What About Wearing A Bra
Once you have breasts, a bra is a good idea. Bras support the breasts so they don’t hurt when you walk, run, or jump around.
Ask your mom or another trusted adult to help you shop for a bra. There are lots of different kinds of bras. Try different ones until you find a bra that’s right for you.
If you’ve never worn a bra before it might feel uncomfortable at first. With a little time, you will get used to it.
Use Down Time As A Positive Reinforcer
As previously mentioned, a child on the autism spectrum has senses that work overtime providing him with untrustworthy information. As you can probably imagine, this is completely exhausting. When an autistic child has met the standards set for her, allow her the reward of down time. This could be as simple as sitting in the corner with a book and headphones for 10 minutes. Allow the child to relax.
Planning To Develop Your Childs Play:
First of all, become familiar with your childs developmental level around play. This is key to playing with them and developing their play! Use the brief outlines of levels of play/social play in the previous charts. Which is/are your child predominantly interested in? Knowledge of his or her play level will help you to identify what strategies and playthings to use to engage with your child and try to develop their play.
To help with the previous exercise, watch your child in a range of play settings with a range of play and sensory items, as well as other people/other children. See what your child does what items/toys/people he or she is drawn to and what he or she does with them. Here are some suggestions for types of playthings, although be guided by your knowledge of your childs preference, any sensory sensitivities and safety issues:
Bubbles balloons toys for blowing strings of beads fabric or other materials with different textures or patterns colourful, contrasting, shiny and reflective items spinning tops moving toys vibrating toys musical toys balls books stacking cups blocks empty boxes/containers large dominoes cause and effect toys jigsaws train set toy figures/animals/dolls and accessories tea set crayons and paper play dough pots and pans and toy food dressing up clothes hats toy money, toy phone …
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Limiting The Amount Of Time
This could be done in a number of different ways
- A self-monitored visual timer
- Many apps can now be time limited
- Token systems
Be aware that with some students with autism it is incredibly distressing to stop mid-game, so perhaps, adjust limits accordingly. Instead of a certain time period, allow them to play the game a set number of times.
Why Is Hygiene Such A Difficult Issue
Problems with hygiene for the child or adolescent with AS appear to stem from two things: sensory issues and social awareness. Many children with AS will refuse to shower or to brush their teeth. Although caregivers may initially believe that these responses are due to laziness on the part of the child, in many instances refusal to engage in personal hygiene activities results from sensory issues encountered by the child. In an effort to illustrate this point, consider the AS child who has difficulty trying new foods because of their texture. Inserting a toothbrush with abrasive toothpaste into the mouth can overwhelm the childs senses, creating an aversion to brushing ones teeth. As a result, the AS child may not willingly brush his or her teeth each night despite efforts to educate the child about the potential harm that may result.
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Provide Any Needed Help With Organization
Organization is a skill that should be taught. While many children struggle with remaining neat and organized, teachers may find their autistic students have an especially hard time with this. Teachers can assist by walking through unpacking, transitions, and packing up times until the student has turned these times into routine. Frequent desk checks are also beneficial, as students will then come to know that there is an expectation of keeping their spaces neat and tidy.
Please Share Your Tips
Through the new series Helping mums thrive at home I will be sharing my stories and tips, but I would love to read and share yours as well, just like Casss. I am positive those who are feeling out of control at the moment will find some comfort and help reading how other mums have managed to get through these times, be it that you struggled too or you found one simple tip made a difference or you found a way to manage from the beginning. Your story and tips can make a big difference to another mum. Please email me your story or tips.
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Remain Calm During Even The Worst Behavior
It is important to remember that children on the autism spectrum do not melt down to cause a disturbance. Rather, they melt down because all of their senses are in turmoil and its the only thing to do. As a teacher, the best thing for you to do is to remain a calming and supportive presence. The world during a meltdown is already terrifying the child doesnt need a panicking or angry teacher to add to it.
What Is The Cause Of Autistic Spectrum Disorders
The cause is not really known. There is some evidence that it may be passed down in families. Twins and brothers have a higher chance of also being autistic. There are also some conditions in which ASD is more common. These include Down’s syndrome, Tourette’s syndrome and tuberous sclerosis. In recent years, there has been speculation that the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine may somehow cause autism. However, there is no evidence to support this.
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How To Find Out What Motivates Your Child
In the beginning I found myself thinking that my son had no motivation, no real interests. In reality I wasnt looking properly, I was expecting typical interests and missing the sensory things or unusual interests.
Everyone has likes and dislikes, but for some children on the spectrum even wanting an item is not enough to motivate them to communicate. So finding highly motivating items is really important. It is well worth you spending a week just working out what your childs likes and dislikes are. Remember it can take time , keep going and you will find things that motivate your child.
Watch your child when they have free play time what they choose to engage with. If they have a special interest then that is brilliant and I would say just run with it using different items that relate to that interest.
Do little tests by offering a number of items one by one, take time to see their reaction to the items. If something is dismissed it is not a preferred item. What do they prefer?
Remember that it is always worth re-introducing items as what motivates your child can change. Children can be really inconsistent so have several motivators on hand then if one doesnt work you can jump to the next.
Don’t Approach Parents With Pity
Children with autism may seem different than your own. Its reasonable to wonder what your life would be like with a child with autism. You might even feel sad at the prospect.
Remember that children with autism are still children. They bring their parents joy, and theres plenty to be proud of. Approaching parents with pity undermines all that, and some parents take offense to those statements.
Children with autism often listen closely to what adults say, activists explain. Hearing an exchange of pity can make the child feel bad, wrong, or worthless. Your comment could cause more work for already overburdened parents.
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Why Your Child Is Not High/low Functioning
Youve probably been told your child is either high or low functioning. This was probably included in part of their diagnosis, and it probably defines what sort of accommodations people will think your child is deserving of.
Im here to tell you that your child is not high or low functioning. Your child doesnt have mild or severe autism. Your child is not on one end of the spectrum. Your child is simply autistic.
But Arion! My child can or cant do X Y and Z that high/low functioning people can/cant do! That makes my child different from them.
The fact that one autistic child is different from another doesnt mean that one is more or less autistic than another, nor does the fact that your child cant pretend to be allistic as well as another. Autism isnt a spectrum because there are better or worse ways to be autistic, its a spectrum because there are many different autistic traits, and each person has a different combination of them. Think of it like a pick-n-mix: each sweet is an autistic trait, and we all have different bags of sweets. They arent the same, but none of them is more or less a bag of sweets than anyone elses.
The labels simply dont work. Ill explain why by example. Say we have two autistic children, lets call them Alice and David, and lets say theyre about 10 years old, the sort of age at which neurotypical children begin to gain a new level of independence from us as primary care givers.
Youd call David low-functioning, correct?
Dont Assume Nonverbal Children Cant Communicate
Many children with autism don’t speak at all. But never assume that they don’t have something to say.
For children with autism, behavior is a form of communication. That includes:
- Blinking
- Hitting
- Walking away
Listen to what the child is trying to say. Ignore it, and the behavior may escalate until the child gets the point across.
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What Can Be Done
With the realization that hygiene is such a difficult and challenging issue for children and adolescents, it is important for caregivers to consider what they can do to promote personal hygiene without overwhelming their child or adolescent with sensory issues or negative criticism. Although the specific hygiene needs of each child will be different, there are some steps that parents and caregivers can take to improve outcomes in these areas:
Ways To Help Your Child With Autism Clean Their Bedroom
One of the most challenging things for any child is how easily they can become overstimulated. Think back to when you were a child and your parents asked you to clean your bedroom. The younger you were and the messier your bedroom was, the more overwhelmed you felt. Now think of your child with special needs. They have to deal with all that you did, but also have trouble filtering out the colors, shapes, sounds, smells and the texture of their toys. Here are some tips for helping your child with autism clean their bedrooms.
- If there was a change in their routine.
- If they have plans to do something that is very stimulating later in the day.
- If there were more or new noises, people or objects at their school or throughout their day.
- If they have a lot on their minds.
- If they were frustrated earlier in their day.
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Finding Motivating Toys For My Autistic Children
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When my eldest son was a toddler one of the hardest things was finding ways to engage him. I remember trying to play with him and he would walk away or turn his back on me, I found this really tough. It felt like something had to be new and really exciting for him to get him involved and I just wasnt good enough.
I hated the question what are his favourite things to do and it was the first thing every professional asked. I had no idea what the answer was!
Speech, language and communication skills often begin with asking for help or to request something, hence the need to know what a child may want.
My son is non-verbal and uses the Picture Exchange Communication System® / PECS® and that requires reinforces . I found finding motivating toys a real challenge at first. When we started with speech therapy we spent a lot of time giving my son chocolate or biscuits because they were the things we knew he wanted more of.
We also use Attention Autism which is a great way to teach attention skills. This again requires you to have motivational items that your child will take an interest in.
Talk About The Child’s Interests
Narrow or extreme interest in specific topics is a core autism symptom. Children can be fascinated by almost anything, including maps, numbers, recipes, geography, and more.
For children with autism, talking about these topics brings comfort. They enjoy sharing knowledge, and they can talk endlessly about the subject without asking for your feedback.
Bond with the child by listening to the topic. Ask questions, if you can. Avoid changing the subject. Just let the child talk until you know one another better.
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What Should I Do Every Day
To stay smelling fresh and clean, you should:
- Put on clean underwear and clothes every day.
- Wash your hands and face every day with soap and water. Use a towel to dry off.
- Take a shower or bath by yourself. When you take a shower or bath, you can wash all your body parts and your hair.
- Use deodorant every day. This will make your underarms less sweaty and stinky.
- Brush your teeth at least twice a day and floss everyday. This will help prevent bad breath and cavities.
Work With Their Parents/carers
Parents and carers are the true experts on their autistic children. To fully support the child in and out of school, you should therefore coordinate and share knowledge with them. Both of you can suggest interventions that have worked at home or in school for the child and can integrate these into their routine.
Not only will building a relationship benefit the autistic child, but it will also help the parents and carers feel at ease about their childs education. Your commitment to working with them will build their confidence in the schools ability to support their child.
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Natural Consequences Of Room Cleaning
Knight explains that her kids have set times for clean-up that are connected to different family activities. âWe also have an agreement that rooms will not have things on the floor before story time at night and that there will be a bigger clean before Family Movie Night on Fridays,â Knight says. âWe do not tie allowance, prizes, or punishment to cleaning the bedroom, but rather, my children know that we will have less time for stories or the movie if it takes too long to clean their room â a natural consequence.â
When your goal is to approach room-cleaning from a place of personal responsibility and accountability, encouragement and incentivizing can be great motivating factors. Whether you go the sticker-chart route for a younger child or choose to connect natural consequences to clean-up time like Knight does, your childâs age will definitely come into play.
âMaking sure parents provide clear values and expectations are especially important for teenagers. They want to know âwhyâ you are making a request to clean a room, and âbecause I said soâ is usually insufficient,â Krugman explains. He suggests talking to teens about âhow structure, routine, and organization can help them succeed in their lives and in school, and how keeping a room clean is part of the picture,â while making sure that you are modeling the same behaviors in your own life.
Tips For Getting Kids To Clean Their Rooms
Its a battle that is waged in millions of households across America every Saturday morning. Mom or Dad or both say, perhaps gently the first time, Okay, guys. Its time to clean up your rooms. The kids whine, dawdle, get distracted, or outright go on strike. As the morning wears on, the reminders get increasingly loud and more demanding. How many times do I have to tell you to clean up this mess? Youll get it done and NOW or ELSE!
Parents feel they have to impose some order. Kids want their rooms to be their own messy castles. The struggle escalates. Threats get made. Kids comply a little. Parents scold a lot. Eventually everyone is in a bad mood. Sometimes parents give up in exhaustion or do most of it themselves in frustration. Sometimes the kids do it, or do it enough, if only to get their parents off their backs, to avoid consequences, or to get on with things that are more fun. Another Saturday, another round.
Why bother? Because its our job. Teaching our kids how to keep their stuff in order, whether they have a room or a corner of their own, puts important deposits in their bank of skills for being a grownup.
Whistling while we work teaches our kids that doing chores isnt odious that there is pleasure in taking care of our things that taking loving care of what weve been given is a way to love back those who have given them to us.
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