This page contains content from an e-mail sent to members of the www.BehaviorAdvisor.com "B-list" on 4/13/13.

To receive informational mailings such as this one, sign up!

.

.

.Subject heading of e-mail: Autistic students in our classroom

Yes, I know that I’m supposed to put the child before the condition (“Students with autism” instead of my subject heading; “Autistic students”)  However, I trust that all of us here today always see the youngster through the disability. We agree with William Shakespeare that “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” or in more vernacular terms, "It’s 6 of one, and a half dozen of the other".          

It is important though, to use the “child first” phraseology with non-aware folks so that they come to see what we see: A real-life child with his/her own personality, life-space, and interests…along with having the challenge of a disability. Just to error on the side of caution then, let me rearrange the words in the subject heading of this e-mail as we talk for the next few weeks about kids with autism.

Oh wait!! We can only talk about Autism for the rest of this April! In May (2013), that term will cease to exist. It will metamorphise (Is that a word? If not, I'm laying claim to it: Copyright McIntyre 2013) into “Autistic Spectrum Disorder” (in the new version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association - DSM-5).

Let's back up the bus.  Of all the mental health disorders that we could talk about this week (April 15th), why talk about Autism? For many of you, a brain bulb just switched on and you're saying “Of course!”, knowing that it is Autism Awareness Month. Yes! In order to highlight the growing need for awareness and action regarding individuals on the autistic spectrum, the Autism Society has been promoting Autism Awareness Month since the 1970s. They, along with many of us, recognize April as a chance to educate professionals and the public at large about the condition and essential issues impacting the autism community.

Already aware? SUPER DUPER! …But at which level? As educators, parents, child advocates, and those who serve youngsters in other capacities, we need to constantly be boosting our level of awareness (and skills, knowledge, and wisdom). Yes, we’re all aware, but: Would you recognize indicators of autism in the young child of a friend? Do you know how to include the youngster academically and socially into your classroom or group? Are you cognizant of the issues that impact the lives of families of children with autism?

Here’s what’s in store if you continue on with your reading today:  1. A quick review of some important information related to kids with autism (Level of awareness: Basic)   2. My offering of another opinion that borders on being politically incorrect like the 'child-first' versus 'label-first' thought that opened this e-mail (Level of awareness: Basic+)   3. The link to our video of the week in which we follow "Sally P.", a 10-year old on the spectrum (Level of awareness: Basic, Advanced, Assessment, Empathy, Knowledge base, Skill acquisition)   4. A link to a page that I wrote with one of my grad students regarding effective teaching of kids with autism (Level of awareness: Overview and strategies)   And…   5. An absolutely wonderful cornucopia of music (you’ll be able to listen to a great deal of it for FREE) that is not only beautifully composed, arranged, played and sung, but also teaches social skills and cognitive processing of events and feelings to youngsters with autism (and other mental health and behavioral issues).

I was floored when I first listened to this CD.

It is nourishment to the ear, the soul, and the cerebral cortex. (Level of awareness: Instruction & intervention)

But it's work first, then music break, so let's get started...

How many youngsters have Autism?

The number of youngsters with autism around the world continues to increase.  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the U.S. (March-April, 2013), it is estimated that 1 in 88 American children has some variation or degree of autism.  That is an increase of nearly 80% compared to just a decade earlier.

How was this finding determined?  Since 2000, the CDC’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network has based its estimates on a bi-annual counting of how many 8-year-olds in about a dozen communities across the nation have autism. (The number of sites has ranged from 6 to 14 over the years, depending on the availability of funding in a particular year.)

In 2000 and 2002, the autism estimate was about 1 in 150 children. Two years later 1 in 125 of the 8-year-olds had autism. In 2006, the number was 1 in 110, and in 2008 -- 1 in 88 children had the condition.

Boys with autism continue to outnumber girls 5-to-1, according to the CDC report. It estimates that 1 in 54 boys in the United States have autism to some degree.

Note: As of May 2013, Aspergers syndrome will no longer be recognized as a condition separate from autism.  The youngsters who have the symptoms of this now defunct condition will be labeled as having autism.  See the page on Aspergers syndrome for more information. (a link will be placed here in a couple of weeks)

What are the signs & symptoms of Autism?

In general, kids with autism have a neurodevelopment disorder (brain neurology-biology complications) that leads to impaired language abilities, difficulties in inter-personal communication, and under-developed social skills. The video will answer this question in more depth.

Intervention and strategies

Well-conducted research studies show that the earlier the implementation of effective the interventions, the better the long-term outcomes for kids on the autistic spectrum.  Of course, early intervention is dependent on early identification of the disorder. The video (below) discusses some of those approaches.

Professional envy on the part of Dr. Mac

During autism awareness month, it is difficult to imagine an educational professional being unaware of the condition.  Some of us may need more knowledge and skills to better empathize with and serve these youngsters, but all-in-all, massive strides have been made in educating school-based personnel, and the public at large.  The support movement for these youngsters is well-funded and well-coordinated.

While I’ve served kids with all sorts of disabilities/challenges, my life’s work as a special educator has been primarily with kids who have conduct disorders.  These are the youngsters who engage in persistant and resistant deceitfulness, defiance, aggression,theft, destruction of property, and breaking of societal rules.  I must admit to being envious of the attention and societal concern that the autism advocacy groups have garnered through their extensive efforts: Insurance coverage for treatment, research dollars that support a rapidly increasing understanding of the condition, required training for all teachers in many geographic areas around the globe, and more… All for a population of youngsters that comprises about 1 in every 88 kids.   

Please don’t read my commentary as being resentful.  As I said, I am envious. I hold great admiration for these advocacy groups who are to be praised for the attention they have focused onto the needs and welfare of their kids.  My question is: “How do we garner this same level of concern and support for social/emotional/behavioral conditions that are found at even higher levels in our school-aged population?"

Take for examples, conduct disorders that are present in 1 in 6 youths, and ADHD that affects 1 in 11 kids.  The general public has little empathy or tolerance for these youngsters, and even many who are charged with the task of serving them well in educational and/or recreational programs, blame the victims for their conditions.  Blame the victim? Kids with conduct disorders who victimize others are victims themselves? Consider this: When these youngsters were in the womb, were they thinking to themselves “When I get out there, I’m going to wreak havoc!”  When they popped out onto our blue-green orb, do you think that as neo-nates they thought to themselves: “Let the mischief begin.”

Kids are a result of, products of, and unfortunately, sometimes victims of the circumstances in which they have been placed.  When they “turn out bad”, drowning in a sea of illicit or illegal behavior, it is our job to rescue them, not throw them a rock.

So many conditions have an awareness month or week…or at least a day, so I’m suggesting an observance for kids with conduct disorders: "Conduct disorder night".  I know that "conduct disorder day" rolls off the tongue a whole lot easier, but  a quick check of my calendar shows that every day of the year holds recognition of some event, condition, person, place or thing.  And consider that one of the diagnostic criteria for conduct disorder is “…often stays out at night despite parental prohibitions.”  So which night do you suggest, given that some have already been taken?

OH YEAH... this is the page on Autism Spectrum Disorders. Back to topic...

Here's the link to a 2- Part video made by one of the many excellent graduate students in my program to train teachers of students with emotional and/or behavioral disorders. (Thanks, Lindsey!) In the video, we'll see an overview of the Autistic Spectrum, causation theories, diagnostic criteria, therapies/interventions (direct teaching, social stories, direct signals to change sensory channels, visual supprts, OT, Sensory integration, environmental modifications) as they apply to "Sally", a 10 year old girl with (as it is known in April 2013) Autism. Part 1 .... Part 2

Here's the link to a page regarding autism that I co-authored with one of my former grad students.

_____

OK! You've earned your music break. Enjoy this wonderful offering...

HOLY COW!

Those were the words that emanated from my mouth when I first heard what you can now sample for free. Let me leave the levity here and describe what occurred.

I receive an e-mail from one of our B-list community. "Niki" offers some compliments regarding BehaviorAdvisor.com, and then asks whether I might review her CD of music. I always respond to B-listers and BehaviorAdvisor visitors, but I'm considering saying "Thanks, but no." to her. I'm just so overloaded with work, when would I find the time? I'm not sure why I said "Yes. Send it along, Niki.", but I did so.

A package arrives with 3 CDs. While riding the train from home to NYC, I insert the disk into my laptop and prepare to hear some rather amateurish, cutesy background music through my ear buds while I score student papers. The music begins, and I raise my eyes from the paper, tilt my head, and utter those words next to the image of the perforated bovine above. The surprised rider next to me might tell you that I used a word other than 'cow', but I categorically deny that accusation.

I was captivated by the songs. Not only were they capsulated in a beautiful voice and stellar guitar playing, the lyrics were the words that a kid struggling to be self-regulated in a perplexing situation would think as s/he remembers the steps to follow in reacting appropriately to the circumstances in which s/he finds him/herself!

Upon arriving at my office, I e-mailed Niki with accolades and requests for more information. Niki is a teacher and a mother of a child on the Autistic Spectrum. She is deeply aware of issues and practices regarding kids with this condition. As a musician, she has composed, arranged and played songs that kids can remember so that they are better able to manage emotions, engage in appropriate actions, and display social skills. These were not the usual chants that teachers of kids with ASD/Pervasive Developmental Disorders often play for the kids. This was high-quality material swaddled in lovely sounds.

I invite you to take a listen to excerpts from Niki's songs. Here's the url: www.nikischomasmusic.com

If you agree with me that these tunes would be of great benefit to your kids, return to this page and click on the CD cover image (below) to purchase it. Otherwise, enjoy the music.

.

From the U.S.? Click on this Left Side CD cover .............. From outside the States? Click on this right-side CD cover

Below, You'll find Niki's Bio, the Basic Objectives of each song, AND Objectives for your use in educational and/or clinical settings.

Niki's Biography:

Niki Schomas began writing music that adults and children would enjoy listening to while she was in college.  The benefits for children became evident immediately in her own classroom shortly after her graduation.  Now, drawing on her years of experience as a musician, her 15 years as a special educator, and her skills learned from being a parent of two energieic young boys, she set out to find a new way of incorporating music into her curriculum. 

With her son’s diagnosis of autism driving her passion, she also realized the urgency of properly teaching not only mainstream children, but those in her classroom, using her guitar and her voice.  After researching preexisting programs, and drawing on children’s natural love for music, Niki realized the huge lack of quality in the area of social skills instruction.

The result is a 27-song album entitled “Beautiful You” released in December 2012.  Drawing on concepts such as learning new coping strategies, teaching children to navigate social situations, and having them understand the natural ambiguities of life, Niki’s music is being used by parents and educators alike.  Niki wrote and produced the album to be utilized in the classroom by general and special education teachers and for families at home.  Her purpose allows teaching of social concepts through music to be is inspirational, effective, and most of all fun.

Hmm... ritualistic and repetitive behavior... Let's sing Niki's song together.

 .

.

Author: Tom McIntyre - DoctorMac@BehaviorAdvisor.com

.

.

.