All About Autism

Let the festivities begin! Yesterday, we celebrated Founder’s Day, held each year on the birthday of Dr. Gertrude Barber. When this day comes around, I always like to look back and reflect on her accomplishments, which in turn allowed us to become the Barber National Institute.

The year was 1952, and Gertrude Barber was a psychologist with the Erie School District. It was her responsibility to tell parents of children with disabilities that they could not attend school. At the time, the two options were to remain at home or go to an institution, typically far away from their families. She, along with many parents, wanted something better for their children. Thus began the search for donated space and volunteer teachers to create the first classroom.

Erie’s first group home.

There was no funding in the early years. The program was supported by ice cream socials, card parties, and raffles. Dr. Barber used to say that all of their money could fit a cigar box – and it did!

It wasn’t until the mid-60s that state funding finally became available through the MH/MR Procedures Act, as well as the Department of Education. Fortunately, our programs were already in place and could be immediately funded. We were many years ahead of others in the field.

The 70s was a decade of huge growth for us. We were now an Approved Private School, serving children whose school districts could not offer an adequate education.

Dr. Barber discusses operations in Philadelphia.

Additionally, we established several community group homes and satellite programs in Girard and Corry. We had a groundbreaking ceremony for our new therapeutic swimming pool and our physical and occupational therapy facilities.

In the 80s, we established an adult rehab, employment, and training center, added more classrooms to our school, and initiated an Inclusive Day Care program and a Child Development Center. At times, it seemed as if our facilities could not grow fast enough to meet the needs of community. By the time the 90s rolled around, we were ready to expand across the state and opened residential services for adults in Philadelphia. Not too long after, we opened the same services in Pittsburgh.

Groundbreaking ceremony from Project 2000.

Project 2000, Dr. Barber’s ultimate quest, was our first major capital campaign since 1966. Our goal was that this funding could provide a new school and training center. $7 million later… Dr. Barber announced the Project’s success and broke ground! A few weeks later, Dr. Barber passed away as she traveled to Florida for her first vacation in many years. Most of you know the rest of the story, but I wanted to share the stories of our history, so you can celebrate Founder’s Day along with us!

Although it may not always seem to be the case, scientists and researchers are constantly uncovering more information related to autism, offering insights into the origins, possible causes and even at times potential cures. I come across dozens of articles on a weekly basis, some of which seem more important than others.

Below are five stories that caught my eye this month, including a study just published by the WSJ today. I hope you find them as intriguing as I did!

~ Maureen

Research Suggests Toddlers Who Have Poor Motor Skills May Be Bad in Math

While kids are introduced to math in their early years, it can be challenging for the teachers of small children to gauge children’s mathematical levels. The researchers hope to address this gap by establishing a correlation between mathematical skills and motor function. According to the study, there were big differences in mathematical skill levels between the children with the strongest and poorest motor skills. Children with good motor skills were more mathematically advanced in all areas studied.

Read the full article here.

Mindfulness Training for Parents and Their Children With ADHD Increases the Children’s Compliance

Children with ADHD are often non-compliant with parental instructions. This study shows that providing mindfulness training to parents, without a focus on reducing problem behaviors, can enhance positive interactions with their children and increase their satisfaction with parenting.

Read the full article here.

Low Doses of Anti-Anxiety Drugs May Alleviate Autism-Like Symptoms

A long-standing theory posits that autism may arise from an imbalance of excitatory and inhibitory signals in the brain. The research team collected mounting evidence over the past five years, which suggests that benzodiazepines — a class of drugs prescribed for anxiety — may help restore this balance in some instances. In a study with mice, a very small dose of one of these drugs boosts inhibitory brain signals and alleviates autism-like symptoms.

Read the full article and watch a webinar from the leading researcher here.

ADHD Symptoms Can Delay Autism Diagnosis for Years

A new study finds that the symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can significantly delay the recognition of autism in children. Because early intervention is so important with autism, the researchers urge doctors and others who screen for such disorders to carefully evaluate autism in children with ADHD.

Read the full article here.

Gluten-Free Diet Has No Benefit for Children with Autism, Study Finds

The new work, conducted by researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center, examines the gluten-free, casein-free diet. Popular as an alternative treatment for autism, the diet doesn’t appear to improve behaviors or symptoms of the condition, according to a small but rigorously conducted study published this month in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. Many experts in the field say perhaps the highest-quality evidence to date that eliminating proteins found in wheat and dairy doesn’t improve autism symptoms.

Read the full article here.

Tune in next month for an update on autism research!

September is National Children’s Good Manners Month. Teaching manners is so much more than teaching a child when to use “Please” and “Thank you.” It’s a way to teach kindness, courtesy, thoughtfulness, and respect.

Manners not only change with time, they also vary from culture to culture. One example comes to mind regarding teachers. As recent as the 50s and early 60s, teachers were expected to be “Old Maids,” women who never married. Once married, they were expected to quit working. How times have changed!

Because of these differences, it’s even more important as a teacher to acknowledge and respect the various cultures and customs that may be present in our classrooms and school. At ELBS, we have children who have emigrated from Eastern Europe, Asia, Middle East, and Central America. A large number of our children are from the country Nepal. As such, our staff receives training to help them prepare for a diverse classroom.

Of course, teaching manners doesn’t just happen at school. One of the best places to begin teaching your child good manners is at the dinner table. You can teach your child to put the napkin in their lap, keep elbows off the table, and chew with his or her mouth closed. These are all behaviors that you can model for him or her. You can also use phrases like “Please pass the corn” and “Thank you” when you receive it.

Another fun way to discuss manners is to make a game out of it. Make two piles of “flashcards,” one pile of “good” manners such as “Say please” or “Cover nose when sneezing” and another pile of “bad” manners, such as “Grabbed a toy from someone” or “Didn’t cover nose when sneezing.” Go through the cards with your child or student and have them identify which are good and which are bad.

Ryan and I did all of the above, and I am proud of the manners he displays today. We talk daily about being “kind and merciful” to others. Ryan knows that by being polite, he is being kind and merciful.

Scholastic Books has some great books that reinforce good manners. Check out the link below to look at some of the titles.

http://www.scholastic.com/parents/resources/book-list/seasonal-themes/september-national-childrens-good-manners-month

The National Education Association also has a ton of great resources for the classroom and at home:

http://www.nea.org/tools/lessons/learning-and-practicing-good-manners.html

Any other practices that have worked well for your family? Please share!

One of the fundamental building blocks in education is reading. So perhaps it’s no surprise that the “Back to School month” September carries holidays like National Library Card Month and International Literacy Day (September 8^th).

There are many theories surrounding how best to teach reading. One of the most prevalent practices is “Learning to Read and Reading to Learn.” The fundamental premise of this philosophy is as follows:

“Learning to Read” happens in the early grades (K–3) and consists primarily of decoding and memorizing basic sight words. “Reading to Learn” begins in fourth grade and consists mostly of reading for information.

Today, research suggests that for all children “learning to read and reading to learn” should be happening simultaneously and continuously, from preschool through middle school — and perhaps beyond. In fact, teaching comprehension has now emerged as a critical piece of learning to read.

My experiences with Ryan would certainly suggest that this is true. By 3^rd grade, Ryan was an excellent reader; teachers frequently remarked about his advanced reading level. My concerns centered on comprehension. I really didn’t think he understood what he was reading. Perhaps if there had been more efforts to include comprehension along with fluency, he would not have struggled as much with this component as he aged.

Because of the importance of reading skills, International Literacy Day is celebrated across the world on September 8^th. First started nearly 50 years ago, this day highlights that reading is not only a basic human right, it can be an empowerment tool as well. As Frederick Douglass said, “Once you learn to read, you will be forever free.”

Strong, engaged readers become knowledgeable, strategic, motivated, and socially interactive persons. Thankfully, because of public libraries across our country, literacy no longer needs to be something that only the privileged and educated can access. During this month, the American Library Association and libraries across the country join together to remind parents and children that signing up for a library card is the first step towards academic achievement and lifelong learning.

After all, “A book is a gift you can open again and again.” (Garrison Keillor)

Resources:

http://www.ala.org/conferencesevents/celebrationweeks/card

http://internationalliteracyday.org/

Every September, National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month, gives elected officials, educators, physicians, and you the opportunity to take a stand and fight childhood obesity. In the Erie Times News recently, there was an editorial that reported that more than half of the Erie County school children are either overweight or obese.

Although obesity rates have soared among all age groups in the United States, obesity is a particularly grave concern for children. With more than 23 million children and teenagers in the U.S. obese or overweight, childhood obesity is a national epidemic.

Childhood obesity puts nearly one third of America’s children at early risk for Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and even stroke – conditions usually associated with adulthood.

I wasn’t quite sure how obesity is defined so I looked on the CDC’s website, and learned:

“Body mass index (BMI) is a measure used to determine childhood overweight and obesity. Overweight is defined as a BMI at or above the 85th percentile and below the 95th percentile for children and teens of the same age and sex. Obesity is defined as a BMI at or above the 95th percentile for children and teens of the same age and sex.

For example, a 10-year-old boy of average height (56 inches) who weighs 102 pounds would have a BMI of 22.9 kg/m2. This would place the boy in the 95th percentile for BMI, and he would be considered as obese.”

Children with disabilities stand a greater risk of being overweight due to potential physical and behavioral challenges they might face that prohibit them from exercise, and joining a team or a gym. Medications are another complicating factor, as some medicines cause weight gain. When Ryan began Risperdal many years ago, the physician cautioned me to monitor closely his weight, as 75% of children on this medication experience significant weight gain. Fortunately, he was one of the lucky ones and did not experience this side effect.

Of course, there are many things parents can do to help their children get fit and stay fit. Below is a list of the CDC’s best resources, as well as a Toolkit from the National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month website. I encourage you to check them out and consider what might work for your child.

CDC Resources: http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/resources/strategies-guidelines.html

NCOAM Toolkit: http://www.healthierkidsbrighterfutures.org/about/

On Sunday, in St. Patrick’s bulletin, Fr. Kriegel posted a letter that is widely believed to have been written by Abraham Lincoln to his son’s teacher. 150 years later, it still rings true. As many of us prepare for a new school year, I felt it was great advice to share.

~ Maureen

As we get ready to welcome students back this Monday, I can’t help but reflect on so many of the years gone by. With our first classroom at Lakeview Hospital in the early 50s, to our original school building in the 70s, we have had so many wonderful memories and achievements within these walls! I am looking forward to creating many more this year.

Over the past three years, I’ve written a number of blogs on tips to prepare your child for going back to school (You can read them here, here, and here). Today I thought I would focus on how you as a parent can prepare for this momentous day, and help make the year successful.

• Establish a file for the new school year.

As most of the material you’ll be receiving from school will be paper, it is helpful to create a space to organize daily notes, progress reports, report cards, IEPs, and the multitude of paperwork that you receive throughout the year. I had a file drawer that was “Ryan’s” and in it I kept separate folders for each of these types of information by school year. This is a sure way to easily access a file or report whenever needed. I recently went through these files at home in an effort to declutter. I still had notes from kindergarten!

• Decide how you wish to communicate with the teacher(s).

Email, paper, phone calls, and meetings are all important and require documentation. I always spoke with the teacher at the beginning of the year to find out what system worked best for him or her. For most of Ryan’s school career, I met weekly with his classroom team. I found this to be extremely helpful to allow for consistency between home and school.

• Establish a before and after school routine.

Waking up, getting dressed, eating breakfast, waiting for the bus… these are all things that need to occur seamlessly each morning. Similarly, there are a number of activities that need to occur each night. Bus drop off, homework, exercise, dinner, bedtime routine… you will know what activities are on your list, but by establishing a set routine you will make your life less stressful.

• Positive attitude is key.

Perhaps the previous year may have been challenging for both you and your child, but it’s essential to remember that each year is a new year, and that each person involved in your child’s education deserves a chance to demonstrate their commitment. The beginning of the year is also a wonderful time to express your gratitude to your child’s school and his or her teachers. This will surely set a positive tone to the new school year.

Any other tried and true “back to school” tips that have been successful in your home? I would love to hear about them! Please share your thoughts below!

Did you know that kindergarten-aged children who share, cooperate, and are helpful are more likely to have a college degree and a job 20 years later, compared to those who lack these social skills in early life? In the past, there was a significant push to begin academics prior to kindergarten. It was not unusual to see preschool children sitting at tables completing worksheets. Fortunately, we no longer believe this is the case. We now know that the acquisition of social and emotional skills helps the child to do well in school, pay attention, establish relationships, and learn empathy.

As many children with ASD have deficits in their social-emotional arena, it becomes even more important to begin to teach these skills at a very early age. Today, there are a number of social skills curriculums available at all age groups and skill levels. However, a group that has been ignored, to date, is young adults with autism.

That’s why I was especially interested in reading about the “Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills” (PEERS). A recent study, published in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, took a closer look at the success of this program. The results were overwhelmingly positive.

22 young adults, 18-24 years of age, with autism and without intellectual disabilities, were participants in a group study over a period of 16 weeks. Those who completed the classes offered by PEERS had significantly greater improvements in social skills and in their frequency of social engagement, compared to the control group who was on the wait list. In addition, those who took the class had a significant decrease in autism symptoms that were related to social responsiveness.

Even more encouraging, four months after the training participants returned for another evaluation. These results showed that they continued to demonstrate significant gains in social skills and engagement.

I have always said that learning is a lifelong endeavor; I’m pleased that there are now opportunities for continuing social skill development for adults with autism!

For further information on PEERS, visit their site: http://www.semel.ucla.edu/peers/teens

As this week is National Friendship Week, I thought I would use this topic to take a deeper look into autism and friendship, specifically some of the challenges many children and families experience. Of course, the first caveat is “if you know one child with autism, you know one child with autism.” Certainly, what I’m sharing does not apply to all, but hopefully I can offer some general considerations that you may find work for you.

Yes, some children with autism experience communication challenges and have trouble with social interactions. They may shy away from the simplest conversation, avoid eye contact, and appear to be “uninterested.” However, that does not mean that they don’t want to have friends. They may simply lack the social skills for developing friendships.

In reviewing a number of studies, results consistently show that compared to typically developing children, children with autism experienced significantly more loneliness than their typical peers, and that their quality of friendships was poorer, in terms of companionship, security, and help.

I know that in Ryan’s case, developing friendships was something that was important to me but not as important to him. He was most content in interacting with adults who were patient enough to take the time to listen to him and ask thoughtful questions. They were not bothered by his repetitions, nor by his desire to speak about his interests only. Looking back on his school years, I am hard-pressed to even identify one peer who was a friend, a sad commentary on his school career.

What can we do as parents and educators to meet this challenge?

• Be patient when the person speaks. It may take him/her longer to express a complete thought. Auditory processing difficulties are present in many children.
• Communicate clearly, in short sentences, with a reasonable pace and volume. If the child is non-verbal, use a picture or a communication board.
• Plan ahead by making play dates, if possible with typical peers.
• Investigate the Best Buddies program – bestbuddies.org. If there is not a chapter at your school, consider working with administration to start one. Ryan participated in ebuddies (ebuddies.org), and thoroughly engaged with his buddy via the computer.
• There are also numerous activities that you can do with your child to help improve his/her social skills: LINK. Ryan and I, during his preschool years, would have staring contests – Who could look at each other the longest without turning away?

During this National Friendship Week, think about the friendships that you and your child may have, and identify ways to strengthen them!