Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
Editorial
Daryl Cooper
Autism Awareness
This edition has been timed to coincide with World Autism Day (April 2nd April 2017
2nd). The month of April is Autism Awareness Month with various
Autism-related special events. There is so much to list. Google
Autism Awareness month to find out more.
Firstly, every child born into this world receives some form of
intervention. When a baby cries, parents intervene to alleviate its
distress. When an infant attempts to eat something harmful, or to
touch something hot, parents intervene. These interventions help In this special
ensure that the child will survive and many more interventions will
happen to as the individual grows towards adulthood, all with the Rhubarb Edition
intention that the person can survive in this world. While some we share some
diagnosed with an ASD will manage to survive in society without any
formal intervention, experience and years of research tells us that inspiring stories
many, in fact most, will not. along with a
We know enough about the symptoms of Autism to know there are collection of
many obstacles to living an independent, fulfilling adult life. If
Intervention can moderate, or even eliminate, those symptoms (as memories and
ABA certainly can), then not to provide it is more like a crime! photos to
ISADD has been providing Intervention Services for long enough celebrate Autism
now that many of its early clients are now young adults. I have yet to
meet even one of them who is not grateful for the help they got. Awareness for the
In this edition of Rhubarb we have some inspiring stories about what
first week of April.
ABA therapy has achieved for some young people with ASD. Hope
you enjoy the articles.
1
Where are they today?
Children who used an interim
visual communication form:
What can they achieve?
On a recent visit to Indonesia I had two very
pleasant surprises:
2
Another Inspiring Story taught other mothers to use it too. Today he does
have limited speech, can label many nouns, and
Another pleasant surprise was meeting the can answer basic questions although it took a
mother of a young boy now 15. He started with long time to achieve. He reads at his language
Yayasan ISADD Indonesia when he was 3 level, and he can use the computer keyboard and
years old. He was very active with good visual an iPad for communication. It has not been easy
skills but no language. He too started on a but because he can communicate, his frustration
program of COMPIC exchange and a COMPIC levels are not an issue and he is a nice kid to be
vocabulary and everything looked positive. At 4, with. Above all his visual skills have developed
on my next visit, he had improved in all but into art and his paintings were displayed in public.
language, and that remained an area of difficulty He also has made some designs which have
over the year. He was using his COMPICs well. I been reproduced onto cushions. He has a hobby
had to admit that he probably would not get which he enjoys, that will gain him respect, and
speech, even though he had communication. he can market his designs. The pictures and
Mother not only used COMPIC effectively but designs are below.
3
So there we have shared two very different young people who are establishing themselves
in the community, and who are contributing. Both had to deal with ASD and difficulties with
language. Both got about 20 hours of intervention weekly in their early years and both used
COMPIC extensively while it was still needed. She moved on to early speech and caught up
with peers. He, unfortunately, had a language impairment beyond ASD. COMPIC support
was used differently with each, to meet the specific needs of the individual.
4
Where are they today? Welcome to the World A Journey
5
We grieved for the son we thought we would have We realised that the early intervention window
and worried about growing old and never dying. would not be open for long.
9
When he was in high school, again with the
A Parent Contribution from New support of the school and teachers, his politeness
Zealand and sensitive nature helped him make more
friends at school. Marcus also received good
support for his school curriculum. His teachers
were willing to make amendments in the
curriculum for Marcus to assist him with his
academic work. He finished his high school in
2016 with a NCEA level 2 certificate.
L
eaving his high school had given us with
another set of challenges. The end of high
school also meant the end of seeing his
school friends on a daily basis. He dearly
treasured his time at the high school. Marcus
began to learn that friends come and go, and he
is keeping in touch with them on Facebook. While
his classmates have gone to university, this year
M
he will be attending a trade school doing a
arcus was diagnosed with autism when
painting and decorating course.
he was 3. He is now 18 years old.
Marcus has been receiving ABA therapy In order to increase his capability to be more
for 13 years with ISADD. socially aware of the surroundings and possibility
of a job next time, a pharmacist was kind enough
The initial journey was tough. Every opportunity
to allow him to volunteer his service every
that I had, I would be applying some form of ABA
Sunday at the pharmacy for an hour. Every
with Marcus to change his behaviour. Some
Friday, he would also volunteer his services
modifications took a long time to suppress or
working in a supermarket for two hours where he
overcome and every success often lead to
does the shelving.
another set of challenges. Together in our journey,
A
we received fantastic input and advice from Jura t home, to give him some form of life skills,
Tender, Susan Farmer, and other ISADD staff. Marcus has regular tasks/routines. He
does the vacuuming, cleans the bathroom
Marcus' early years at school were challenging.
and toilets, does gardening, washes the
His social behaviours created unnecessary
dishes, hangs and irons clothes, and prepares
attentions among parents and students. We had
simple meals on a regular basis.
regular parent/teacher meetings where I had to
educate, suggest, and made recommendations to
teachers in managing Marcus with some success.
Most teachers had no clues about autism, some
refused to listen but there were a few were willing
to help.
O
social skills and with the help of his teacher and utside home, we try to find a sport that he
his classmates, he had a core group of friends likes, or that we encourage him to
that wanted to hang out with him. participate in. Our objective is to find a
group sport where he has the opportunity
10
to make friends. At present, he is good in pleasure to have Susan as Marcuss case
mountain biking, skiing, and badminton, and manager. Thank you, Susan.
recently got hooked on Cross fit classes. Each
group of activities required him to socialise and
communicate at the same as time having fun.
11
Parents Workshop
Cool Kids
12
Our second lot of graduates from the Cool Kids
programme celebrated their final session with a
park picnic on the 25th March 2017. Feedback
from our young participants informed that they
enjoyed learning about Cool Breathing, The
Relaxation Game, how to use positive thinking to
deal with tough situations and using the
stepladders to work to overcome their fears.
They loved achieving their weekly rewards for
working on their step. They also all agreed that
the thing they liked most was meeting other boys
with Autism who were dealing with similar issues
at school, and they are looking forward to
continue to catch up outside the group. The
rewards they have earned from their parents for
working through feared situations on their
stepladders are certainly well deserved. We
loved seeing Oliver present his speech to the
group to conquer his fear of public speaking,
witnessing first hand Noa managing to climb on
top of a very high piece of playground equipment
fighting back his fear of heights, and hearing
about how Tristan managed to make it through an
Our Young Graduates entire assembly for the first time to combat his
anxiety related to being in noisy situations. Well
done boys.
13
Creating Autism
Awareness: a
collection of photos,
past and present,
from social groups,
caf catch ups,
support groups and
family celebrations
14
Lithuanian News Singapore News
Interest in ABA, and especially its use in the We welcome aboard Kheng Yan as Singapores
treatment of Autism, continues to grow in Executive Coordinator. Director and Program
Lithuania. The Education Department is Manager Johnny Fok is very appreciative of the
particularly keen to use ABA strategies in its extent to which she is not only able to assist him
schools, and ISADD has been delivering a with the administrative workload, but has
number of workshops for school personnel. When reorganised various processes for increased
visiting, Jura Tender, Emina Cholich, and Isabella efficiency.
ODonovan have all presented, and ongoing
liaison is maintained with local ISADD personnel.
https://autismawarenessdayperth2017.splashthat.com
15
ISADD (Intervention Services for Autism and Developmental Delay) is raising funds. Here's
how you can help...
We are raising as much as we can to support our cause, and we need your help! Order your NEW 2017 |
2018 Entertainment Book or Entertainment Digital Membership now. You'll receive hundreds of valuable
offers for everything you love to do, and help our fundraising at the same time!
"The Entertainment Book is such a great way to try new restaurants. Its also a great opportunity
to help community organisations. Ali"
16
17