Presume Competence

 

Some of the most difficult things we face in our field are those things which are intangible.

 

We live in a land of pre-requisites and accountability, which leaves little room for "The Least Dangerous Assumption" as pioneered by Anne Donnellan in 1984 and clarified by Rosetti and Tashie.

How DO we go about living the least dangerous assumption and giving the gifts that presumed competence creates? 

Check out this article with some awesome food for thought questions:

Living the Least Dangerous Assumption

Educators Staying Positive in Trying Times

Lack of time, student progress pressure, lack of sleep, hectic days, interactions that challenge our patience...the list of stressors could go on and on and on....

 ....But we need to find ways to be happy in our day-to-day lives. We need to find ways to continue to support one another and to maintain our positivity.

During a hard day, what gives you reason to smile?

 Here's a link from Edutopia with suggestions to boost your positivity!

Teachers staying Positive in Trying Times

Language and Attention Project

The Waisman Center needs your help!

We're trying to reach families of 8-11 year olds who have high functioning autism to see if they'll come to the Waisman Center for two visits lasting about two hours each. We're investigating the connection between language skills and executive functions so the kids will be asked to complete book-based tests of reasoning and language as well as computer-based tasks of attention, memory and impulse control.We offer breaks and small prizes to make the visits more fun as well as $150 for completing both visits.

For more information contact:

Heidi Sindberg, M.S., CCC-SLP
Language and Attention Project
(608) 263-3123
hasindbe@wisc.edu

Upcoming Events - Disability Resource Services

Looking Forward

Please join us for an evening of questions and answers with agencies offering supportive service for individuals with disabilities. Even if you have not yet reached your last year of school, this evening is an opportunity to start planning for your future.

This year’s program will feature presentations on attending Madison College and UW Whitewater, Financial aid, and the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR). We hope you utilize this opportunity to become aware of what support is available in the community. We look forward to seeing you and assisting you in planning your future. 

The free event is being held on November 12, 2013 at the Madison College Truax campus, room C1423. Registration starts at 5:00 p.m., Welcome and Keynote start at 6:00 p.m. followed by three breakout sessions ending just after 8:00 p.m.. If you're interested in attending, no pre-registration is required, however if you will need accommodations such as a sign language interpreter, please contact DRS by October 29th at (608) 246-6716 or drs@madisoncollege.edu. (I know it's past this date…but might still be some room, give them a call and find out)

Agencies to be Present:

Assistive Technology (Madison College and UW-Whitewater)

Center for Students with Disabilities, UW-Whitewater (CSD)

Aging and Disability Resource Center of Dane County (ADRC)

Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, State of Wisconsin

Cutting Edge Program, Edgewood College

Employment Resources, Inc

Guardianship, Law Offices of Christenson and Allex, LLC

Dane County Job Center

Disability Resource Services, Madison College

Financial Aid Office, Madison College

TRiO Student Support Services, Madison College

Opportunities, Inc.

Social Security Disabilities (SSI or SSDI)

WisPACT Trusts

The 2013 Looking Forward workshop is sponsored by:

The School Districts of DeForest, Deerfield, Lodi, Madison, McFarland, Marshall, Middleton/Cross Plains, Monona Grove, Mount Horeb, Oregon, Stoughton, Sun Prairie, Verona, Waunakee and Madison Area Technical College.

Safe server for minecraft?

http://www.autismspeaks.org/news/news-item/dad-creates-autcraft-safe-haven-minecraft-players-autism

Minecraft, the hugely-popular game that consists of building a virtual world block by block (Lego style), has a new haven for gamers with autism. Autcraft is a by-invitation-only server created by blogger and dad to a son with autism Stuart Duncan as well as other parents of children on the spectrum. The server’s website describes Autcraft as “the first Minecraft server committed to providing safe, fun [learning] environment for children on the autism spectrum and their families.”

2013 Wisconsin Self-Determination Conference

The Six Degrees of Self-Determination

 

Creating opportunities in Wisconsin!
This year's conference theme, Six Degrees of Self-Determination, uses the idea that we are all connected and we can use our connections to accomplish something good. Self-Determination is strong in Wisconsin and self-directed supports are one of the most creative tools available for individuals with disabilities to get the support they need to get the life they want. Let's think beyond traditional ways of support. Join us to share, learn and be heard.
Who should attend?
Adults and transition-aged youth with disabilities and their family members, service providers, educators, state employees, IRIS staff, MCO staff, ADRC staff, county staff, and support brokers.
Learning together...
The Self-Determination Conference is uniquely designed to bring the experiences of self-advocates together in a practical "how to" guide provided with the assistance of professionals, family members and support staff. Learn from their experiences and imagine the possibilities.
By sharing our stories and experiences, we grow and learn together as individuals, as organizations and as systems of support. Connecting, sharing, listening and learning together

October 29-31, 2013
Kalahari Resort
Wisconsin Dells, WI

http://www.wi-bpdd.org/sdc/

Employment Strategies for Youth with ASD/DD

Community of Practice on Autism Spectrum Disorder and

Other Developmental Disabilities (CoP ASD/DD) 

Discovering Work:  Employment Strategies for Youth with ASD/DD

      Tuesday, November 5, 2013
8:00am-3:30pm
{Registration and light breakfast buffet at 8:00.  Meeting begins at 8:35}

Fox Valley Technical College - Appleton Campus
1825 N. Bluemound Drive

Appleton, WI 54912-2277
Room E130 (off the Commons)
http://www.fvtc.edu/public/content.aspx?ID=1706&PID=1

Lunch will be provided.
Due to the generosity of our sponsors this will be a free event.

 for information and registration:
http://www.waisman.wisc.edu/connections/future_meetings.php

ACA and Autism

With the current situation in our federal government thought this would be a good list for people to get an understanding of the coverage proposed in the ACA

Recent news on autism and ACA

Pew article

HHS information

Autism parents group holding conference in Madison

Here is an interesting conference this Friday and Saturday.


Autism parents group holding conference in Madison : Wsj

GENETIC DISORDER Link to autism questioned

Children with a genetic disorder known as 22q11.2 deletion syndrome are often also diagnosed with autism at rates of up to 50 percent. But those children may not be autistic, according to a new study from the UC Davis MIND Institute.
The disorder is caused by the deletion of a small part of the 22nd chromosome, resulting in widely varying symptoms, such as heart abnormalities or a cleft palate. Children with the disorder also frequently suffer from developmental delay and social impairments, and 20 to 50 percent are diagnosed as falling somewhere on the autism spectrum. The risk of the disorder is about 1 in 2,000.
UC Davis researchers found that while those social impairments may mimic the features of autism, in a study of 29 children with 22q11.2, none of those children met "strict diagnostic criteria" for autism.
One noticeable difference: they often seemed to have higher levels of social motivation than children on the autism spectrum. Social deficits, researchers noted, might be more a function of developmental delay than autism.
The finding points to a need to develop different treatments for children with 22q11.2, separate from those used in children with autism. Further research is needed to determine what those more appropriate treatments might be.
The study was published online Sept. 17 in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.
- Kristen V. Brown

Understanding the DSM5 Autism Spectrum Disorder changes.

Many are aware of the changes to the diagnostic criteria with the publishing of the DSM 5.  See below for some of the information on these changes.  What do you think?

From DSM.org:
One of the most important changes in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) is to autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The revised diagnosis represents a new, more accurate, and medically and scientifically useful way of diagnosing individuals with autism-related disorders. Click for more information

From Autism Speaks:
Autism Speaks is pleased to provide the full-text of the diagnostic criteria for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and the related diagnosis of social communication disorder (SCD), as they appear in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). As of May 2013, psychologists and psychiatrists will be using these criteria when evaluating individuals for these developmental disorders Click for more information

GUIDELINES & CRITERIA EXAMPLES

Call for Photos from the Autism Society

Spread the word. We are gathering photos for the Autism Society website and other national publications. Our goal is to share photos and images that reflect community experience, diversity and a day in the life of an individual with autism and their family. We are asking for your help in sending those irresistible images and memorable moments for all to see. Those wishing to submit photos should email Tonia Ferguson at media@autism-society.org. Email attachment must include high resolution JPG and photo release form. 

Role of Families on Decision-Making Groups

Role of Families on Decision-Making Groups from Serving on Groups That Make Decisions: A Guide for Families

DATE:  THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2013 TIME:  12-1 PM and 7-8 PM Do you want to be more involved in a decision-making group but not sure what is your role as a parent representative? Are you a decision-making group leader and want to support parents to actively participate on your group? So many times we are on committees or in meetings but don't know what the process is or how to fully participate. This workshop will give information about the roles of families in decision-making groups and tips on how to better serve the families you represent.   WI FACETS and the Parent Leadership Hub of the Statewide Personnel Development Grant have a new resource guidebook titled Serving on Groups That Make Decisions:  A Guide for Families.  This guidebook was created to support parents, educators, service providers, and other professionals serving on decision-making groups. Register for a session now by clicking a date below: Thu, Sep 19, 2013 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM CDT Thu, Sep 19, 2013 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM CDT Once registered you will receive an email confirming your registration with information you need to join the Webinar. You can also register by contacting Sandra McFarland at WI FACETS - (877) 374-0511 or smcfarland@wifacets.org. Sandra will mail to you all workshop materials and provide you with the toll-free number to call in for the workshop.  Save time and register online at www.wifacets.org.

New Prevalence Data for Individuals with ASD

This just in from Community of Practice on Autism Spectrum Disorders and Other Developmental Disabilities (CoP-ASD/DD).   Thanks for sharing!

A new telephone survey of parents found that 2% of school-aged children in the United States have been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD).  The report was published on March 20th, 2013 by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, (CDC) agencies within the Department of Health and Human Services.

The report, “Changes in Prevalence of Parent-Reported Autism Spectrum Disorder in School-Aged Children: 2007 to 2011-2012” is available at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhsr/nhsr065.pdf

Main findings of the report:

·          The prevalence of parent-reported ASD among children aged 6-17 years was 2% in 2011-2012 compared to 1.2% in 2007.

·          The change in prevalence estimates was greatest for boys and for adolescents aged 14 to 17 years. The prevalence in boys age 6-17 years old increased to 3.23%.

·          Much of the increase in the prevalence estimates from 2007 to 2011-2012 for school-aged children was the result of diagnoses of children with previously unrecognized ASD.

The survey was funded by HRSA and the data collection was conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) of CDC.  The data come from the National Survey of Children’s Health, a nationally-representative phone survey of households with children. This survey is conducted every four years. This new report from a survey of parents helps us understand what parents are experiencing.

Last year, CDC’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network estimated that 1.1% (1 in 88) children had been identified with ASD. These estimates from the ADDM Network are based on data collected from health and special education records of children living in 14 areas of the United States during 2008. These 14 communities comprised over 8% of the United States population of 8-year-olds in 2008. You can read the latest ADDM Network community report here (pdf). To read the scientific article, click here.  The ADDM Network works with communities to further enrich our understanding – collecting information on why certain groups of children are more likely to be identified with autism than others, when children are likely to be identified, and what progress is being made to identify children earlier. The next CDC report on ASD prevalence from the ADDM Network is expected to be published in 2014. CDC will continue to update its ASD prevalence estimates based on findings from the ADDM Network.  To learn more about the ADDM Network site in Wisconsin, please visit www.waisman.wisc.edu/wisadds.

While the new report is based on a national telephone survey of parent experiences and not an epidemiologic study, it provides further evidence that the number of children being diagnosed with ASD appears to be increasing. 

For more information about CDC’s autism activities, visit www.cdc.gov/autism.  For free resources and tools to help parents and professionals track every child's early developmental milestones and to know how and when to take action on developmental delay, visit CDC’s “Learn the Signs. Act Early.” program Web site: www.cdc.gov/actearly.

For information about HRSA’s autism efforts visit http://mchb.hrsa.gov/programs/autism/index.html.

Facilitated Communication Training this Thursday

Have you ever wondered about facilitated communication (FC)?  Have you heard the buzz or the controversy about this method?  Then, now's your chance to find out more and possibly dispel the myths.  There is an FC informational session this Thursday, May 2, 2013.

Here are the details:

FC Informational Session
Thursday, May 2, 2013
7:00 - 8:30 p.m.    
Free and Open to the Public!

Sequoya Branch Library

4340 Tokay Blvd, corner of Midvale and Tokay

Madison, Wisconsin
If you can't make it and want to find out more, check out the links below from Char Brandl ...

Also for further information:

Sue Rubin   

Syracuse University   

Finding Our Voices   (video)  
Finding Our Voices  (writings) 
Wretches and Jabberers     
Amanda Baggs   
TASH personal stories   

And check out Char's blog at  http://www.grandmacharslessonslearned.blogspot.com/
Look for the ones labeled "Facilitated Communication"

!!!!!Celebrating Siblings!!!!!

Sign up for the 2013 Siblings Day!

This is a special event for the brothers and sisters of children with disabilities. 

Saturday, April 13th

9:00 AM - 3:00 PM

Edgewood College - The Stream

Madison, WI

The program is open to the siblings of children with disabilities currently in kindergarten through 12th grade. 

Cost is $7 per child and includes a pizza lunch for children and family.  Join us and help siblings understand why they're more special then they'll ever know. 

Call (608) 442-5555 to register your child today!

Please RSVP by Friday, April 5th.

     

Self-advocacy Interview

Kerry Magro ( 25, is a National Motivational Speaker and Award Winning Autism Self-Advocate. Kerry was diagnosed with PDD-NOS at the age of 4. Today along with speaking frequently around the U.S. about his life on the spectrum also works as a column writer for Autism After 16 and Co-Host of Autism Radio.) dishes on organization, his start on the autism self-advocacy journey, high school advice and more in this interview, conducted via email by 11 year-old Alexander Ownby.

http://www.theautismeducationsite.com/2013/02/25/kerry-magro-on-organization-autism-self-advocacy-and-more-interview/

"The Whole Nine Yards"...are they equal to 27 feet?

What kind of an umbrella do you use when it's raining cats and dogs???

People with Autism are often literal thinkers, thus making idioms problematic and confusing in conversation, literature, etc.

If you had no idea of what these idioms meant, how do you think you might interpret them?

• Get a grip
• At the eleventh hour
• Don’t get bent out of shape
• My arm is killing me
• At death’s door
• On it’s last legs
• If the shoe fits

If you've never thought about how many idioms are embedded into things people say, check out the collection of over 10, 000 of them in the latest edition of 

The American Heritage Dictionary Of Idioms

Here's an interview with the author:

http://www.npr.org/2013/02/28/173060110/dictionary-of-idioms-gets-everybody-on-the-same-page

And food for thought for strategies to help with the presence of idioms:

http://suite101.com/article/teaching-idioms-to-pupils-with-asd-a24219

Postsecondary Education Resources

This webpage is rich with resources brought to us from the:

Community of Practice on Autism Spectrum Disorders and other Developmental Disabilities Autism Program Support Teachers Meeting,  October 9, 2012
in the area of 

Building Capacity in Postsecondary Education for Students with ASD/DD 

https://www.waisman.wisc.edu/connections/pdfs/Website_resources.pdf

Brotherly Love

Here's a heart warming video that Spencer Timme made about his older brother Mitchel who has autism. I think you will enjoy it!

How to Help, When to Help, and When to Leave me Alone?

Recently I became acquainted with a blog site I had not visited before.   The Squag^TM blog is a place to come and read about new ideas in ASD that relate to health + home life, school + sports, love + friendship, and the opportunity to be creatively fulfilled. Their experts are parents, professionals, and kids that speak their mind and always – always challenge us to think twice before defining the word autism.

Of particular notice to me was an entry about how best to respond to students when they are stuck. Although all students are different and what supports and accommodates one is not guaranteed to work with others, here are some great ideas of things to consider when students get stuck.

"High Functioning or Low Functioning? Yes, I am!"

Most weeks I encounter well intentioned staff and families talking about students with autism in terms of functioning levels. I have never been a fan of the term "high functioning autism" because if there is a "high functioning autism" there must be a "low functioning one". When students have no reliable means to communicate to us what they know, feel, understand, want -- how is it that we can come to any conclusion about their functioning level? The absence of strategies to understand how students function often leads some to the conclusion that students are "low functioning", and with that assumption, most often comes reduced and limited opportunities and expectations.

Madison's very own Judy Endow, noted author and self-advocate, has released another insightful blog entry where she talks about "high and low functioning". I hope it resonates with you as much as it does with me.

Medical vs Educational Autism

As you are probably aware, currently there exists a different framework for identifying individuals with autism educationally and medically.  Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction's eligibility criteria doesn't differentiate between different types of autism and uses to term "autism" to broadly label students who meet the state's autism eligibility criteria.   Medically, pervasive developmental disorder (PDD) is a broad umbrella diagnostic criteria that is utilized and 5 subgroups of PDDs are differentiated: autism, Asperger's syndrome, Rhett's syndrome, Childhood disintegrative disorder, and PDD-NOS (not otherwise specified). Educationally the term "autism" is used broadly, medically it is used to described what some think about as "classic autism".

This difference in how individuals are described and labeled educationally vs medically is about to change as the newest version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (which provides a common language and standard criteria for the classification of mental disorders) plans to not differentiate among different subgoups and use the term autism spectrum disorder as the broad umbrella diagnostic label.  There has been much discussion about this proposed change and many fear that those individuals who met criteria for various subgroups of PDDs (in particular Asperger's Syndrome) may not be identified within the proposed DSM-V's diagnostic criteria for autism spectrum disorder. Confused?  Check out this link for more discussion and a video that outlines the proposed changes in DSM-V.

Aspergers and Violence - Let's Stop the Rush to Judgment

In December, a horrific tragedy occurred in Connecticut.  As you are probably aware, the news was flooded with information about the killer having Asperger's and many stories were released about the connection between those with Asperger's and violence.  Check out the thoughts and opinions of noted authors and self advocates John Robison and Judy Endow.  They provide compelling and convincing arguments that discount any thoughts, beliefs, or arguments that a connection exists between autism and mass murder. 

Is your student "resistant, oppositional and noncompliant"?

Here's a great post from the Autism Discussion Page" by Bill Nason on the topic of "resistant, oppositional and noncompliant behavior" and what you can do to help support your students in those situations:

Many children on the spectrum have problems with following the lead of others, and are frequently oppositional. This is frequently seen as “intentional” noncompliance, and the child is often labeled as Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD). These children frequently have to control all activity and interaction, lead the activity their way, and refuse to follow the lead of others. When we press the issue with them, they will often act out to re-establish control. This reaction can occur if they don’t get something that they want, are pressured to do things that they wish to avoid, and whenever someone is trying to lead what they are doing. There can be a variety of reasons why a child on the spectrum will be so resistant. Here are several reasons why and strategies to support them. This list is not all inclusive, but common issues.

1. Because of the variety of processing problems (sensory sensitivities, delayed information processing, auditory processing difficulties, etc.) many children on the spectrum feel safe only when they are leading and controlling everything they are engaged in. “Uncertainty” scares them, so they need to control everything in order to maintain predictability to their world.

Suggestions:

a. Respect and accommodate for sensory sensitivities and use a sensory diet to calm and organize the nervous system.
b. Break tasks down into smaller parts, make them concrete with visual strategies, provide information in small bits that are clear and concrete.
c. Let the child pace the speed that information is provided, and how they express what they know.

2. Because of the processing issues listed above, these children can become overwhelmed very easily. By resisting, and controlling what they are engaged in they can pattern how much stimulation they have to process, avoiding overload which overwhelms them. They can pace the information to meet their nervous system needs.

Suggestions:

a. Use strategies listed above under number 1.
b. Respect, avoid, and/or accommodate for situations that tend to overwhelm the child.
c. Teach the child coping skills for dealing with overload.
d. Teach the child (and those around them) how to appropriately escape situations that overload them (break card, say “no”, ask for help, etc.).

3. Difficulty understanding what is expected. Children on the spectrum have difficulty appraising what is needed, so they are either anxious about entering into new situations, or dive in to new situations without understanding what is needed (then acting out when they struggle). For these children they (1) do not know what to expect, and (2) do not know what is expected of them. They need the world to be very predictable so they know exactly what to expect.

Suggestions:

a. Preview, clarify and verify: Prepare the child before going into situations (1) what they can expect to occur, (2) what is expected of them, (3) how long it will last, and (4) what will come up next. Also, anticipate any problem areas and how to handle them (e.g. withdraw and regroup when overwhelmed.). Don’t assume the child understands, clarify and verify that they understand.
b. For new situations, while knowing the child’s vulnerabilities, try to make modifications and accommodations to reduce the impact. Again, preview these ahead of time.
c. During activities/tasks, “think out loud!” Provide a narrative of what is needed, and how to do it. This can help guide and coach the child through the tasks.
d. Use visual schedules to help provide predictability and understanding.
e. Ease transition by preparing ahead of time, and giving 5,3, and 1 minute reminders before transitioning between tasks.

4. From a history of constantly being place in situations where the demands are stronger than their skills to handle them, they have learned that it is simply safer to escape and avoid any activity that is not initiated and lead by them. So, they have to control all activity.

Suggestions:

a. By understanding the sensory, cognitive, and performance issues of your child, always look at how the demands can be lowered, presented differently, or more support provided to make them match the current skill level of the child.
b. Do the tasks/activities as “we-do” activities (do them together, helping each other out) to frame and scaffold the activity to maximize success. Match the demands to the child’s skill level, and do it together to support them through it.

5. Many on the spectrum have strong task performance anxiety. So when we ask them to perform, they will resist unless they know that they will be “perfect” at doing it. Because of their “black and white”, “all or nothing” thinking, unless they feel completely competent (which is often just in their preferred, self-directed activity), they will pull back and resist. It is an all or nothing response; resisting any activity that will take some time to learn.

Suggestions:

a. Understand the child’s comfort zones and stretch slowly.
b. Start where the child is at; keep it simply, build one step at a time, maximize success.
c. Find the “just right” challenge and stay within it.
d. When possible, do the activity together (we-do activity) so you can take the pressure off the child, thus lowering the task performance anxiety.

6. Some children have a hard time “initiating” a task. They simply cannot get themselves started. This is due to weak executive functioning (brain wiring). They need you to “jump start” them.

Suggestions:

a. Assist them in starting the activity, then fade out the assistance as they get going.
b. Some of the kids with executive functioning issues cannot remember multi-step directions. You may need to provide visual prompts for each step. When we give the child a task, give them verbal instructions, and then walk away, they may not be able to organize what is needed to carry it out. Don’t label this as noncompliance. Provide the necessary support.
c. Give written directions and a written outline (worksheet) to lead them from one step to the next.

7. Lack of motivation. Many children on the spectrum have low motivation to do things that are not exciting for them.

Suggestions:

a. Increase motivation by following “nonpreferred “ activity, with “preferred” activity. Simply use the activity that they enjoy to reinforce completion of other activity. First do homework, than watch T.V.
b. Catch them being good! Provide three times more praise and positive attention for being cooperative than for being resistant (scolding, coaxing, etc.). Minimize attention for noncompliance.
c. Build in token systems, star charts, sticker programs, etc, only if needed to increase motivation.
d. Some children are resistant when tasks are boring. Try and build new learning around their strengths and interests.

8. For children that say no and fight all “directions” ! Often labeled ODD

a. Pick your battles. Reduce 80% of all “requests”, demands, and directions. Telling them, or asking them to do things, will elicit an automatic no! They will resist all imperative statements (questions, prompting, instructions, directions, requests, etc.). It just gives them ammunition to be noncompliant.
b. Use more declarative language to invite engagement. For example “Wow…I could really use help with this!” or “I bet you are better at this then me!”, rather than “Billy help me do ___.” Invite without asking. It allows the child to feel them self volunteering to help; being in control under his own volition.
c. Provide no negative emotion to refusal. The two main things to avoid when child is resisting is “strong emotion,” getting upset, and any scolding, negotiating, coaxing, or bribing. They feed off the negative emotion (helps them feel powerful) and the attention that we give counseling, scolding, and coaxing. However you choice to respond to noncompliance, do it with little emotion, and with minimal talking.
d. For requests that the child “has to” do, use the following:
Get the child’s attention, face to face, eye level.
State the prompt in short, clear, concrete language.
Provide the child 10 seconds to respond (longer for delayed processing)
Repeat the prompt in firm manner; using same language.
Still no response (as long as you have been using the strategies above to support all vulnerabilities) then continue to stand your ground, saying nothing but repeating the same statement every 30 seconds.
For some children increase the assistance with physical guidance (unless it agitates them more), or simply wait until they are ready to respond.
Once the child respondes, provide support as needed, and reinforce all cooperative participation.
These strategies should only be used for those requests and blended in with the above positive strategies.
e. Often these children respond negatively to positive praise (just the opposite of most children). They read “praise” as you controlling them to do things. So, for these children do not praise performance, just let mastery be motivating.

9. Because of our wish to avoid a fight, many children on the spectrum have learned that by resisting, people back off and withdraw the demands in order to avoid a meltdown, or destructive behavior. By doing so we often get to the point that we pacify the child so he will not get aggressive. We coax and bribe the child to do things. Consequently, the child learns that by being noncompliant, and acting out, he can manipulate the people around him to give him what he wants, and to escape and avoid everything he wishes to avoid.

Suggestions:

a. Of course, build in above proactive strategies to match the demands to the child’s current skill level.
b. Use a visual schedule so the routine is consistent and predictable for the child, with preferred activity built into the schedule every 2-3 activities.
c. Do the activities as we-do activities as much as possible. Providing support and praise as you go along.
d. When child is resistant, take away the battle, and let the consequences teach the behavior. Tell the child “You are too tired to do it right now. That’s ok, you let me know when you are ready, and I will help you.” Show no emotion, simply back away and ignore noncompliance. However, the child cannot do any preferred activity until they follow through with the routine task.
e. If they complain, simply remind them that it is their choice, and you are there to help them when they are ready.
f. It is important that you are very clear in the expectations and consistent in following through with “life stops” until the child becomes responsive again.

As you see, there are different reasons why children on the spectrum are oppositional. However, assume that the child is doing the best that they can, given the situation they are in and their abilities to deal with it. Also, assume that the more oppositional, the more incompetent the child feels. Focus on helping the child feel competent, and responsiveness will increase. We tend to focus too much on forcing compliance, when we need to be assisting the child by taking away the fight, lowering the demands (at least at first), providing increase supports, and focusing on what they are doing right. Help them feel more competent, and they will follow your lead.

Consequences for Aggressive Behaviors

Frequently, I encounter situations where school teams are working with students with autism who demonstrate significant, physically assertive behaviors towards adults and peers.  Many times, these behaviors are demonstrated by students with autism who have limited or no conventional communication skills and by students who have a unique cognitive learning style that makes temporal sequencing and cause and effect situations difficult to process and understand.  Many times, when helping staff sort out and make sense of what's happening and how best to respond, some staff members feel that some sort of consequence (i.e., time out, response cost, or some other punitive intervention) is needed and advocate strongly that such interventions must be utilized.



Such interventions typically are not successful with most individuals with autism. In terms of reducing aggressive behaviors with students, we need to focus on why the behavior is occurring and teaching the students to communicate in different ways.  In the heat of the moment (so to speak) we need to see the behavior as emotional disregulation and focus on helping the student de-escalate and keep himself and others safe.  Applying some sort of negative consequence in response to the behavior in order to teach him or her to behave differently will not work.  Once the student becomes more emotionally regulated, attention can be given to the function of the behavior and proactive strategies utilized to teach the student to communicate in a more conventional manner. 

Great video, a must see!

Have you seen the movie Wretches and Jabberers yet?  If you haven't, here's a great video that you can watch about autism as experienced by Larry Bissonnette and Tracy Thresher (stars of Wretches and Jabberers) and others.  It's a powerful video that goes a long way in helping us better understand autism. 

Waisman Center Day with the Experts: Autism, 1/26/13

SAVE THE DATE:  Waisman Center Day with the Experts: Autism

To download a flyer about this event, go to www.waisman.wisc.edu/~palumbo/AutismDWE13.pdf
Hosted by the Autism Society of South Central Wisconsin and the Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Sponsored by the Friends of the Waisman Center

Waisman Center Day with the Experts: Autism Participants will learn about the latest advances in autism research, and will hear firsthand from a panel of experts-individual(s) diagnosed with ASD and their families.

Saturday, January 26, 2013
9:00 a.m. - 1:45 p.m.
(Complimentary coffee & bagels at 8:30 a.m.) Friends of the Waisman Center Auditorium
1500 Highland Avenue, Madison WI 53705

*9:00 a.m.-9:30 a.m.    Welcome and Introduction to the Waisman Center
Marsha Mailick, PhD, Director, Waisman Center

*9:30 a.m.-10:15 a.m.   Psychiatric Comorbidity in Children, Adolescents, and
Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Janet Lainhart, MD, Professor, Department of Psychiatry Depression, anxiety, inattention, and other neuropsychiatric conditions occur commonly in children, adolescents, and adults with autism. These conditions add substantial burden to affected individuals and their families and are challenging for researchers and clinicians. The conditions make it difficult for parents, schools, community service providers, and clinicians to improve the lives and outcomes of affected individuals. Lack of understanding of these conditions in ASD may also be a barrier to more complete elucidation of the causes of autism. This talk will address neuropsychiatric comorbidity: what it is, why it is frequent in individuals with ASD, how it can be treated, and the difference treatment can make.

* 10:15 a.m.-11:00 a.m. Update on Prevalence Trends and Risk Factors for Autism
Spectrum Disorder
Maureen Durkin, PhD, DrPH, Professor, Departments of Population Health Sciences & Pediatrics This talk will provide an update on trends in the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders.  Associations between autism and risk factors such as pregnancy complications, parental age, birth order, gene mutations, socioeconomic status and co-occurring disabilities will also be described. Local, national and international trends based on the most recent data from the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network and other sources will also be presented.

*11:00 a.m.-11:15 a.m.  What is the Autism Society?
Susannah Peterson, Executive Director, Autism Society of South Central Wisconsin

*11:15 p.m.-12:00 noon  LUNCH-Optional, $5 box lunches (Cousins Subs) available
for purchase. Gluten free options available.

*12:00 noon-12:45 p.m.  Community Support to People with Autism and Challenging
Behaviors
Paul White, MA, Director, Community TIES, Waisman Center The Waisman Center Community TIES program has provided outreach behavioral support to persons with psychological, behavioral and emotional challenges for more than 26 years. This presentation will offer an overview of practical strategies for families and their community support teams to consider in providing such support to people with autism.

*12:45 p.m.-1:45 p.m.   PANEL DISCUSSION-A panel of experts that includes
individuals with ASD and family members.

Capacity is limited, please pre-register to attend the event at the Waisman Center.

To register go to: http://www.waisman.wisc.edu/events/experts/

For additional details call (608) 263-5837 or email to palumbo@waisman.wisc.edu