It might seem to be a simple request to ask a child with autism to write down a paragraph or even a sentence or two. According to Kathy Oehler, a Speech and Language Pathologist, the process of writing is a very complex task. It engages and sollicits several parts of the brain to work simultaniously in

There are three different schools of thought regarding this matter. One category of people considers reward and punishment a futile short-term regimen to coach children. They argue that this system fails because it doesn’t teach children good habits, nor puts an end to bad behavior in the long term. This perspective presumes that the effectiveness

Soon classrooms will open their doors to welcome their new and returning students. One of the most common traits of autism is the love for sameness and rigidity. Individuals with autism fear changing their routine and experiencing new situations. The outcome of a new experience is unpredictable. Routine activities, on the other hand is guaranteed

We talked about this topic before in the articles Sensory Integration Issues as well as Quetions and Answers. I would like to add a few more things that are useful for autisic individuals with auditory issues in particular. Hear are the tips: 1-  In case of fire drill at school, it might be a good

What is temper tantrum? It is a negative attention seeking that the child resorts to, in order to communicate his frustration in a socially inappropriate way. Usually the child’s frustration arises when a need or a desire hasn’t been met. Temper tantrum is a form of meltdown among many, like aggression, running off, screaming, and

Some parents are e-mailing me some questions and I would like to share the answers with everyone. Question 1: About Echolalia How can I stop my child from repeating after me word to word? Answer to question 1 Echolalia is one of the most common signs of autism. The child repeats after a person whatever

The story today is about a first grade child with autism who hated to go on the play structure or the equipments on the playground (slides, monkey bars, ladder, spinning wheel, the firemen pole, spiral pole and so on). He used to run all over the place and I couldn’t bring him to go on

The proverb says: The dog is man’s best friend. Dogs are loyal and they love their masters unconditionally (I prefer to use the word masters over owners). They communicate without language, and understand the body language. If your child doesn’t talk or has poor verbal skills she/he can still have a social life. A dog would be a close friend,

There is a misconception about children with autism and relationships. Autism comes from the Latin word “auto” which means “self”. This is why children with autism have been attributed the unsociable characteristic: the word “auto” implies selfishness. However, in reality, these children are interested in having friends, holding conversations, and learning about their environment. The

10- Ball Chair It is a big rubber ball seated on a four wheels base. Instead of sitting on a regular chair, fidgety agitated kids can enjoy sitting quietly and calmly on ball chairs. They are rare in special education classes because they are expensive. 11- Play Dough A great learning tool. Rolling, squeezing and