today.I do not know yet anything about him..I'm still observing and teaching as I see the need.Like he is always lying down,leaning against somebody..a teacher,a classmate.

He is also most of the time out of focus..there are so many reasons that can be attributed to this.Its a new school for him,new surrounding,new classmates,new teachers.I also noticed that he is very sensitive to touch.He reacts when u hold his hand.These things can cause a sensory overload to CWA.And may cause tantrums,nervous reactions like crying or giggling and a lot more others.

First time I saw him when I entered the classroom the regular teacher is having a hard time making him sit still and stop from eating his booger.I intervened and brought him to a corner of the room and talked to him about what he's doing.He has fleeting eye contact so I was asking him to look me in the eye while I was talking.

I told him to stop eating his booger.He did not answer.I repeated myself while I was asking him to look at me and answer me.When he said okay,I asked him if he wants to go back to join the class and he said "ok".He was getting impatient and was already crying.I warned him that if he eats his booger again or he misbehaves,I will bring him out of the room.

He joined the rest of the class but in a few minutes he started eating it again.I brought him to a separate room and I reminded him what we talked about.These children are very smart,they can understand things well,with the proper way of talking,simple words,short sentences,give time for them to respond.And always encourage eye contact.We both stayed there for a few minutes.I instructed him to tell me when he is ready to go back and join the class again but he listen to the teacher,work with the class and stop eating his booger.

After a few minutes he said "Over there"..meaning he wants to join the class.I asked him "You want to go back inside the room?" He said "Okay".I wanted to teach him how to say it properly but this can be done some other time.It will be too much to ask since I'm already teaching him to behave inside a classroom,stop eating his booger,etc.I can teach him how to say things properly some other days when I feel its time.

We both went inside the room and he was fine the rest of the class until dismissal time.

Sensory Integration

Children and adults with autism, as well as those with other developmental disabilities, may have a dysfunctional sensory system. Sometimes one or more senses are either over- or under-reactive to stimulation. Such sensory problems may be the underlying reason for such behaviors as rocking, spinning, and hand-flapping. Although the receptors for the senses are located in the peripheral nervous system (which includes everything but the brain and spinal cord), it is believed that the problem stems from neurological dysfunction in the central nervous system--the brain. As described by individuals with autism, sensory integration techniques, such as pressure-touch can facilitate attention and awareness, and reduce overall arousal. Temple Grandin, in her descriptive book, Emergence: Labeled Autistic, relates the distress and relief of her sensory experiences.

Sensory integration is an innate neurobiological process and refers to the integration and interpretation of sensory stimulation from the environment by the brain. In contrast, sensory integrative dysfunction is a disorder in which sensory input is not integrated or organized appropriately in the brain and may produce varying degrees of problems in development, information processing, and behavior. A general theory of sensory integration and treatment has been developed by Dr. A. Jean Ayres from studies in the neurosciences and those pertaining to physical development and neuromuscular function. This theory is presented in this paper.

Sensory integration focuses primarily on three basic senses--tactile, vestibular, and proprioceptive. Their interconnections start forming before birth and continue to develop as the person matures and interacts with his/her environment. The three senses are not only interconnected but are also connected with other systems in the brain. Although these three sensory systems are less familiar than vision and audition, they are critical to our basic survival. The inter-relationship among these three senses is complex. Basically, they allow us to experience, interpret, and respond to different stimuli in our environment. The three sensory systems will be discussed below.

Tactile System: The tactile system includes nerves under the skin's surface that send information to the brain. This information includes light touch, pain, temperature, and pressure. These play an important role in perceiving the environment as well as protective reactions for survival.

Dysfunction in the tactile system can be seen in withdrawing when being touched, refusing to eat certain 'textured' foods and/or to wear certain types of clothing, complaining about having one's hair or face washed, avoiding getting one's hands dirty (i.e., glue, sand, mud, finger-paint), and using one's finger tips rather than whole hands to manipulate objects. A dysfunctional tactile system may lead to a misperception of touch and/or pain (hyper- or hyposensitive) and may lead to self-imposed isolation, general irritability, distractibility, and hyperactivity.

Tactile defensiveness is a condition in which an individual is extremely sensitive to light touch. Theoretically, when the tactile system is immature and working improperly, abnormal neural signals are sent to the cortex in the brain which can interfere with other brain processes. This, in turn, causes the brain to be overly stimulated and may lead to excessive brain activity, which can neither be turned off nor organized. This type of over-stimulation in the brain can make it difficult for an individual to organize one's behavior and concentrate and may lead to a negative emotional response to touch sensations.

Vestibular System: The vestibular system refers to structures within the inner ear (the semi-circular canals) that detect movement and changes in the position of the head. For example, the vestibular system tells you when your head is upright or tilted (even with your eyes closed). Dysfunction within this system may manifest itself in two different ways. Some children may be hypersensitive to vestibular stimulation and have fearful reactions to ordinary movement activities (e.g., swings, slides, ramps, inclines). They may also have trouble learning to climb or descend stairs or hills; and they may be apprehensive walking or crawling on uneven or unstable surfaces. As a result, they seem fearful in space. In general, these children appear clumsy. On the other extreme, the child may actively seek very intense sensory experiences such as excessive body whirling, jumping, and/or spinning. This type of child demonstrates signs of a hypo-reactive vestibular system; that is, they are trying continuously to stimulate their vestibular systems.

Proprioceptive System: The proprioceptive system refers to components of muscles, joints, and tendons that provide a person with a subconscious awareness of body position. When proprioception is functioning efficiently, an individual's body position is automatically adjusted in different situations; for example, the proprioceptive system is responsible for providing the body with the necessary signals to allow us to sit properly in a chair and to step off a curb smoothly. It also allows us to manipulate objects using fine motor movements, such as writing with a pencil, using a spoon to drink soup, and buttoning one's shirt. Some common signs of proprioceptive dysfunction are clumsiness, a tendency to fall, a lack of awareness of body position in space, odd body posturing, minimal crawling when young, difficulty manipulating small objects (buttons, snaps), eating in a sloppy manner, and resistance to new motor movement activities.

Another dimension of proprioception is praxis or motor planning. This is the ability to plan and execute different motor tasks. In order for this system to work properly, it must rely on obtaining accurate information from the sensory systems and then organizing and interpreting this information efficiently and effectively.

Implications: In general, dysfunction within these three systems manifests itself in many ways. A child may be over- or under-responsive to sensory input; activity level may be either unusually high or unusually low; a child may be in constant motion or fatigue easily. In addition, some children may fluctuate between these extremes. Gross and/or fine motor coordination problems are also common when these three systems are dysfunctional and may result in speech/language delays and in academic under-achievement. Behaviorally, the child may become impulsive, easily distractible, and show a general lack of planning. Some children may also have difficulty adjusting to new situations and may react with frustration, aggression, or withdrawal.

Evaluation and treatment of basic sensory integrative processes is performed by occupational therapists and/or physical therapists. The therapist's general goals are: (1) to provide the child with sensory information which helps organize the central nervous system, (2) to assist the child in inhibiting and/or modulating sensory information, and (3) to assist the child in processing a more organized response to sensory stimuli.

New research

Gene mutation in autism identified

French scientists have identified genetic mutations in a small number of children with autism which could provide insight into the biological basis of the disorder.

They sequenced a gene called SHANK3 in more than 200 people with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), which includes autism, and found mutations in the gene in members of three families.

ASD covers a range of problems that affect communication, social interaction, verbal skills and behaviour.

"These mutations concern only a small number of individuals, but they shed light on one gene ... that is involved in autism spectrum disorders," Thomas Bourgeron, of the Pasteur Institute in Paris, said in a report in the journal Nature Genetics.

ASD, which affect six out of 1,000 children, range from mild to severe forms. The disorders are caused by chromosomal rearrangements in 3 to 6 per cent of cases.

In people with cognitive deficits and with autistic behaviour a part of their chromosome 22 is often affected. That region contains the SHANK3 gene.

In all three families identified in the study, the researchers found they had various types of mutations in the gene. Two brothers in one family had small deletions, while another child in a different family had significant deletions.

A girl with a deletion of SHANK 3 in the third family suffered from autism while her brother, who had an additional copy of the gene, had a mild form of autism called Asperger syndrome.

The cause of autism is unknown. It usually develops before the age of 30 months. A minority of autistic children, who are known as autistic savants, show remarkable artistic, musical or mathematical skills.

The protein encoded by SHANK3 interacts with other proteins called neuroligins, which have a role in giving impulses to the brain, spinal column and nerves.

Individual educational Program

Student(name withheld) is 9 year old CWA.He has not adopted yet to a regular classroom setting.He wanders off when in a line.He has difficulty waiting during take turning activities.He has difficulty making friends and working in groups.He does not greet anybody when he enters a room.He has difficulty transitioning when an activity comes to an end.He has low expressive and receptive language for his age.He is fascinated with fairy tale books and he keeps on talking about the books the whole time he is in class.He makes unnecessary noises while role playing the characters in the books that he reads like the witch in Snow White.When stimulated he jumps,runs and shouts inside the classroom.He also exhibits self stimulating activities using his hands.I also observed that he has more difficulty in transition after outdoor play.And he cannot do any work nor can participate in any classroom activity anymore after.

ficulty waiting during take turning activities.He stands when ting.Displays

Long Term Goal : Annual Goal

He will be able to cope with Regular Classroom Setting in Keys:

a.He will be able to learn turn taking activities through adult instruction and peer interaction.He will demonstrate turn taking in 7 out of 10 times with peers and 9 out of 10 with adult supervision(with no more than 2 prompts).

b.He will learn to make eye contact and greet people when he enters a room.He will learn to greet someone 7 out of 10 times when he enters a room with prompting.And 2 out of 10 without prompting.

c.He will learn to transition smoothly from one subject to another around 5 minutes before the subject or activity ends,he will be informed that activity is about to end and will be shown a cue card or the maracas.He will also be given notices orally.

By the end of the schoolyear he will be able to transition smoothly in 9 out of 10 times taken at 3 different trials.

d.He will work legibly and produce quality assignments and tasks.He will do assigned tasks with adult instructions.He will do it in 4 out of 5 times with prompting.And 2 out of 5 times without prompting.

e. He will use appropriate language at all times and will display self control.He will ask for a break when he is getting stimulated.He will do this 7 out of 10 times with adult instruction.teachers will watch out and ask him if he needs time out when starting to be stimulated.He will request for a time out in 5 out of 10 times without the teachers prompting.

f. He will work quietly without distracting others.He will not make any unnecessary noise while working on any activity.He will be reminded to keep quiet when he starts making noise.He will be instructed to use inner voice when he talks.He will do this 4 out of 10 times with adult prompting.

g. He will exhibit anger management.When he gets frustrated he will ask for a time out.He will do this 4 out of 5 attempts with adult prompting.He will ask for a time out to calm himself down when frustrated 3 out of 5 times without adult prompting.

h. He will work independently during.......

a.Circle time/Meeting

b.Music

c.Arts

d.Social Studies

Short Term Goals:

He will be accountable for inappropriate actions.

1.Using 2 Contracts he will be encouraged to sit and join the class in all classroom activities.He will be given breaks in between the classes to give him time to relax.He will remain sitted while listening to the teacher 5 out of 10 times with prompting (both physical and verbal).

a.Its been noticed that he shows signs of stress/distractibility or stimulation during Math Subject.Its suggested that he is given more breaks during this time until the time when he has fully adjusted in joining this Subject.He will join the Math Subject and remain sitted in 4 out of 10 times with prompting.He will ask for a time out in 6 out of 10 times while the teacher is talking or while there is an ongoing activity.

2.He will be encouraged to ask for a break by saying “I need time out” when he is overwhelmed by any activity.He will ask permission from teachers to have a break verbally before getting out of the class in 5 out of 10 times.This will help him prepare himself in joining the class when he is ready and not cause him more frustrations.

3.He will be taught to go to a place during time outs to calm himself down and go back to the classroom to join the rest of the class when he is ready.He will notify the teachers when he is ready to join them.

He will take the Assessment in the same allotted time as the rest of the class.He will have breaks as needed.The shadow teacher will make sure he gets a break before he distracts the whole class.He will ask for a break in 3 out of 5 attempts with prompting.

He will be on time for each class.He will be asked to come on time just like all the other students to make him use to the schedule of the class.He will arrive in the school 10 minutes before the set time 5 out of 10 times.

He will start tasks when asked. He will be prompted to start tasks given 6 in every 10 attempts with adult instruction.He will do tasks assigned without prompting in 5 out of 10 attempts.

He will make appropriate decisions during recess and at lunch hour. He will be encouraged to decide to eat fast,finish his food and read a favorite book of his choice or eat slowly and not be able to do anything more after eating.He will do this in 7 out of 10 attempts with prompting.After awhile he will make a choice on his own without adult instruction,and do this in 5 out of 10 attempts.

He will complete and hand in assignments when asked. He will be encouraged to finish assignments on time given.He will do assignments with adult supervision.He will do this 8 in every 10 times.He will do assigned tasks without adult prompting in 5 out of 10 attempts.He will be asked to return back to Teachers assigned works on time.He will handover assignments when done with adult instruction in 7 out of 10 times.He will give assignments on time in 5 out of 10 times without adult prompting.

He will raise his/her hand before speaking. He will be asked to raise his hand before talking.He will do this in 7 out of 10 times with adult instructions.Then he will raise his hands without adult prompting in 5 out of 10 times.He will be encouraged to contribute an idea or happening during Circle Time/Meeting.Raise hand before talking.

He will follow routines, instructions and directions promptly. He will be encouraged to follow routines by looking at the board for instructions and follow each one of them step by step.At first he will be prompted by the teachers to read whats written on the board and do the job.He will do this 7 out of 10 attempts.He will be prompted physically to make sure he accomplishes tasks given.He will do same tasks without prompting 5 out of 10 times.

He will use acceptable problem solving skills.He will be encouraged to answer questions given by the teachers and he will be given ample time to think and answer questions.

b.He will do some sequencing activities to help him

He will interact with peers in a positive manner. He will be encouraged to play within a group.He will be guided physically and verbally by an adult.he will do this 7 in every 10 attempts.He will join and participate to play in a group 5 in every 10 trials without adult instruction.

He will demonstrate respect for others and the property of others.He will be asked to say sorry when he hurts somebody whether accidental or intentional.He will do this 8 out of 10 times with adult instruction.He will do the same without adult supervision 5 in every 10 attempts.He will be encouraged to ask permission before getting anything that is not his. He will do this with adult instruction 7 in every 10 attempts.He will do the same without adult instruction 5 in every 10 attempts.

He will make positive contributions when called upon. He will be prompted to answer when somebody asks him a question with adult instruction/help 7 in every 10 attempts.he will be able to answer on his own wi9thout any help 5 in every 10 attempts.He will be given enough time until he is able to answer question thrown at him by teacher.

Strategies to get Positive Behavior

One of the greatest motivators to improve student behavior is to provide an incentive or reward for appropriate behaviors that occur over a defined period of time.

Become a helper to the custodian, librarian, another teacher or the office staff.

Become a class monitor for a specific area of need

Helping a younger student with a learning task for a specified period of time.

Earn points for a class video.

15 minutes of free choice activity.

Work with a friend.

Read a comic book.

Show or tell the class something you have or did.

Have lunch with your favorite person or the teacher.

Read a story to the principal or to another class.

Hand out supplies for a defined number of activities.

Receive a positive note for home.

Pick something from the prize box.

Pick something from the treat box. (Keep it healthy, crackers, animal cookies, fruit, juice boxes, popcorn, granola bars, marshmallows etc.

Earn tickets toward free time.

Free pencil, pen or eraser.

Free poster.

Free story for the whole class!(A strategy like this lets others help the student at risk stay on target.

Free homework pass.

Leader for the day.

Have work posted in the hall or near the office.

Enjoy a game with a friend.

Be the leader for the first activity.

Special considerations and accomodations needed in general education for the student to be involved and progress the general education curriculum.

Cognitive: Modified Curriculum and Materials

Behavior:Consistent Behavior Modification Plan

Motor:Sensory Motor Break

Stationary Bike

Vestibular Ball

Daily Routine: Adult Support,Peer Buddy

Communication: Visual Cues,Gestures,Simplified Commands,Physical Assistance

Social: Structured Opportunities to interact with peers

Pullout room

True Life:I Have Autism/Story of 3 Teens with Autism

I received an email from our local Autism Organization and a part of this blog was the content of the mail.I researched and found this in the internet.Let me share this with you.This is about 3 Teens with Autism.

Craig and Dana are the producers for True Life: I Have Autism. They had an amazing experience working with these young people over several months, and wanted to share their notes from their journey.

Check out their thoughts on these extraordinary young people and the exclusive extra footage from the show.

Craig, the Producer:

Before we started researching, I knew very little about autism. In fact, I don't think I'd ever known anyone with autism. All I knew was what I had seen in the media. When you only hear about people through the media, you get stereotypes and myths.

There are a lot of widely-held mistaken beliefs about people with autism.

Two of these myths are that people with autism are distant or not emotional, and they aren't social and can't have relationships. Our first few days of the shoot, Jeremy, Jonathan and Elijah blew those myths away. What we learned probably should've been obvious: people with autism come in the same varieties as "neuro-typical" people. Some are shy, while some are outgoing. But all people have emotions and need relationships.

It is not true that these CWA are not emotional or that they are distant.They just do not know how to express themselves which is one of their most difficult area to deal with.So even if they do not like something or if they feel bad,people close to them will be the only ones who will be able to understand how they feel.I will share some of the way they express themselves.

One student would ask me "Are you going to be there tomorrow?"When I said "Yes,I will be there to watch you."He said "Ayyyyyyyyyy!!!!"This is his way of saying he doesnt want me to be there.When I wasnt in the school he can get away with all his bad behaviors.Thats why he doesnt want me around.

This student when his classmates asked him who his crush is,he told them "You"his crush is the prettiest girl in the class.And she along with other girls asked him the question.

He would hold this girls hands whenever he got a chance.Sometimes he would pull her hands to make her sit beside him.I remind him not to pull hands because he is hurting the other person.He says "Sorry" when I tell him this.

When he is starting to play with his fingers I whisper in his ears,I say "stop that"..."you want your classmates to look at you?"He would answer with "No".Then I would say "Then stop playing with your fingers"."Sit on your hands".This helped him.He understood.When I first came in I noticed when somebody stares at him when he is playing up,he would say "What?".He was trying to ask.."Why are you looking at me".I told him because you are playing with your hands.Then I ask him "Look around,does any of your classmates do that?"He would say "No".Then I would say "Then stop doing it".This helped a lot.I do know it wont help others but with him it helps.He is intouch with his emotions so he knows.

Thankfully, I got over my stereotypes, and I was lucky to become friends with all three of these amazing guys.



Jonathan

From Craig, the Producer

Jon's really extroverted. He's funny and he knows he's funny. Sometimes he'd be off by himself, laughing and giggling, and I wouldn't really know what was amusing him. But most of the time, he'd let us in on the joke:

Jonathan: Segment 1


He loves rock - especially heavy metal. It's funny -- he's so sensitive to loud noises he has to wear sound-reducing headphones in public. But then he gets home and puts on a Killswitch Engage album and cranks it up. His room is covered in posters of his favorite bands.

Jonathan: Segment 2


Jon's obviously a very talented artist. But he's also an art lover. He's really into Picasso, Cezanne and Jackson Pollock. He loves to go to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan and study the masters' techniques. Then he tries to incorporate those techniques into his own art. But when he goes to the museum, he's so focused on the paintings that his dad has to remind him not to touch them.

Jonathan: Segment 3


About the only time when Jonathan isn't social is when he's drawing. He's so focused that he doesn't like to talk. He can do an entire drawing in less than ten minutes. When he's done, he just signs his initials and moves on to the next piece.






Jeremy

Jeremy had a chance to watch the show. Check out his thoughts on his experience.

From Dana, the Segment Producer

Before meeting Jeremy for the first time, I didn't know what to expect. I never imagined that a kid who couldn't speak would have so much to say. And I never imagined what an impact he would make on my life and work. Jeremy is an inspiration. What was most eye-opening for me was that, even though he deals with autism, the people who surround him insist that he experiences life as any other teenager would. His mom has the same expectations for him as she does for his sister, Rebecca. And believe me, Jeremy has exceeded those expectations.

The first time I met Jeremy's mom she explained to me that she didn't want Jeremy to be relegated to a menial job later in life, but hoped that he would feel he had the opportunities that any other teenager leaving high school would have. One important part of this lesson was teaching Jeremy the value of a dollar. Jeremy was looking for a way to interact with other students at school and was eager to earn and save money. He came up with an idea to sell roses at school during lunch break.

He travels every Friday morning to the local rose distributor, buys roses in bulk, then packages them and sells each individually to students at lunch. It's a great way for Jeremy to interact with the other students, as well as learn the basics of saving and spending money. We visited Jeremy at school the week before Valentine's Day to check out his business. He was a little overwhelmed by the crowds and noise, as it's a lot of stimulation for someone who's dealing with autism. He had to take frequent breaks, and found it difficult to stay focused, but always managed to make his way back to the stand.

Jeremy: Segment 1


Since Jeremy's business had been doing so well and he had been able to save a decent amount of money, he decided that he wanted to buy a dog. Not just any dog, but one specially trained to deal with people like Jeremy who have autism. Jeremy's dog, Handsome, has been trained by a professional to be a lead dog. He can guide Jeremy when crossing the street and can sense when something in the immediate environment is wrong. They are slowly easing Jeremy into his ownership. The dog visits each weekend and will be with Jeremy permanently next fall. Jeremy will have the option to take the dog to school with him as well.
I received an email from our local Autism Organization and a part of this blog was the content of the mail.I researched and found this in the internet.Let me share this with you.This is about 3 Teens with Autism.

Craig and Dana are the producers for True Life: I Have Autism. They had an amazing experience working with these young people over several months, and wanted to share their notes from their journey.

Check out their thoughts on these extraordinary young people and the exclusive extra footage from the show.

Craig, the Producer:

Before we started researching, I knew very little about autism. In fact, I don't think I'd ever known anyone with autism. All I knew was what I had seen in the media. When you only hear about people through the media, you get stereotypes and myths.

There are a lot of widely-held mistaken beliefs about people with autism.

Two of these myths are that people with autism are distant or not emotional, and they aren't social and can't have relationships. Our first few days of the shoot, Jeremy, Jonathan and Elijah blew those myths away. What we learned probably should've been obvious: people with autism come in the same varieties as "neuro-typical" people. Some are shy, while some are outgoing. But all people have emotions and need relationships.

It is not true that these CWA are not emotional or that they are distant.They just do not know how to express themselves which is one of their most difficult area to deal with.So even if they do not like something or if they feel bad,people close to them will be the only ones who will be able to understand how they feel.I will share some of the way they express themselves.

One student would ask me "Are you going to be there tomorrow?"When I said "Yes,I will be there to watch you."He said "Ayyyyyyyyyy!!!!"This is his way of saying he doesnt want me to be there.When I wasnt in the school he can get away with all his bad behaviors.Thats why he doesnt want me around.

This student when his classmates asked him who his crush is,he told them "You"his crush is the prettiest girl in the class.And she along with other girls asked him the question.

He would hold this girls hands whenever he got a chance.Sometimes he would pull her hands to make her sit beside him.I remind him not to pull hands because he is hurting the other person.He says "Sorry" when I tell him this.

When he is starting to play with his fingers I whisper in his ears,I say "stop that"..."you want your classmates to look at you?"He would answer with "No".Then I would say "Then stop playing with your fingers"."Sit on your hands".This helped him.He understood.When I first came in I noticed when somebody stares at him when he is playing up,he would say "What?".He was trying to ask.."Why are you looking at me".I told him because you are playing with your hands.Then I ask him "Look around,does any of your classmates do that?"He would say "No".Then I would say "Then stop doing it".This helped a lot.I do know it wont help others but with him it helps.He is intouch with his emotions so he knows.

Thankfully, I got over my stereotypes, and I was lucky to become friends with all three of these amazing guys.

Jonathan

From Craig, the Producer

Jon's really extroverted. He's funny and he knows he's funny. Sometimes he'd be off by himself, laughing and giggling, and I wouldn't really know what was amusing him. But most of the time, he'd let us in on the joke:

Jonathan: Segment 1


He loves rock - especially heavy metal. It's funny -- he's so sensitive to loud noises he has to wear sound-reducing headphones in public. But then he gets home and puts on a Killswitch Engage album and cranks it up. His room is covered in posters of his favorite bands:

Jonathan: Segment 2


Jon's obviously a very talented artist. But he's also an art lover. He's really into Picasso, Cezanne and Jackson Pollock. He loves to go to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan and study the masters' techniques. Then he tries to incorporate those techniques into his own art. But when he goes to the museum, he's so focused on the paintings that his dad has to remind him not to touch them.

Jonathan: Segment 3


About the only time when Jonathan isn't social is when he's drawing. He's so focused that he doesn't like to talk. He can do an entire drawing in less than ten minutes. When he's done, he just signs his initials and moves on to the next piece.

Jonathan: Segment 4




Jeremy

Jeremy had a chance to watch the show. Check out his thoughts on his experience.

From Dana, the Segment Producer

Before meeting Jeremy for the first time, I didn't know what to expect. I never imagined that a kid who couldn't speak would have so much to say. And I never imagined what an impact he would make on my life and work. Jeremy is an inspiration. What was most eye-opening for me was that, even though he deals with autism, the people who surround him insist that he experiences life as any other teenager would. His mom has the same expectations for him as she does for his sister, Rebecca. And believe me, Jeremy has exceeded those expectations.

The first time I met Jeremy's mom she explained to me that she didn't want Jeremy to be relegated to a menial job later in life, but hoped that he would feel he had the opportunities that any other teenager leaving high school would have. One important part of this lesson was teaching Jeremy the value of a dollar. Jeremy was looking for a way to interact with other students at school and was eager to earn and save money. He came up with an idea to sell roses at school during lunch break.

He travels every Friday morning to the local rose distributor, buys roses in bulk, then packages them and sells each individually to students at lunch. It's a great way for Jeremy to interact with the other students, as well as learn the basics of saving and spending money. We visited Jeremy at school the week before Valentine's Day to check out his business. He was a little overwhelmed by the crowds and noise, as it's a lot of stimulation for someone who's dealing with autism. He had to take frequent breaks, and found it difficult to stay focused, but always managed to make his way back to the stand.

Jeremy: Segment 1


Since Jeremy's business had been doing so well and he had been able to save a decent amount of money, he decided that he wanted to buy a dog. Not just any dog, but one specially trained to deal with people like Jeremy who have autism. Jeremy's dog, Handsome, has been trained by a professional to be a lead dog. He can guide Jeremy when crossing the street and can sense when something in the immediate environment is wrong. They are slowly easing Jeremy into his ownership. The dog visits each weekend and will be with Jeremy permanently next fall. Jeremy will have the option to take the dog to school with him as well.

The dog will attract attention, therefore allowing Jeremy the chance to interact with even more people his own age. Right before his birthday party, Jeremy took Handsome to the local San Diego beach, "Dog Beach", designated specifically for dogs and their owners.

Jeremy: Segment 2


Over the course of the past six months, while filming Jeremy, he had never addressed me directly. I knew he was aware of our presence; the cameras, the microphones and the lights. He had no problem telling us when he needed a break or wanted some alone time or privacy. Then, on the final day of shooting, we had to say our goodbyes to Jeremy. Not knowing when we'd see him again, we wanted Jeremy to know that his story was going to make a real difference, touch lives and shed new light to issues of autism.

It turned out to be a bit awkward and rushed, considering Jeremy was in the middle of English class at the time. It was not the ideal situation or how I'd imagined an appropriate goodbye would be. As we were leaving, Jeremy reached out for the Lightwriter. Without hesitation, he began to type…and what he had to say to our crew will never be forgotten. He wrote, "You are my voice to the world. Thank you for all you are doing."

Jeremy: Segment 3

Elijah

Elijah had a chance to watch the show. Check out his thoughts on his experience.

From Craig, the Producer

The best thing about following Elijah is that he's just as funny in everyday situations as he is on stage. His mom says that when he was a little kid, he couldn't converse like other kids his age, so he'd just repeat funny lines from movies that often didn't make sense to anyone but Elijah. Today, you can still see traces of the way he used to communicate, and I'm sure some people still find his jokes weird. But I think they're hilarious.

Elijah: Segment 1


Elijah gets a little help on his comedy routines from his mom and other funny people in his life. But for the most part, all the jokes are his. Unfortunately, we didn't have time to put his entire act into our show, but here's one complete routine:

Elijah: Segment 2


People on the autism spectrum sometimes struggle with social cues that most of us take for granted. For instance, it can sometimes be hard for a person on the spectrum to catch sarcasm or irony, so they often take what you're saying literally even if you're being facetious. You can imagine what that means for Elijah when he's around comedians. Once when we were at the Las Vegas Comedy Festival, Elijah met Debra Wilson from MADtv. Debra said hello and then went into a character, pretending she was mad at Elijah for letting me film her. It was clear to everyone but Elijah that Debra was kidding, and Elijah got scared that he'd upset someone he admired. Eventually, though, other comedians explained the joke to Elijah, and he did something really cool - instead of being embarrassed, he proudly took it as a free lesson in comedy.

Elijah: Segment 3


When Elijah worked with professional comedians at the Las Vegas Comedy Festival, he was happy to get their input, but he was very concerned about appearing like he was stealing other comedians' jokes. In his final routine, he used little bits and premises from the professionals, but the end result was all Elijah.

Elijah: Segment 4


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Dana, the Segment Producer:

I know for many people it can be difficult or challenging at times to reach out or connect with those who we see as being different or separate from us and our lives. Sometimes we wonder what's going on inside these people, what they're thinking, what they're feeling, what they're dreams are.

If I can shed any light, from my personal experiences with Jeremy, Jonathan and Elijah, it would be that when you see or meet people on the autism spectrum, don't be afraid to ask, introduce, explore, reach out, question and wonder. They've shown me that it's those people you sit next to in class but never speak to; or pass in your neighborhood but never meet; or who you see on television and want to know more about, who have so much to offer…even if they can

Jeremy's thoughts on the show

This was a good show. I thought it really evenly showed my universal problem of communication. The video very nicely portrayed my life because my life keeps me from making friends. The show was good because it showed I really understand even if I look like I am not paying attention. I have more going on inside than it looks like.

Please know I am getting many emails from people wanting to communicate with me. I am happy I can now answer.

I really like the experience of being filmed. TV is like a kaleidescope through which we can visit the world of others.

Elijah's Thoughts on the Show

When I was filmed I forgot the camera crew was there most of the time. When I saw myself it felt strange but it also brought back memories of when I was in Vegas. There was a positive reaction from friends, family, acquaintances and even people I didn’t/don’t know. An interesting thing that happened from the show has been that people I don’t know have started contacting me. I know that a lot of footage needed to be edited in the show, but other than that everything seemed to be explained accurately. Overall, I think it was a good experience for me.

The dog will attract attention, therefore allowing Jeremy the chance to interact with even more people his own age. Right before his birthday party, Jeremy took Handsome to the local San Diego beach, "Dog Beach", designated specifically for dogs and their owners.

Jeremy: Segment 2


Over the course of the past six months, while filming Jeremy, he had never addressed me directly. I knew he was aware of our presence; the cameras, the microphones and the lights. He had no problem telling us when he needed a break or wanted some alone time or privacy. Then, on the final day of shooting, we had to say our goodbyes to Jeremy. Not knowing when we'd see him again, we wanted Jeremy to know that his story was going to make a real difference, touch lives and shed new light to issues of autism.

It turned out to be a bit awkward and rushed, considering Jeremy was in the middle of English class at the time. It was not the ideal situation or how I'd imagined an appropriate goodbye would be. As we were leaving, Jeremy reached out for the Lightwriter. Without hesitation, he began to type…and what he had to say to our crew will never be forgotten. He wrote, "You are my voice to the world. Thank you for all you are doing."

Jeremy: Segment 3




Elijah

Elijah had a chance to watch the show. Check out his thoughts on his experience.

From Craig, the Producer

The best thing about following Elijah is that he's just as funny in everyday situations as he is on stage. His mom says that when he was a little kid, he couldn't converse like other kids his age, so he'd just repeat funny lines from movies that often didn't make sense to anyone but Elijah. Today, you can still see traces of the way he used to communicate, and I'm sure some people still find his jokes weird. But I think they're hilarious.

Elijah: Segment 1


Elijah gets a little help on his comedy routines from his mom and other funny people in his life. But for the most part, all the jokes are his. Unfortunately, we didn't have time to put his entire act into our show, but here's one complete routine:

Elijah: Segment 2

People on the autism spectrum sometimes struggle with social cues that most of us take for granted. For instance, it can sometimes be hard for a person on the spectrum to catch sarcasm or irony, so they often take what you're saying literally even if you're being facetious. You can imagine what that means for Elijah when he's around comedians. Once when we were at the Las Vegas Comedy Festival, Elijah met Debra Wilson from MADtv. Debra said hello and then went into a character, pretending she was mad at Elijah for letting me film her. It was clear to everyone but Elijah that Debra was kidding, and Elijah got scared that he'd upset someone he admired. Eventually, though, other comedians explained the joke to Elijah, and he did something really cool - instead of being embarrassed, he proudly took it as a free lesson in comedy.

Elijah: Segment 3

When Elijah worked with professional comedians at the Las Vegas Comedy Festival, he was happy to get their input, but he was very concerned about appearing like he was stealing other comedians' jokes. In his final routine, he used little bits and premises from the professionals, but the end result was all Elijah.

Dana, the Segment Producer:

I know for many people it can be difficult or challenging at times to reach out or connect with those who we see as being different or separate from us and our lives. Sometimes we wonder what's going on inside these people, what they're thinking, what they're feeling, what they're dreams are.

If I can shed any light, from my personal experiences with Jeremy, Jonathan and Elijah, it would be that when you see or meet people on the autism spectrum, don't be afraid to ask, introduce, explore, reach out, question and wonder. They've shown me that it's those people you sit next to in class but never speak to; or pass in your neighborhood but never meet; or who you see on television and want to know more about, who have so much to offer…even if they can

Jeremy's thoughts on the show

This was a good show. I thought it really evenly showed my universal problem of communication. The video very nicely portrayed my life because my life keeps me from making friends. The show was good because it showed I really understand even if I look like I am not paying attention. I have more going on inside than it looks like.

Please know I am getting many emails from people wanting to communicate with me. I am happy I can now answer.

I really like the experience of being filmed. TV is like a kaleidescope through which we can visit the world of others.

Elijah's Thoughts on the Show

When I was filmed I forgot the camera crew was there most of the time. When I saw myself it felt strange but it also brought back memories of when I was in Vegas. There was a positive reaction from friends, family, acquaintances and even people I didn’t/don’t know. An interesting thing that happened from the show has been that people I don’t know have started contacting me. I know that a lot of footage needed to be edited in the show, but other than that everything seemed to be explained accurately. Overall, I think it was a good experience for me.

Teaching Spelling

In my previous blog, I mentioned a 4-year-old non-verbal CWA in the neighborhood who was pulling his dad to look at the television which at that time was in the patio of my friend's house and she has friends singing through the karaoke system. As I observed him, I can see that he was reading the words coming out in the screen. I was able to talk to the mom of this kid a few days ago and I told her what I observed.


I suggested she starts teaching her son how to spell, that is if he still doesn't know how to(I have a strong feeling he knows and that he can read).I told her I have the feeling he knows how but she has to teach him to bring it out(the knowledge)...this is the area most difficult to bring out from CWA, the communication skills. I instructed her to get a magnetic board and letters and start introducing the letters and teach him spelling.


I used this technique with an 8-year-old CWA who is also non-verbal. And it worked out. He can spell his name and anything I ask him to spell. Gets angry when his caregiver helps him by giving letters when he is taking the time to put letters on board. I asked the caregiver to let him be the one to do it. And explained he needs time to think. This is the time when he can already spell without prompting.


First I introduced the letters (phonetics) thru picture cards.Letters with pictures of things that he knows as the introduction to the Alphabet. Then when he already knew all the letters, I started introducing 3 letter words (sight words) with pictures. After some time, I removed the pictures and asked him to spell without pictures. And he was able to do this. In the coming days, I will be asking feedbacks from the mom to know if the method was effective or if he was able to spell thru the magnetic board. This can be useful if this boy will not be talking. It can be used as a way to communicate.