I went on a Austism Awareness Course today
By Skyeblue25
@Skyeblue25 (545)
November 20, 2009 3:30pm CST
The course really opened my eyes. Just the fact it helped me to see things through the eyes off my son, instead of just what I see. It touched on things I had already read about, but in much more detail. The whole idea of the course is to help parents with children who are autistic, to know what the child goes through at school and at home, and to provide coping strategies. But firstly they make sure you understand what autism is and what its all about.
Then they give you coping strategies. I already use a few, but it was good to be given websites I can look at and books that are worth a read.
Have you ever been to an event like this? Did you find it helpful?
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3 responses
@mommaj (23112)
• United States
20 Nov 09
That sounds so cool! Do you have the NAMES of the websites. I would like to do something like that. Maybe it could help me figure out a way to teach him. I figure that won't happen since none of the other specialists and his teachers can't, I just want to see what he sees and know what he knows.
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@Anora_Eldorath (6028)
• United States
20 Nov 09
Skye-
That sounds awesome. They have local classes here sponsored through our local school district. They have a great early childhood program. I'm waiting for my two to be old enough to start participating in their classes.
I've not been to one on Autism, but I've had classes dealing with ASD for educators as a part of my degree program. One of the things we as educators have discussed is how to provide more direct help for parents, so it sounds like whomever put this on is doing their job! I would definitely love links, names, and emails if you have them to keep in my referal kit. I run into people from everywhere online, and am always open to having more resources to provide.
Namaste-Anora
@mommaj (23112)
• United States
21 Nov 09
Great resources. Thanks for the links. I just joined an autism group on the internet and I am doubting the information that will be given because as soon as you sign up you get about four emails welcoming you and asking you to purchase different items. Makes me feel like it was a waste of time. LOL I am going to stick with it because I wanted to see what info there was.
@Skyeblue25 (545)
•
21 Nov 09
I had a pack and I will find it later and post the links and things on here. Am I aloud to do that?
It was awesome and really informative. The hosts of the event where speech and language therapists, and specialists in autism. They explained that they are fighting in all the schools to get certain things put in place to help children with Autism. As 1 in 86 children suffer from this condition and there is a child in every local school that has the condition. So they have showed us as parents the things they are doing and what we can do to support this.
Thanks for the reply
@Skyeblue25 (545)
•
21 Nov 09
I have no idea how useful or interesting you will find these links, but here goes
http://www.teacch.com/whatis.html
About the T.E.A.C.C.H approach which is used internationally in the classroom
http://www.kar2ouche.com/kar2ouche/specialedu/
About another method used to help autistic children learn in the classroom. It uses stick men in role play, so has no distractions not even facial expressions.
http://www.buzanworld.com
About resources that Tony Buzan has made to help, for example mind maps. Apparently his books are also worth reading
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46ycu3JFRrA
About Temple Grandin who was a huge inspiration to all autistic people worldwide.
Books I was told are worth a read:
Donna Williams - Nobody Nowhere; Somebody Somewhere and Inside out approach
Mark Haddem - A curious instinct with a dog in the night time
@dawnald (85135)
• Shingle Springs, California
20 Nov 09
I haven't been to something quite like this, but we did go to a parental training session. We learned some coping strategies also, but it was more from the point of view of other parents and experts, not so much from the child.
@Skyeblue25 (545)
•
21 Nov 09
It covered that too, but by explaining why the child reacts and behaves in the way they do and using scenarios where we as adults might experience the same feelings it really helped me. When my child has a meltdown I can take a step back and think why is he doing it, once you know its easier to deal with.
I knew most of it anyway, but it was good to be refreshed on the different aspects of the condition.
Most people have their own coping strategies when put in stressful situations, for example, being on the underground tube train in rush hour. Now someone whether a child or adult with ASD doesn't see things the same way we do, so cannot find a logical way to cope with that stressful experience, causing them to have a 'meltdown' or similar reaction.
Obviously the ASD spectrum is very large and some manage better than others, but all have 3 basic factors in common which basically defines the diognoses of ASD.
Its almost impossible for someone with ASD to put themselves in our shoes, but if we can put ourselves in their shoes it helps us to understand the behaviour
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