I really appreciate the extra feedback kids get while using the boards, and have already bought a couple for my 3-year old. Hope you enjoy them as well!
Friday, November 30, 2012
Kid O Boards
I really appreciate the extra feedback kids get while using the boards, and have already bought a couple for my 3-year old. Hope you enjoy them as well!
Sensory Overload Video
This is a BEAUTIFUL video illustrating what sensory processing difficulties might feel like. Must see - please click the link below!
http://vimeo.com/52193530#
Blog Love: November 2012
Hello everyone! Here are just a couple quick links to tide you over during the holiday season. Hope you enjoy!
Differentiation Daily
Small Types
Teaching Learners with Multiple Special Needs
Differentiation Daily
- Thanksgiving Mad Libs: The holiday may have passed, but that's no reason you can't still access this fun fill-in game over at National Geographic.
- Sight word gems: Fun spin on sight word work from the blog, Fairy Dust Teaching - great for those who need something to have in their hands!
Small Types
- Common Core work at home: Although this post highlights a Teachers Pay Teachers resource for use at home - this is an AWESOME way to wrap your mind around common core standards for use at school too! This could also be a great way to have a connection between home and school in the work that we do with students.
Teaching Learners with Multiple Special Needs
- Virtual math manipulatives: This is a nice round-up of manipulatives that you can use when you don't have access to those nice tubs of dinosaurs and bears! I am definitely interested in those featured for the iDevices.
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Count your blessings
On this Thanksgiving Day, it seems appropriate to share this blog entry from one of our favorite sites, Special-ism. Happy Thanksgiving from the Madison A Team!
Monday, November 19, 2012
Severe Self-Injurious Behavior
I have shared previous posts by Bill Nason, consultant and author of the Facebook page, Autism Discussion page. Today, I'd like to share his post on severe self injurious behavior (SIB). Bill does a great job of discussing not only why SIB may occur, but more importantly, what we can do to support a person during these episodes.
Severe Self-Injurious Behavior
A small percentage of people with developmental disabilities engage in frequent self injurious behavior. My first 12 years in the field were spent in an institutional setting providing services to severely impaired individuals with multiple behavior challenges. During this time I had the opportunity to work with some very fragile individuals, with severe physical
Severe Self-Injurious Behavior
A small percentage of people with developmental disabilities engage in frequent self injurious behavior. My first 12 years in the field were spent in an institutional setting providing services to severely impaired individuals with multiple behavior challenges. During this time I had the opportunity to work with some very fragile individuals, with severe physical
and
emotional vulnerabilities. Self injury took a variety of forms
including biting, digging, hitting, slapping, kicking, head banging, and
ingesting inedible items. During that time I learned that self
abusive behavior occurs for several reasons:
1. Self abusive behavior is more common with individuals who are nonverbal and have no consistent way of expressing themselves. Consequently, self abusive behavior often is communicating pain, discomfort, frustration, task demands, need for attention, etc. Self abuse can be used to communicate any intense emotional reactions.
2. Most self abusive behavior involves strong proprioception (tension to joints, tendons, and muscles), which reduces stress chemicals (cortisol) in the nervous system. Hitting, kicking, biting, and head banging provides strong proprioception that reduces stress chemicals during times of emotional outbursts. When the stress chemicals accumulate to boiling point, the “fight or flight” stress response is activated, seeking strong proprioception to reduce the stress chemicals.
3. Abusing yourself produces strong reactions from others and these reactions can increase the frequency of self abuse. The person learns that self injury gains a lot of attention, and also allows them to escape situations that they want to avoid. People around them will do anything to stop the self abuse. The individuals learn that the behavior can create a lot of control over their social environment (people let them escape unwanted situations, give them what they want, let them have their way in order to pacify them).
4. Self abusive behavior can be used to mask, or dull pain. Individuals may bang their head to mask pain from headaches and ear infections. They may hit themselves in the jaw to distract from toothaches. When self abuse begins, or increases significantly, medical evaluation is important.
5. Self abusive behavior can be for self stimulation, to help regulate the nervous system. It can alert the nervous system when under-aroused, and release stress chemicals when over-aroused. This behavior often occurs frequently during times of no activity or when overwhelmed by too much activity.
Severe and persistent self injury can start for any of the above reasons, but can become addicting over time. The pain from self injury stimulates the body to release endorphins which is the body’s natural pain killer. Endorphins act like opiates, which feel good, and the person can get addicted to the “feel good” endorphins. Not only do endorphins help dull the sense of pain, but it also feels good. The individual self injures to stimulate the release of endorphins to maintain the “feeling.” Since the endorphins act to dull the pain, the behavior Is not felt as painful. Now, self abuse that occurs for this reason can get worse over time. Like all addiction, the body begins to “habituate” (gain a tolerance for) the stimulation, requiring the individual to do it more intensively, to stimulate the pain to release the endorphins. The brain has a defense mechanism to dull the sense of pain over time, making it necessary to increase the intensity to stimulate the endorphins. In addition, scaring that can occur from the injury dulls the pain, requiring the individual to dig or bite deeper to stimulate pain. These individuals will gradually go from minor injuries to creating severe injury as the skin becomes more and more scared. The individual then has to gouge or tear out tissue to get deeper for pain. In such case the medication naltrexone can be used to block the body’s release of endorphins. By doing so, the self abuse hurts more, plus it no longer releases the “feel good” endorphins. If this works, the self abuse begins to hurt more, and doesn’t release the “feel good” chemicals that is addicting.
In many cases chronic, persistent self injurious behavior ends up being maintained by several of the above functions. It can start because of only one of the functions, but once started, can gain many secondary values by the addition of several of the other functions. In most cases, professional help is needed to isolate the functions, and develop effective strategies to treat each function.
Treating Self Injurious Behavior
1. Treating self injurious behavior usually starts with doing a “functional behavior assessment” to identify the “functions” that the behavior serves (communication, stress release, escaping unwanted events, self stimulation, etc.) Functional behavior assessments involve tracking and identifying the situations under which the behavior occurs (when, where, with whom) and observing the immediate effects that the behavior produces. By identifying what triggers the behavior, and what occurs immediately after the behavior, we begin to get an idea of which function it provides.
2. Treatment the usually proceeds with changing the conditions (lowering demands, reducing stimulation, increasing support, etc.) that trigger the behavior, and teaching another, more appropriate, “replacement” behavior that meets the same need (function).
3. First we look at what environment demands are overwhelming, or lacking, for the person. This may require modifying the environmental demands, building in accommodations to lessen their impact, or providing greater assistant to support the person when faced with these conditions. If the person has too many demands placed on them, we look at providing less demands, lowering how hard the demands are, or providing added support in face of the demands. We want to better match the demands of the situation to the skill level of the person.
4. If the function of self abuse is to communicate needs and wants, then we focus on teaching the child communication skills. If person is nonverbal then we teach an alternative means of communication, such as pictures, gestures, signing, etc. We identify what the person is trying to communicate and then try and teach another, more appropriate way of communicating.
5. If the behavior is occurring to escape or avoid unwanted situations, we often need to look at “why” the person is trying to escape or avoid the situation in the first place. Then we build in added supports, or lessen the demands. In addition, we need to teach another way to communicate “stop” or “help”. Teach them another behavior to appropriately escape the situation. Then we prompt the child to use the replacement way of escape, and immediately allow them to escape. It is important that the new, more appropriate way of “escaping” is immediately reinforced with successful avoidance.
6. If the self abuse occurs for proprioception to release stress chemicals, than we look at (a) developing a sensory diet that gives frequent physical activity and other forms of proprioceptive stimulation (chewing gum, squish balls, weighted vest, etc.) that provides proprioception to release stress chemicals throughout the day, and (2) alternative replacement behavior to substitute for the self abuse. For example, if the child bites their wrist, we might provide a chewy tube to bite on. This would provide an appropriate form of biting/chewing. Substituting one form of proprioceptive tool for another.
7. If the person is engaging in self abuse to mask pain, than we identify the source of pain and treat it. We also try and teach the person a method of communicating to others that they feel pain.
8. If the person is self abusing to get strong reactions from others, we (a) lower the intensity of our reactions, and (2) provide stronger attention for other more appropriate behavior.
9. If the person is engaging in self abuse for self stimulation then we try and increase the stimulation the person Is receiving (keep them busier, provide an environment rich in stimulation) and teach other forms of self stimulation that either calms or alerts the nervous system. We also build in a sensory diet to provide the person frequent stimulation.
10. . If the behavior is the result of high anxiety, and the above doesn’t help, then medications are often used to calm the nervous system.
11. In rare occasions when the self injurious behavior may be maintained by endorphins (as discussed above) then we give naltrexone to block the release of endorphins.
1. Self abusive behavior is more common with individuals who are nonverbal and have no consistent way of expressing themselves. Consequently, self abusive behavior often is communicating pain, discomfort, frustration, task demands, need for attention, etc. Self abuse can be used to communicate any intense emotional reactions.
2. Most self abusive behavior involves strong proprioception (tension to joints, tendons, and muscles), which reduces stress chemicals (cortisol) in the nervous system. Hitting, kicking, biting, and head banging provides strong proprioception that reduces stress chemicals during times of emotional outbursts. When the stress chemicals accumulate to boiling point, the “fight or flight” stress response is activated, seeking strong proprioception to reduce the stress chemicals.
3. Abusing yourself produces strong reactions from others and these reactions can increase the frequency of self abuse. The person learns that self injury gains a lot of attention, and also allows them to escape situations that they want to avoid. People around them will do anything to stop the self abuse. The individuals learn that the behavior can create a lot of control over their social environment (people let them escape unwanted situations, give them what they want, let them have their way in order to pacify them).
4. Self abusive behavior can be used to mask, or dull pain. Individuals may bang their head to mask pain from headaches and ear infections. They may hit themselves in the jaw to distract from toothaches. When self abuse begins, or increases significantly, medical evaluation is important.
5. Self abusive behavior can be for self stimulation, to help regulate the nervous system. It can alert the nervous system when under-aroused, and release stress chemicals when over-aroused. This behavior often occurs frequently during times of no activity or when overwhelmed by too much activity.
Severe and persistent self injury can start for any of the above reasons, but can become addicting over time. The pain from self injury stimulates the body to release endorphins which is the body’s natural pain killer. Endorphins act like opiates, which feel good, and the person can get addicted to the “feel good” endorphins. Not only do endorphins help dull the sense of pain, but it also feels good. The individual self injures to stimulate the release of endorphins to maintain the “feeling.” Since the endorphins act to dull the pain, the behavior Is not felt as painful. Now, self abuse that occurs for this reason can get worse over time. Like all addiction, the body begins to “habituate” (gain a tolerance for) the stimulation, requiring the individual to do it more intensively, to stimulate the pain to release the endorphins. The brain has a defense mechanism to dull the sense of pain over time, making it necessary to increase the intensity to stimulate the endorphins. In addition, scaring that can occur from the injury dulls the pain, requiring the individual to dig or bite deeper to stimulate pain. These individuals will gradually go from minor injuries to creating severe injury as the skin becomes more and more scared. The individual then has to gouge or tear out tissue to get deeper for pain. In such case the medication naltrexone can be used to block the body’s release of endorphins. By doing so, the self abuse hurts more, plus it no longer releases the “feel good” endorphins. If this works, the self abuse begins to hurt more, and doesn’t release the “feel good” chemicals that is addicting.
In many cases chronic, persistent self injurious behavior ends up being maintained by several of the above functions. It can start because of only one of the functions, but once started, can gain many secondary values by the addition of several of the other functions. In most cases, professional help is needed to isolate the functions, and develop effective strategies to treat each function.
Treating Self Injurious Behavior
1. Treating self injurious behavior usually starts with doing a “functional behavior assessment” to identify the “functions” that the behavior serves (communication, stress release, escaping unwanted events, self stimulation, etc.) Functional behavior assessments involve tracking and identifying the situations under which the behavior occurs (when, where, with whom) and observing the immediate effects that the behavior produces. By identifying what triggers the behavior, and what occurs immediately after the behavior, we begin to get an idea of which function it provides.
2. Treatment the usually proceeds with changing the conditions (lowering demands, reducing stimulation, increasing support, etc.) that trigger the behavior, and teaching another, more appropriate, “replacement” behavior that meets the same need (function).
3. First we look at what environment demands are overwhelming, or lacking, for the person. This may require modifying the environmental demands, building in accommodations to lessen their impact, or providing greater assistant to support the person when faced with these conditions. If the person has too many demands placed on them, we look at providing less demands, lowering how hard the demands are, or providing added support in face of the demands. We want to better match the demands of the situation to the skill level of the person.
4. If the function of self abuse is to communicate needs and wants, then we focus on teaching the child communication skills. If person is nonverbal then we teach an alternative means of communication, such as pictures, gestures, signing, etc. We identify what the person is trying to communicate and then try and teach another, more appropriate way of communicating.
5. If the behavior is occurring to escape or avoid unwanted situations, we often need to look at “why” the person is trying to escape or avoid the situation in the first place. Then we build in added supports, or lessen the demands. In addition, we need to teach another way to communicate “stop” or “help”. Teach them another behavior to appropriately escape the situation. Then we prompt the child to use the replacement way of escape, and immediately allow them to escape. It is important that the new, more appropriate way of “escaping” is immediately reinforced with successful avoidance.
6. If the self abuse occurs for proprioception to release stress chemicals, than we look at (a) developing a sensory diet that gives frequent physical activity and other forms of proprioceptive stimulation (chewing gum, squish balls, weighted vest, etc.) that provides proprioception to release stress chemicals throughout the day, and (2) alternative replacement behavior to substitute for the self abuse. For example, if the child bites their wrist, we might provide a chewy tube to bite on. This would provide an appropriate form of biting/chewing. Substituting one form of proprioceptive tool for another.
7. If the person is engaging in self abuse to mask pain, than we identify the source of pain and treat it. We also try and teach the person a method of communicating to others that they feel pain.
8. If the person is self abusing to get strong reactions from others, we (a) lower the intensity of our reactions, and (2) provide stronger attention for other more appropriate behavior.
9. If the person is engaging in self abuse for self stimulation then we try and increase the stimulation the person Is receiving (keep them busier, provide an environment rich in stimulation) and teach other forms of self stimulation that either calms or alerts the nervous system. We also build in a sensory diet to provide the person frequent stimulation.
10. . If the behavior is the result of high anxiety, and the above doesn’t help, then medications are often used to calm the nervous system.
11. In rare occasions when the self injurious behavior may be maintained by endorphins (as discussed above) then we give naltrexone to block the release of endorphins.
Social Timing
We all know how the intricacies of socialness can pose challenges for most individuals with autism. I wanted to share with you a couple of blog posts that addresses the issue of social timing. The blog site is special-ism.com , a comprehensive eMagazine that is the result of a marriage between two powerful blogs addressing “invisible” special needs. In the summer of 2011, Danette and Tiffani partnered to create
Special-Ism, a unique article marketing platform affording the
professional with exposure opportunities, while providing solutions to
the challenges faced by parents and caregivers of children with “invisible” special needs.
The specific blog posts I wanted to share with you today were written by a speech and language pathologist, Karen S Head, and deal with the issue of social timing. Part one addresses why social timing is difficult for individuals on the spectrum and provides one strategy to try. Part two offers another strategy that incorporates a specific visual support system. Book mark the site as each month Karen will be providing an additional strategy related to social timing. You also will want to check out the other blog entries that are provided. There's an organization structure to search within the site for specific topics and there's also a search engine for the site. Try searching for Judy Endow, Madison's very own Autism self-advocate, as she has a regular posting on this blog site too.
The specific blog posts I wanted to share with you today were written by a speech and language pathologist, Karen S Head, and deal with the issue of social timing. Part one addresses why social timing is difficult for individuals on the spectrum and provides one strategy to try. Part two offers another strategy that incorporates a specific visual support system. Book mark the site as each month Karen will be providing an additional strategy related to social timing. You also will want to check out the other blog entries that are provided. There's an organization structure to search within the site for specific topics and there's also a search engine for the site. Try searching for Judy Endow, Madison's very own Autism self-advocate, as she has a regular posting on this blog site too.
Monday, November 12, 2012
Embracing Introversion (and shy/quiet learners)
This article really caught my eye (after it caught Paula Kluth's eye-see end note).
While I was reading it and came across this line:
...while introversion is a preference for environments that are not overstimulating...
Though the article is about Introverts and has statements like:
Introverts need space,...Introverts need time...Asynchronous learning environments..
my mind right away went to people on the Autism Spectrum.
Please do check out this article as a different way to think about learning opportunities and environments for students that do need space, time, etc.
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/introverted-students-in-classroom-tony-baldasaro
and as always: a big shout-out to Paula Kluth's Differentiation Daily Blog, found at:
http://differentiationdaily.com/
Saturday, November 10, 2012
iDevices - Known and Shown to be Useful Devices for Individuals with Autism
It's exciting to see the number of iDevices being used to support students within the district. While a large number of these devices have been purchased by families and sent to school for their child's use, there are a growing number of iDevices purchased with school district funds (via special grants, school funding, and/or assistive technology funding) that are being utilized across the district. I wanted to share with you a couple of resources that I have come across that provide further evidence regarding the effectiveness of this technology for individuals with autism. The first resource is a research study that highlights three case studies documenting how iDevices have supported the needs of individuals with autism in vocational settings (see the following for a more reader friendly anecdote of how Jeffrey uses his iDevice to support him at work). Secondly, because it is very difficult to kept abreast of all the apps that are developed each and every day, check out this online resource of the 50 best iPad apps for reading disabilities.
Thursday, November 8, 2012
The Return of Blog Love
I have been saving and saving all my
blog finds, so get ready for a longer post. Hang in there and I'm
sure you'll find a gem worth trying out in the classroom!
Differentiation
Daily
- DIY seating option: Something that can easily be made with a couple simple supplies; students will appreciate the desk alternative from blog, a day in the life of miss kranz!
- 108 Ways to Use Word Clouds: Round-up of ideas for using Wordles and word clouds, separated out by subject. Nice list to have if you are ready to try out this new technique - visual learners would LOVE it!
- Hands-on biology lessons: Serendip knocks this one out of the park, giving teacher prep notes and student handouts for a HUGE roundup of hands-on biology lessons for middle and high school students. Incredible!
- Math differentiation for elementary: Crazy for First Grade has a comprehensive post on how to differentiate for learners in math for all 3 tiers, assessment, materials, activities, and more! Great visuals to help guide your use also.
- Movement in math: Cute subtraction-related dance from Smiling in Second Grade, paired with a bright eye-catching visual.
- Geometry match game: Great geometry concentration game cards that can be used whole-class, small-group, or individually.
- Social studies and the common core: Resource and tip rundown from History Tech for getting everything in line for including the common core standards in social studies' lessons ASAP
- Swatters game: Fun game from Notes from a School Psychologist to incorporate movement into memorization skills.
Teaching
Learners with Multiple Special Needs
- Learning Through the Olfactory Sense: great post reminding you of the importance of incorporating ALL senses into lessons
- AAC Device Wish List: a laundry list of what the author would love to be included as features on devices these days ... might be nice food for thought for those teams out there starting to go through an evaluation process
- Teach Me AAC: great roundup of a new-er resource that will help structure intervention for those students just starting to develop communication skills through the use of AAC
- Attainment's New Products: highlights of their newest products - worth a gander.
- Spotlight on Pinterest: list of great boards/people to follow on Pinterest for good ideas for students with significant needs
- Fat Chat Apps: post focused on great app family that give you vocabulary extensions in fun areas - from pirate chat to a set just for communication breakdown repairs.
- Peer sensitivity materials: links to nice book lists to help with building community amongst students with diverse skills and needs
Monday, November 5, 2012
little things go a long way...
Last week while observing a classroom, I was trying to pinpoint what was feeling so right about what I was experiencing: I realized that everywhere I looked or listened, there were supports available for sensory regulation for all students AND staff (picture: rocking chairs, noisebusting headphones, water bottles, a soft corner, table and natural lighting, a 'singing bowl' to signify transitions, and more).
So this is just a quick shout out note of appreciation for what I saw; it would have been one thing to see these supports available, but that the staff modeled (and really utilized) the benefits of using the supports and the students were able to access them at any time was evident in the flow of the class.
So this is just a quick shout out note of appreciation for what I saw; it would have been one thing to see these supports available, but that the staff modeled (and really utilized) the benefits of using the supports and the students were able to access them at any time was evident in the flow of the class.
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