Core Deficits

Last night we had parent group and our discussion was on the core deficits of autism. It's always good even as a consultant to revisit these core deficits and to constantly be thinking about how the activities and the way they are framed benefit those with ASD. Over the next several weeks I'm going to spotlight one core deficit a week and give some examples of what this looks like and how we can work on this core deficit area. Please feel free to add comments about personal experiences or other things that spark a memory for you when reading these examples. We'd especially love to hear stories about how these core deficit areas are becoming less of an obstacle in your child's life with autism.

The five core deficit areas are:
Experience Sharing
Appraisal
Flexible Thinking
Episodic Memory
Self Awareness

Today's focus will be on Experience Sharing:
Experience sharing is most well known in the realm of communication. 80% of our communication is used to share experiences (otherwise known as declarative language), both to share our own experiences, but also to gain from the experiences of others. With an individual on the spectrum this is quite the opposite often using communication as a means to an end, to get a need met (otherwise known as imperative or manipulative communication). It is also extremely common for those communicating with individuals with ASD to use the imperative or manipulative communication. This form of communication results in some sort of response usually quite a rote reponse and not resulting in the individual with autism to have to use their mind. Helping those with autism to use more experience sharing communication is essential to help them think about and gain something from their personal experiences, gain knowledge from other's experiences and also to think more about their own actions/responses.

The best way to encourage the use of declarative/experience sharing communication is to use this form of communication with them. Think about this scenario:
Jared, a young boy with autism, walks in the door from school and the conversations goes like this and mom is very imperative:
Mom: Hi Jared
J: Hi mom
M: How was school?
J: Fine
M: Did you have art today?
J: Yes
M: What did you do in art?
J: Made a bird house
M: Oh, did you paint it too?
J: Yes

How much did this mom gain from her son's day? Did Jared have to think at all about his day? These responses are pretty mindless. Now watch the same scenario with the experience sharing communication:

M: Hi Jared
J: Hi Mom
M: I heard you made a bird house in art today
J: Yeah
M: Oh, I bet the birds will love that house
J: I think so (with a smile on his face)
M: I wonder where we should put it
J: Hmmm, (long pause) maybe on the deck
M: Yeah, that's a good idea.

How much more was mom able to get from his day? How much easier was it to build on his original statments once the communication got going? Of course this scenario would mean knowing what was going to happen in art that day, but a little digging definately pays off!

This of course is important communication style to use with all kids. I think about my 3 year old and it's so easy as we are leaving the house to kick in imperative mode. Get your shoes on! Where's your coat? Eat your breakfast! I notice immediately when I turn into imperative mom that my children become more defiant, frustrated and they shut down. Changing my conversation style just a little suddenly makes it her idea to put her shoes on. Hmm, I wonder if you'd like to wear your boots or your brown shoes today. I've got your coat. Wow, if you don't eat soon you'll have to throw your breakfast away. Bummer! Again, think about how those simple changes suddenly make it her choice. If she chooses not to eat her breakfast that's her struggle to deal with when she's hungry at 10:00!

If you are a family that has implemented the use of declaratie language, how has increasing declarative language been helpful?

Until next week! Michelle

A legacy for our children

The RDI community recently lost a dear consultant colleague and friend whose sudden passing seems unreal. When things like this happen in life it causes many of us to examine our values and priorities. The "what if" questions creep to the forefront of our minds and we think about what we would cherish and place the most value on if we found out that we would be gone tomorrow. When I stop to think about what matters most it always involves my family and memories of the time spent with them. If I knew that tonight would be the last time I would read my kids a bedtime story, I would make it the best bedtime story-time we ever had. I would slow down and really enjoy that moment in time - snuggling with them to read and talk on the couch. So many times I find myself rushing through that as part of the "bedtime routine" instead of making the most of it and cherishing the time with them. I find that happens a lot - I get caught up in the busyness of life and don't take time to enjoy the small moments. But, when I stop to think about it, it's those small moments that mean the most. It's those moments that shape the hearts and minds of my children; those moments that I'll think back on and cherish when my kids are grown and out of the house; those moments that I will remember most as meaningful ones in my life.

We get so busy in the routine of living our lives that we forget to slow down and really enjoy the moments that, in the end, will matter most. I want to leave my children a legacy of time spent together doing what is most important. I don't want my legacy to be that I got a lot done in my lifetime, or that I excelled in my work, or that I took them lots of places. Those might be good things, but they are not the most important things. I want my legacy to be of time spent living well with my family - of time spent teaching, and learning, and loving together. It's unfortunate that it sometimes takes major events in our lives, or the passing of those we knew and loved, to stop and examine our priorities. But that's one way to honor their lives - to stop and prioritize our own so that we make the most of the life we have to live. What legacy are you creating with your family?

Until next week,
Nicole

What's HOT (Horizons Occupational Therapy)

Ever think that you are getting a lot done by multitasking? Basically research is showing that we tend to spin our wheels in lots of directions, but not hardly accomplishing anything. Many of us start one task, before finishing another which can put a person into a warp-speed-juggling act. The idea of multitasking comes from computers, which appear to perform many functions at the same time. But this is misleading, because most computers flip back and forth between tasks-and your brain operates in much the same way. It is literally impossible to pay conscious attention to more than one thing at once, and do them all well. It really scares me that people are seen in their cars driving, putting on makeup, talking on the phone, and smoking a cigarette.
It is important in our daily lives to slow down, and to take time to wipe the mental slate clean. As multitasking occurs, our stress levels increase, and our lack of ability to perform to our potential. Take time to reboot by reflecting on the day ahead helps prime the mind. Prioritize what must get done, then make a schedule rather than a to-do list. Turn off the tv, computer, and phone. Take time to walk, exercise, focus and meditate, giving your overtaxed brain a chance to re-group.
Sarah OT

Anything? Yes, anything.

In starting a new year, it's always good to have great daily reminders and uplifting inspirational messages. By checking our blog daily, you will be able to read some really amazing things. I hope that you'll be able to join our daily ventures.

So, in this new year I have one quote for everyone to keep in mind at all times:

Anything is possible...

It may be a lot of work just to do one thing, but with a strong desire and determination there is the possibility of success - anything is possible - what do you want that to be?

Reflections

As I was sitting down at my desk this morning I remembered today was Thursday and it is my turn to blog (my days are little mixed up starting back to school on a Wednesday). I hadn't really been thinking about what I should blog on this week until I went to write down my reflections for yesterday. I received the day by day calendar for "women who do too much" for Christmas this year. Not only do I like the quotes and sayings in it, but another thing I like is it is designed for journaling on the back of each sheet. I've tried to journal in the past and always start off well and then about midway through the year I lose interest or get busy and don't do it. I've decided that I am going to make a commitment to reflecting this year and I really don't have an excuse as I am going to tear a page off the calendar each day anyway and it only takes a minute or two to write down my thoughts from the day before.

I think that journaling can be such a great way of preserving history for our children or family members in the future. It can also help to cement those episodic memories for us. What you write may not seem like a big deal at the time, but in years to come you may look back and find that what happened on a particular day really was a "big deal" in the bigger picture. So as this new year begins I encourage each of you to begin reflecting whether it be writing in a journal, on a calendar, blogging, or recording your thoughts on tape the memories you collect will be worth something in the future.

See you next week,
Erin

Children

Give them an inch and they'll take a mile. I love my children, I really do, but something about the holidays makes parenting really hard. I've been reflecting on this lately. A normal evening for my kids entails eating dinner, taking a bath, watching a video, reading a few books, brushing teeth, and going to bed. With my older daughter the routine continues in her bedroom with feeding her fish, reading another book and reflecting on our day. Anyway, around the holidays and out of our routine, things become really difficult. 3 days in a row of eating junk, staying up late, opening gifts and being absolutely spoiled leads to the next three days being extreme disappointments when the presents are gone, the junk food hidden and an attempt at the "normal" bedtime routine is attempted. It's during this time that I realize the importance of the routines and schedules that we have developed for our children.

Often when my children are going through those difficult times of being more oppositional and defiant I look back and think "what happened?". Most of the time I see that things have slowly slipped, the bed time routine later, the movies longer, and the compromising happening more just to avoid the dreadful temper tantrums! Oh, had I just remained disciplined and consistant myself, my children would not be fighting so hard. I read in a book recently the importance as us as parents being disciplined. How can we expect our children to be well behaved and disciplined when we don't have the same expectations on ourselves? On that note, take time to reflect on your current schedule. Are you expecting too much of your kids, pushing them through too many activities, keeping the pacing of life way too fast? Perhaps it's time to sit back, slow down and give our kids the wonderful gift of discipline. That's one of my big goals for 2007!

Do Something Daily

With the start of 2007 upon us, it seems a good time to refocus our efforts and make sure we are making the most of the moments we have with our children each day. A concept I have been developing with some families over the past few months involves doing at least one specific thing each day that works toward your objectives with your child. We have started to call this "Do Something Daily". It is a good reminder to get motivated to work toward your goals each day - even if you only have a few minutes. Many times we hear parents say that they aren't creative or couldn't think of something to do with their child. There are ALWAYS things to do - it's just a matter of thinking about them in the context of doing them with your child. Over the next month those of you working with one of our consultants will be learning more about this "Do Something Daily" idea and will be provided with tools for doing something, however large or small, each day. To get you started, here's an idea for today: have a picnic meal or snack - spread a blanket out on the floor, us some paper plates if you'd like, and sit down together to eat like you're having a picnic. Let's get some good momentum going early in this new year to make the most of each day as we work on remediation!

Until next week,
Nicole