Communicating Through Video Models

Hello everyone! 

Welcome back to Part 2 of our poster presentation entitled, “Increasing Predictability and Preparing for Changes in Routine are Important for Children with Autism.” 

In the previous blog, we explained how you can use social stories to prepare your child for changes in routines. Below is another strategy on how you can communicate new information to your child,  including changes in routines and the expected behaviours, through video modelling.  

Strategy: Video Models

What:

-       Short video clips to demonstrate desired skills and coping strategies

-       Video clips of actual events to increase understanding and teach tolerance

How:

-       Mention target skills

-       Model expected behaviours towards specific situation

-       Use short and clear language

-       Clear view with minimal distractions (i.e. unnecessary object, sound or people)

-       Exaggerate desired skills

-       Have fun!

When:

-       Teach social games (Hide and seek, Tag, Musical Chairs, etc.)

-       Teach social skills (joining conversation, manners, sharing, turn taking, etc.)

-       Demonstrate advance conversation and communication skills (understanding social cues such as body language, facial expressions, teasing v. sarcasm, etc.)

-       Explaining procedures (taking a bus, boarding a plane, ordering food, etc.)

-       Introducing new environments (new school or house, etc.)

Implementation:

-       Watch video with your child

-       First, role play in familiar environment. Then, role play in target environment.

-       Reinforce child for participation

-       Repetition is important

We hope that you will find the above strategy useful. Don’t just stop after you have watched the video with your child. It’s very important to practice the desired skills with your child too. Practice, practice, practice....and have lots of fun!

Written by

Huey Sien

Senior Consultant, EAP Malaysia

What We Learned in Sibu. Part 2.

Hello! As promised, we are back with more updates from our participation in the National Early Childhood Intervention Conference. The following is an abstract of the poster presentation prepared by Yu Ying and I. In the poster, we identified three strategies to help our children cope with change. This is the first strategy.

Increasing Predictability and Preparing for Changes in Routine are Important for Children with Autism

Predictability represents a significant challenge for children with Autism. Their lack of coping skills to deal with changes often cause them stress and frustration, which may result in difficult behaviours. These behaviours have direct impact on the quality of life of our children and family. This poster presentation review three common strategies to increase predictability, prepare our children for change, and learn coping strategies.

Strategy: Social Stories (Developed by Carol Gray)

What: Helps children understand social cues and expected responses to situations

How:

-       Use simple or child’s language

-       Use clear and real pictures (drawing works too)

-       Social Story Layout

o   Description – Describe where situation occurs, who is involved, what they are doing and why

o   Perspective – Describe and explain if necessary the reactions and feelings of others in the given situation

o   Directive – State what the child is expected to do or say

o   Control (coping skills) – strategies to help child to remember what to do or how to understand the situation

-       

     Focus on teaching one specific skill per story

-       Do what works for your child

When:

-       Explaining and relieving anxiety about a situation (death, new sibling, relocation, different eating utensils, detours, etc.)

-       Explaining a routine (shower, toileting, going out, paying at the counter, haircut, etc.)

-       Teaching social skills/social language (birthday parties, greetings, conversation, handling rejections, proximity, etc.)

-       Desensitisation of fears (dentist visits, blender, new food, making mistakes, losing, etc.)

Implementation:

-       Read  Social Story together with the child

-       Role play specific skills and coping strategies (focus on one skill at a time)

-       Reinforce child for participation

-       Repetition is important

Stay tuned for the second and third strategy! 

Written by 

Huey Sien

Senior Consultant, EAP Malaysia

Pet Support & Autism

I recently lost a family dog, Toto, a Shih Tzu. He was a friendly and gentle dog who grew up with us since he was a puppy. We always had children in the household and he loved them! He wouldn’t mind when my niece pulls his tail, grabs his front paws or holds up both front legs and instructs him to “Walk! Walk!”. Sometimes Toto will reciprocate the play too by running and chasing my niece gently.

When I was working as a therapist, Toto tagged along to a few therapy sessions with me. I thought I’d get Toto to join us during play times as Kenny (nickname) loves animals and Toto is a gentle dog. With Kenny’s mom’s consent, I prepared Kenny to meet Toto. Kenny got really excited when he finally saw Toto! Kenny spontaneously used a lot of verbal requests in efforts to play with Toto, asking me to open the gate, put on the leash, etc.

Like many other kids, Kenny didn't really know the 'right' way to play with Toto, but Toto was compliant as usual, and went along with the play. Kenny spontaneously told Toto to “Walk! Walk! Toto, walk!”, and sometimes “Run!”, too. Of course, there was a lot of follow up to do as “playing with pets” needed to be added into the therapy afterwards. But it was really nice to see how motivated Kenny was in trying to play with and communicate with Toto. It was also nice to see the attention and love that Kenny gave Toto within that short 15 minutes of play.

So when I heard about pet therapy and how pet dogs can help people with autism, I wasn’t skeptical about it at all. As a dog owner I experienced first-hand the bond that you can have with a pet dog and that they can be the best companion to have. Having a pet of such nature makes it easy for a person with autism to build a strong bond with the pet. Once a good rapport is established, more social skills can be developed from there.

Of course having a pet dog as an addition to the family can be stressful if not managed properly. There are many things to consider before getting a pet: Are any of your family members allergic to pets? Does your household have enough capacity? Is there any animal-related fear that your child might have? Most importantly, are you ready for another addition to the family?

This write up might sound more like a pet care article but I would like to emphasize on the fact that as parents, caretakers, and teachers of children with autism, it doesn’t hurt to try new methods that claim to be able to help our kids learn and progress. Just remember to consider the suitability and the safety of the therapy to your child. Every child is different and so it is important to do what works for your child. 

Written by 

Lee Yu Ying

Consultant, EAP Malaysia

"The Importance of Early Intervention in Autism"

On the 5th of Octboer 2011, our Director, Jochebed Isaacs was interviewed by BFM radio on the Importance of Early Intervention in Autism. For those of you who have yet to listen in, we've made it available for you right here: 21 minutes and 56 seconds of helpful information, explained in the most layman terms for those of us new to Autism. Have a listen or share it with anyone you know whose loved ones might be going through the following symptoms mentioned... 

EIGHT days left till our Walk for Autism! 

Stem Cell Treatment for Children with Autism?

 Autism Conference at Gleneagles: Part 3

Photo taken from animalvoices.org

Parents: Always check the scientific research evidence of any treatment prescribed for autism.

With the number of options of treatments offered for children with autism these days, I can only imagine the confusion parents go through after receiving a diagnosis of autism. I would suggest that parents read as much as they can on research-based treatments as well as meet with other parents.

Recently I was at Gleneagles Hospital which hosted a conference on autism. Amongst the different presentation was a presentation on stem cell therapy. Based on what was presented, this is a summary of the treatment:

1) The doctors use live cells that are taken from a pregnant rabbit’s fetus. Both the rabbit and fetus die in the process, sorry animal lovers. Note: these rabbits are bred in specific environments.

2) These live cells are injected into a child. Each injection costs RM30,000.

3) Only about 20 children with autism in Malaysia have gone through this treatment.

4) The doctors still recommend that the child continue to continue with therapy after this treatment.

5) They have seen progress in children that have undergone this treatment such as: better social engagement, ability to use the toilet, increased verbalizations, better eye contact etc. Note: The children who demonstrated these also had continued behavioural one-to-one therapy.

Word of Caution:

1) The doctor did mention that the only risk is mortality but that he has not experienced that yet.

2) This method of treatment is NOT approved by the Ministry of Health!

 So again, I urge you to check researched evidence of any treatment you are considering for your child with autism.

Written by, 

Jochebed Isaacs

Director, EAP Malaysia