A Message to Parents

Dear Parents, I am finally back after a long silence for almost two years. It is very hard to disengage myself from thinking and writing about...

Posts Tagged ‘flexibility’

A Brilliant Idea To Handle A Temper Tantrum

A Brilliant Idea To Handle A Temper Tantrum

By Nadia Shanab | autism, general advice, parenting, tips

Watch the video below and see how easy and fast a temper tantrum came to an end. The idea is easy to implement even if you don’t have a backyard. You can imagine the tremendous amount of sensory overload the boy is suffering from, light, noise, lack of personal space, …The boy just needed to

Before You Go To An IEP Meeting

Before You Go To An IEP Meeting

By Nadia Shanab | autism, general advice, parenting, tips

You think you know your child well. Absolutely you know her/him well in certain settings. School is a highly structured setting compared to any other setting. School setting puts some pressure on the child because there are a minimum requirements of discipline expected from each student. Ask for an in-class observation as well as play

How To Create A Flexible Schedule

By Nadia Shanab | autism, general advice, parenting, tips

In a previous entry I explained the importance of a daily schedule. Now I will show you how to build your own magnetic schedule, which will look like this: Before I explain how to make a physical magnetic schedule (the most effective I’ve ever used), here are some rules that I would like to talk

Parents & Educators, Get Ready For A New School Year Now

By Nadia Shanab | autism, general advice, parenting, tips

A new school year is around the corner and about to start! Parents and educators are you ready? Here are some tips to help you get off on the right foot. Bear in mind, there are three main goals in raising and educating children with autism that we are working on: Independence Improve Social Skills Improve Communication

All That An Assistive Dog Can Bring To Your Family (Video)

All That An Assistive Dog Can Bring To Your Family (Video)

By Nadia Shanab | autism, general advice, parenting, tips

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

A Link Between Autism And Gastrointestinal (GI) Issues

A Link Between Autism And Gastrointestinal (GI) Issues

By Nadia Shanab | autism, general advice, parenting, tips

“Scientists from Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health have discovered a link between autism and gastrointestinal issues. A new study found children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) were two-and-a-half times more likely to experience persistent gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms as infants and toddlers than children without autism.” Source The symptoms may vary from chronic diarrhea,

Basic Tips For Best Results

Basic Tips For Best Results

By Nadia Shanab | autism, general advice, parenting, tips

Here are 31 tips for teachers, educators, aides, and parents to work more effectively with children on the autism spectrum. General tips Always think SAFETY, SAFETY, SAFETY! This is the top priority when working with children, and especially special needs kids. Greet the student first by saying her/his name when she/he comes in. “Johnny! Good

How To Handle A Temper Tantrum

How To Handle A Temper Tantrum

By Nadia Shanab | autism, general advice, parenting, tips

What Is A Temper Tantrum It is a negative attention seeking that the child resorts to, in order to communicate her/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 others, like aggression, running off, and

A Quick Comprehension Test

A Quick Comprehension Test

By Nadia Shanab | autism, general advice, parenting, tips

There is a way to go into children’s mind and see how they think (especially those with poor verbal skills) and check their understanding of the language. The activity explained below engages several senses along with the thinking process. The kids usually like it because it appears to them as a game. It includes cutting,

Compliance Is Attainable

Compliance Is Attainable

By Nadia Shanab | autism, general advice, parenting, tips

People tend to perceive noncompliance as stubbornness or misbehavior. Autistic kids do not always perceive our directions the way neurotypical kids do. Why? Because of their sensory integration issues or their condition in general. They see, hear, smell, feel and process (think) differently. When the child doesn’t comply or conform, she/he is trying to communicate