Monthly Archives :

August 2010

A Silly Success Story

 150 150 admin
By:

Written by Nicole Fisher, Student Clinician, FIU *Initials of the patient are used in the story to protect privacy CV is a young girl three-year-old girl with Autism. When I first met CV I was struck by her tranquility. She was so calm and so still! In fact she sat patiently and quietly for the whole hour.  During our first therapy session together she drifted off in to her thoughts quite often, thus I had to make an effort to reestablish joint attention multiple times. She responded when prompted and often offered up the correct answer to many of my questions. During our first session we labeled the rooms of her house along with some household items. We also explored the function of some of the objects we had labeled. We worked on simple “yes/no” questions (i.e. Is this a pig? or Does this go here?)  as well as simple “what” questions (i.e. What animal is this)? Over the course of the three months that I was able to spend with CV she excelled rapidly. She responded amazingly well to therapy. I spent my last day with CV this week. It was bittersweet. She has changed so much. She can…

read more

Toilet Training for Individuals with Autism: Book Review

 150 150 admin
By:

Toilet Training for Individuals with Autism or Other Developmental Issues, 2nd Edition, written by Maria Wheeler. Excerpt taken from Amazon. Individuals with autism are reportedly one of the most difficult populations to toilet train. This second edition offers effective strategies that take the child’s physical and emotional sensitivities into account instead of trying to force traditional methods. Easy-to-read bulleted lists offer more than 200 do’s and don’ts, along with over 50 real-life examples, to help make the process more of a lesson and less of a battle for all involved. The young trainee will learn to overcome fear of the bathroom, properly use toilet paper, flush once, wash hands, and more. The toilet trainer will learn how to overcome challenges caused by communication needs, sensory sensitivities, motor challenges, anxiety levels, etc Toilet training is a difficult task for all parents. This four and a half star read will help you potty train your child in the easiest way possible. To purchase your copy, please click on the following link: http://www.amazon.com/Toilet-Training-Individuals-Autism-Developmental/dp/1932565493/ref=pd_sim_b_2

read more

Phonological Activation During Visual Word Recognition in Deaf and Hearing Children

 150 150 admin
By:

A recent study found deaf children do not use phonological information during word reading. For more information on this topic and full abstract look at: http://jslhr.asha.org/cgi/content/abstract/53/4/801 Ormel, Ellen., Hermans, Daan., Knoors, Harry., Hendriks, Angelique., Verhoeven, Ludo. (2010). Phonological Activation During Visual Word Recognition in Deaf and Hearing Children. J Speech Lang Hear Res, 53: 801-820.

read more

Gluten Free, Vegan Banana Cookie Recipe!

 150 150 admin
By:

We found this healthy treat that would be a great way to bond with your child and feed your sweet tooth! One of the bloggers on Autism Spot shares her delicious recipe for gluten free, vegan banana cookies. They sound delicious so make sure you save that recipe! For more information, please visit the following site: http://www.autismspot.com/blog/Banana-Cookies-Gluten-Free-and-Vegan

read more

Reading Fluency 101: How to Make Your Child a Fluent Reader

 150 150 admin
By:

Reading is one of the most important skills a child learns in their early years of education. Parents should be advocates and expand their child’s reading skills by reading daily and doing other exercises that involve reading skills. The ability to read is a multifactorial skill and many children have a hard time doing so. Here are some ways to get your kids to be fluent readers! What is Reading Fluency? Reading fluency is the ability to read quickly, smoothly, expressively, and comprehend written language. A fluent reader will be able to read without sounding “choppy;” meaning, when they read they sound very natural. Most importantly, they are able to understand the material they are reading. Fluent readers are able to decode word meaning and pronunciation simultaneously. Most children who have difficulties with reading most likely have a problem with pronunciation. When they read, they are not able to understand the text they are reading because they are too busy sounding out words. How to Improve Reading Fluency One of the best ways to aid pronunciation of words is by reading out loud or orally. Tell your child to pick his or her favorite book and sit down and read…

read more