Life Lessons...

As we all begin shopping for Christmas, it seems a good time to look at electronics and the role they play in social skills or the lack of them. Many children and adolescents on the autism spectrum are quite obsessed and fascinated with video games, computer sites and games, movies, TV shows, and handheld games. However, this becomes an addiction with these children as they are unable to turn off the thoughts of these and transition back to real life. Electronics provide a 2 dimensional, static world that appeals to those on the autism spectrum. It is predictable, and it is safe. However, it does not develop relationship skills. A child does not have to look at anyone or talk to anyone when they play these. I see time and again children who do not even look up at anyone because they are immersed in their DS or PSP, or whom can only talk about games they play or movies they saw and don't know how to talk about anything else. Social skills and relationships take practice, practice, practice. The more we interact, the more we learn about the effects of what we do on others, how others act, what others talk about and so on. Children on the autism spectrum need this practice even more so than the neurotypical child . For Christmas, do your child a favor and buy less electronics. Spend the holiday time playing old-fashioned board games together, building things together, decorating and cooking together, or taking a walk or bike ride. Teach and play the typical childhood games they may not know how to play- Tag, Red Rover, Red Light/Green Light, Mother May I, kickball, soccer, dodge ball, checkers, uno, tic tac toe, hangman...

Happy Shopping!

This Thanksgiving, I am thankful for:

Good health
A loving family
Beautiful, healthy children
An awesome husband who also cooks!
Having a job I love
The wonderful families I get the opportunity to know and share this journey with
The many moments with the children I work with
The many laughs they give me
Their beautiful unique perspective on life
The lessons I learn from the parents I work with on parental love and sacrifice
Shelby, my assistant
Relationship Development Intervention and the amazing results I've been a witness to
My little office and corner of the world
My upcoming trip
The amazing journey of Family Learning Solutions
The opportunity to do this job every day
The beauty of laughter
The healing of tears
The lessons of love
The silver lining in the crosses we are given to bear
Having energy and feeling good
HAIR on my head!!! (Some of you can appreciate that more than others)
The friends that support me and nourish me and make me laugh


I hope each of you today can find and recognize the many things we have to be grateful for, despite the clouds in our lives! Have a blessed Thanksgiving!!!!

Different senses and sensory integration problems show up in different ways. To fully learn more about each sense and the behaviors that indicate a sensory issue, read The Out of Sync Child. This author also has a book for teachers that is composed of checklists and examples of strategies to use in the classroom. It's a great gift to give your child's teacher!!

One red flag I look for to indicate possible sensory integration issues: a child who has meltdowns frequently and has a difficult time getting it back together or being consoled, or whose meltdowns seem really intense and extreme for the incident; a child who is bouncing around the room, throwing everything hard, jumping off of everything, running into things, knocking blocks over, making lots of noise with the toys, moving frequently- these are signs of a child craving deep pressure activities.

Deep pressure activities include: carrying a backpack of books or heavy items around, pushing a laundry basket down the hall or carrying it, pushing or pulling a wagon loaded with heavy items (rocks, a bag of soil, bags of garbage or leaves), moving books in the room, putting chairs on desks, carrying the garbage out, pulling the garbage cans down the driveway, clapping erasers, erasing the board, walking up and down steps with a backpack on your back, push-ups against the wall, jumping jacks, jumping on a trampoline ( or a small exercise one) bouncing on a hippity hop, bouncing and throwing a ball.

Provide your child with the sensory "diet" they need- look for the activities that give your child the sensations and information their body iis seeking.