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Best Books for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder have diverse levels of language and social skills. Reading with your children will facilitate their communication skills. It can build any skill such as language or critical thinking or problem solving or socialisation. This would eventually develop their advanced communication skills. Initially, you can start choosing books that would help them to explore and pay attention. Then gradually, make them to read books that would facilitate their communication skills and understanding others’ emotions. Finally, introduce books about autism to them which would help them to understand about themselves better. The list of books that would help them to build skills sequentially are: Realistic picture books Sensory books Repetitive books Story books Social skills books Children Books about Autism        1. Realistic Picture Books: Start with books which has realistic pictures of their favourite farm animals, vehicles, space or dinosaurs. This  gains their attention and also hem them to get introduced to their books. Seeing pictures of their favourite farm animals, vehicles etc would keep them engaged and also ignite their curiosity. Books such as Elephants and Giraffes, Pandas and Koalas etc can be interesting for them.       2. Sensory and Pop -up Books: Introduce books that has attractive textures. Best strategy that you can use is to comment as they explore the books. Examples of sensory and pop up books are Touchy-Feely series by Fiona Watt, slide and find version of brown bear, brown bear by Eric Carle etc. These books would assist them to explore, gage their attention and elicit single words.        3. Repetitive Books for Child with Autism: The strategy that can be used to read these books is reading the repetitive phrases such as “Brown bear what do_____” and asking them to fill in the missing the word “see”. Books such as Brown bear, Chicka Chicka Boom Boom and Hungry caterpillar keeps them involved, build their vocabulary and also improve their pragmatic skills.           4. Reading Story Books: Reading Superhero story books and “ Where the wild things are” book by Maurice Sendak would encourage them to be curious by asking so many WH questions. While reading, ask questions like “can you guess what she is thinking? Or how does she feel?”. This would pave way for the language socio-emotion development.            5.  Social Skills Books: The Social Explorers Curriculum (volume 1) by Michelle Garcia Winner comprises of five books which are Thinking with your Eyes, The Group Plan focusing on social skills, When my worries get too Big focusing on understanding their emotions, Socially curious and Curiously Social aims to improve social communication skills among teenagers and adults. There is another interesting book by Mo Williams facilitates them to understand their feelings in an entertaining fashion.             6. Children Books about Autism: One could look for books which talks about the challenges faced by children with Autism. To name a few, How to speak Dolphin by Giny Rorby, Giraffe Friendship by Michael Gordon etc. There is a well-known book which is about how a girl loves his half-brother, how autism has taken over her life and how she can’t make friends or go out after school. Most importantly, caring for her half-brother has forced her to take up the role of mother than a sister was emphasised more in this story. It also explains how she wants her step father to accept that his son has real issues so that she can have a life on her own. There is another book called All my Stripes by Danielle Royer and Shaina Rudolph which is about a Zebra with Autism, the challenges he faces each day and what it is like to have Autism. Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder have fleeting eye contact and difficulty in sharing their thoughts through words or gestures. While reading or when it is read to them, they have a very short attention span. You can try reading for a short span and make it interactive by asking them to point or name objects. Some of them may begin to read early and show peculiar interest in certain topics and they wish to read more pertaining to that topic.  The five strategies to keep in mind while reading to them are: Associate reading with their day to day activities present topics that are of their interest choose language age appropriate books teaching them one concept at a time  stimulate the five senses. Ignore the diagnosis and make reading a fun activity and this would eventually facilitate their learning and social skills. Source: Jennysspeech Readingrockets Playstories #autismspectrumdisorder #BooksforChildwithAutism #childrenwithautism

A speech therapist’s magical tool to engage a child in a session is …(*drumroll*)… PLAY! Through play, relevant skills can be taught to a child. A therapist would spend significant time and energy to think of creative ways to engage the child meaningfully, session after session. NON-TOYS, therefore, become as essential as toys during play within the sessions! Here is a list of 10 top Non-Toys for a Speech Therapist : 1. Paper: Colored, origami, plain sheet of paper – all are useful for play! A simple piece of paper can become a paper plane, a hat, paper fan, paper tassles etc.This requires some patience and attention from the child but can be oodles of fun. Cutting paper along lines is also a wonderful way to get the child engaged in making different shapes – be it a heart, a car or even a simple circle. The child’s interest can be incorporated into play – different cut shapes can be pasted on a paper to form a scene- a car on a road or flowers in the park etc! 2. Scarf (or tissue): Building rapport is easy with a game of peek-a-boo! The scarf is so easy to hide behind. Get the child to feel the texture of a scarf (especially if it is silk or soft). Wet the scarf and use it to wipe different body parts – get them aware of the body parts by touch and wetness. A scarf can be used for pretend play – such as wearing it as a cape and running around like Superman! 3. Photo album: Customized photos placed in a photo album – the old-fashioned way- is a brilliant tool to build communication! Get the child’s family, friends, favorite toys or place within. This can boost communication each time is it taken out! 4. Fun umbrella: Dancing with the umbrella is so much fun. Sing a tune and sway. Imitation through dance is wonderful in a session! Play open-close or even a game of pretend using the Umbrella and your child. 5. Cap (or hat): A cap can be uber versatile in a session and can be used to play games such as – peek a boo, catching small (and light) balls, a game of pacing the parcel (in this case a cap/ hat!). 6. Pom- poms: Children get attracted to the shiny paper pompoms. A child can be engaged in making these with the therapist as a craft activity. Alternately, they are fun for imitation exercises with or without music. 7. Sponge: A simple cleaning item can be used to get the child to understand concepts of wet and dry, transferring water from one bucket to another using the sponge (fill and squeeze), to clean a toy (pretend bathing) etc. Sponges of different shapes and sizes are wonderful for art and craft activities also. Dabbling with a little paint and getting the session messy is loads of fun. 8. Music: This is the most used non-toy. Children in therapy typically LOVE music, especially action rhymes. Having a list of songs relevant to the child and topic of therapy can be a good boost to learning. 9. Large Mirror: Mirrors give wonderful feedback to a child. Many children love seeing themselves in the mirror. Playing movement games while facing the mirror is great! Watching the mouth and imitating funny faces is fun also! 10. Small box or bottle: Little would you think a small cardboard box or plastic bottle can be useful in therapy, but it is a wonderful addition to the therapy materials. Transparent boxes or bottles can be useful for games wherein the child describes what is inside or to make sensory bottles. So easy to do and yet so engaging! BONUS! 11. Yourselves: Engaging the child in people games wherein hands, legs, songs can be used to play rhymes, action games, running games etc . A marvelous way to get the child to enjoy a session without any non-toys or items! *** Liked the article? Give us some feedback. We’d love to hear from you! *** Subscribe with us to receive the latest article about therapy materials and therapy play ideas in your inbox. #play #Earlyintervention #playinspeechtherapy #nontoys #speechtherapy

AAC for Children with Autism One of the major struggles faced by children with autism is their inability to effectively communicate with others. While some kids with autism can produce speech, they may not always be able to use these utterances meaningfully to communicate with others. Whereas, some others could be completely ‘non-verbal’ and might not be able to produce speech at all. Although speech is the most commonly used mode of communication among humans, we need to understand that it is just one among the multiple communication modalities. Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) involves a range of tools and techniques that are used to enhance communication. These include unaided communication modes such as eye contact, facial expression, body language, gesture, and signing, and aided communication systems which can be either low-tech (e.g. objects of reference, photo or symbol communication boards and books), or high-tech (e.g. Voice Output Communication Aids/ speech generating devices). It has been successfully integrated with the communication rehabilitation for children with autism since the 1980s.   Read here about Tips for teaching AAC to children The most important rationale behind devising AAC is that it supports speech development in individuals with autism. Another reason relates to the fact that many children with Autism are unable to use their speaking skills in a meaningful or functional way and using AAC thus enables them to develop improved communication skills regardless of poor oral language. AAC in children AAC has also been found to be effective in reducing problem behaviours in children with autism. When a child with autism finds it difficult to convey his needs and feelings through speech. It may create frustration in him which then gets exhibited as a meltdown or a tantrum. AAC through its wide variety of options allows children with autism to express their feelings, wants, and thoughts in a mode that could be easily understood by others. AAC caters to the specific needs of each child and provides a range of options to choose from, based on the skills they possess. The majority of children with autism are visual learners as they process visual information better than auditory information and AAC allows them to communicate through the use of visuals, such as in PECS, communication board, VOCA, etc. What activities do I use to model AAC to my child? Use everyday opportunities to model AAC. You don’t need to create special games or activities all the time. Use everyday activities like having breakfast, playing with a ball etc. Use these opportunities to model the AAC. Choose the words that you will be modelling. So for example, when you play with the ball, you can model the word “ball” while playing with the ball. You can talk about the colour, size of the ball while modelling the word “ball” every time you say it. Listed here are some of the AAC systems used extensively in promoting communication among children with autism. 1. Sign systems and Sign languages: This includes a system of communication using gestures and signs. It can be done manually or can be depicted visually in the printed form. This can be used along with spoken language. Hence it adds a visual component to language for children with autism who are often visual learners and makes the language easier to comprehend. E.g. Makaton signs, Indian Sign Language, American Sign Language, etc. This may not be effective in children with severe autism who face difficulty imitating body/hand movements. 2. Communication Boards and Books: These boards and books use symbols or pictures to facilitate communication. Children communicate by pointing and gesturing or gazing at the various symbols and pictures on the board.  Based on the type of symbols used, communication boards are further classified as Picture Boards , Word/Phrase Board, and Sentence Board. 3. The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS): It is one training approach that has been used successfully to promote communication through pictures/symbols in children with autism (Bondy& Frost, 1993). It consists of a binder with Velcro strips attached and has icons, or picture cards, that are stored in the binder. The child hands a picture or a strip of pictures to a communication partner, to make a request, comment, answer a question, or to otherwise engage in conversation. Read a detailed blog on early signs of autism Training a child to use PECS involves a total of 6 phases. While in Phase 1, the child learns to independently pick up a picture card and hand it to a communicative partner near him in exchange for a preferred item, food, or activity, he further moves through the next phases eventually to phase 6, where he is taught to answer questions regarding what he wants, what he sees and to comment on his surrounding in phrases/sentences. 20 must know terms related to autism. 4. Voice-Output Communication Aids (VOCAs): These are electronic devices and range in sophistication from single buttons with pre-recorded voice messages to small computers that allow the user and caregivers to program and add vocabulary. They provide speech output and offer a consistent verbal model, thus allowing children with ASD to associate the spoken word with concrete concepts. Non Verbal Autism 5. Smartphone, tablet, and computer-based applications: There are numerous applications developed to aid communication in children with autism. These apps provide symbols, pictures, words, and even allow you to record a voice and use it for communication. They come with a variety of features such as word prediction, a wide choice of vocabulary, opportunity to add or change voices, symbols, and vocabulary level according to the user’s requirements, and the convenience to customize according to the client’s needs. These apps are available in many different languages. Few examples include Avaz, Proloquo2Go, Jellow, etc. What words do I start modelling using the AAC? There are two main categories of words that you can model using your AAC. Core words are those words that comprise the majority of our vocabulary. These include our verbs, prepositions, adjectives etc. So, they compromise almost 75-80% of the vocabulary that we use. Some examples include sop, go, here, more, on, you etc. Core words are used in various settings and contexts. That is why we focus on using core words while modelling AAC. The other types of words are Fringe words. These are mostly nouns and are not used in different settings. Some examples include milk, chocolate, table, phone etc. Online Speech Language Therapy It is interesting to realize how we all communicate in many different ways in our day to day lives. We may talk, show gestures, vary facial expressions, and write emails to each other.  Similarly, a child with autism can also use a multimodal approach using AAC by combining the use of unaided and aided communication systems and both low and high-tech setups to communicate effectively. #speechtherapyideas #nonverbalautism #autismspectrumdisorder #AAC #Autism

Stress-busting hobbies for mommies – Being mom is hard. It is a battlefield for mothers everywhere. It doesn’t matter if you’re a working mother, a stay-at-home mother, or a combination of the two. But what happens when your child is special and has special needs that need special love and special attention?  Motherhood is a state of being where you are constantly giving parts of yourself away. You are giving away your attention. You’re giving away your love, your focus, and all of your energy. It is a constant position to be in and it requires literally all of your patience and stamina. Moms of special needs children need to give more of it. And taking care of yourself takes a backseat among all the madness. So in order to function well, we all need a little break where we can do things we love. It’s like the air hostesses in aircraft say — you have to put on your own oxygen mask before you can help others. And that’s exactly what it means to need a break as a mom. All you’re asking is that you help yourself breathe a little easier so you can be the best mom possible for your kids. So how can you take care of yourself and help relieve some stress without feeling guilty?  Read on! 1. Gardening Gardening can be a great stress reliever for many reasons, including getting you into the sunshine and fresh air, creating more beautiful surroundings to come home to each day, and more.  Planting is said to have some great benefits for mental health as it concerns taking care of plants and helps you boost your mood and increased vitamin D works wonders for your health. 2. Drawing or Coloring You can get in touch with your artistic side and use drawing as a way to process emotions, distract yourself, and achieve other stress management benefits. The end result will be something beautiful and personal that you can enjoy or share. You could also use some therapeutic coloring books for adults that work wonders to destress. 3. Knitting This one sounds old school but it definitely is an oldie but a goodie. Knitting is a dying art. Aside from helping you create beautiful gifts for yourself and others, knitting provides you an opportunity to relieve stress. The repetitive motion can get you into an experience of ‘flow’, or can at least provide an outlet for nervous energy.  4. Music Music has many health and stress relief benefits. While listening to music can probably be considered a hobby, creating music can be an even more powerful stress relieving hobby, as it can absorb your attention fully and become a vehicle for creative expression as well. Learning to play an instrument such as the piano, the guitar etc can be a stress reliever for you as well as for those around you, as you share your creation.   5. Journalling Many people have found journaling to be a great stress reliever, and the practice comes with proven stress management and health benefits as well! Writing, whether in a personal journal, as an amateur author, or even as a professional, is a hobby that can be cathartic and relaxing, and provides something great to share with others.   6. Blogging Blogging is a cathartic experience just like writing. You can choose to blog about anything you are interested in. You can also blog about your experiences as a mother of a special child. It will not only help you but also other mommies who are looking for some tips and help on matters that only mommies know. Additionally, you will have a support group of moms who you can rely on when you need to vent out. Cheers to all mommies! 7. Running Running is a great way to relieve stress and burn calories. Any physical movement is good our body and our mental well being. When we work out, our body releases a hormone called endorphins that are also known as the happy hormone. Endorphins naturally keep mental illnesses like depression, mood swings and stress-related disorders away. So, get your running shoes out and run! 8. Dancing When we talk about physical fitness, how can we not mention dancing? Dancing is a great stress buster. It doesn’t always have to be a dance form. You can lock yourself up in a room, put on some good music and just dance all the stress away. You can also join a Bollywood or a dance fitness class so you get your time to de-stress. Motherhood is an incredible, beautiful journey, but you know what? It sucks everything out of you. And as a mother who needs a break, it is completely normal to give yourself a little time to feel like yourself. All a break means is that you need to reconnect with who you are beyond being a mom. And if that means pursuing hobbies that give you joy then so be it. You are a better mother with a break, a mother who feels replenished, who is no longer on the edge of losing it. Having a break not only revitalizes you, but it also gives you a chance to miss your kid, to want to come home to them and being the mom you are. Cheers to all mommies! Stress busting hobbies for mommies If you wish to know more about Speech Therapy, kindly contact us at  info@1specialplace.com Book your appointment now For more ideas check out our other related blogs View this post on Instagram A post shared by 1SpecialPlace | Speech Therapy (@1specialplace) #mentalhealth #mentalhealththerapy #Stressbustinghobbies

Myths about Autism & Sensory Integration Before discussing on myths about autism & sensory integration, lets learn about what it is in brief – What is Autism Spectrum Disorder? Autism spectrum disorder is a group of complex conditions related to brain development that mainly affects social, communication & behavioral skills. It may also affect overall cognitive, emotional & physical health. These problems can be mild, severe or somewhere in between. In other words, it needs to be treated or cured. Further, tv ads and organizations look at Autism in a negative way. Additionally, even today professional cons claim Autism is curable. However, Autism is considered a disability from a legal point of view. This is because Autistic people need access to extra support, care, and government aid. Since each person with Autism is unique, their need for support also varies. Autistic people have a high vulnerability in everyday life. Hence, when they are considered as disabled, it is to protect them from this vulnerability. There are many options available, but be mindful of what you choose! What is Sensory Integration? Sensory integration (SI) is form of therapy which mainly helps children cope with processing sensory input and learn how to use all senses together. SI is a form of therapy that involves sensory activities to help the child respond.  It can make huge difference by helping children to manage their sensitivities & needs. It can help in enhancing focus; become more independent, improving behavior, reducing stress & anxiety in the child. It also explains why kids dread sitting on swings, giant wheels. Why do some crave continuous spinning? It also explains why copying from the board becomes so difficult. Further, why a child finds it difficult to sit at a place. Note – SI can be offered by only trained therapist. With increase in awareness of autism & its sensory integration therapy approaches to help children on spectrum & their family, there is significant rise in misconceptions as well. This blog will help in debunking Myths about Autism & Sensory Integration disorder and also create better understanding of the contribution that sensory integration therapist can make to enhance child’s well-being & promote independence in daily living activities. Let’s bust few of the myths about autism & sensory integration – #Myth 1. Children with autism disorder self-stim, only to annoy others. #Fact 1. They typically self-stim to relieve their anxiety or feel comfortable in environment. Self-stimming is a common way for them to self-regulate, especially in a new place or circumstance, in order to calm down and feel better. #Myth 2. All children on spectrum have sensory issues. #Fact 2. It is common for children on spectrum to have sensory difficulties, but it is not necessary that each & every child has sensory issues. Not all who struggle with sensory processing disorder meets criteria for autism diagnosis, and vice versa. #Myth 3. More sensory input is always better. #Fact 3. Exposure to various sensory experiences are good for child’s development, but only if given in structured & controlled manner. Overstimulation may trigger the child & cause avoidance. Keeping it simple and introducing one thing at a time is the key. Do not force the child for participation if he/she is not comfortable. #Myth 4. Sensory Integration is the solution for all of the problems faced by the child on spectrum #Fact 4. It is not a universal solution for all problems. It has shown good positive changes in children, but it is not one & only therapy. SI therapy is always customized for each & every individual for best results. #Myth 5. All sensory activities are beneficial in the same way to every kid. #Fact 5. Every kid will react in his/her own unique way to the sensory experiences presented to them. Observe your child during his everyday routine and after that, build sensory activities to meet his needs. #Myth 6. Sensory integration is required only if these 5 senses (sight, sound, touch, taste & smell) are affected. #Fact 6. At school, we are taught that we have 5 senses – sight, sound, touch, taste & smell. But, we have 2 other hidden senses in addition which are crucial for child’s development. 1) Proprioception is for our body awareness – our muscles, joints and ligaments provide this information to our body. 2) Vestibular system is our sense of balance & where our body is in space, gravity. #Myth 7. Kids who face difficulties to process sensations are just ill mannered & they need to be more disciplined. #Fact 7. It may seem that kids with Sensory processing difficulties get angry for no apparent reason, moreover it is usually a result of hypersensitivity to sound, touch or other senses. It will be easier to cope up with child if you observe his pattern of behavior and learn about his triggers. #Myth 8. Kids who need SI Therapy are always hypersensitive. #Fact 8. Kids can be Hypersensitive (Over-sensitive) towards senses – avoiders, or they can be Hyposensitive (Under-sensitive) – Seekers. It is possible to have both hypersensitivity & hyposensitivity. They might feel uncomfortable with noise of fire cracker, but loves the noise of mixer grinder. #Myth 9. Child can cope up with sensory inputs irrespective of place, time or situation. They can cope up with loud noise at home, if he can cope up with it at school. #Fact 9. It is not necessary that child can tolerate sensations the way he does it at school/home/ or any place. As it varies greatly depending on the situation, location, time & many more variables contributing to the child’s reaction. The child may use up all the coping strength to deal with something at school, and needs to self-regulate & replenish the ability, by self stimming, at home. #Myth 10. They will grow out of it. #Fact 10. To be honest, it is possible but its not that common. It is not something that each & every child will get over without getting help. Through therapy we enhance quality of life of every individual and make it easier for them to cope up with sensory stimulations offered in day-to-day life by surrounding. How to motivate your child Prior to class and during the session, praise your child. Make him/her feel you are happy. Specifically, with the work, they are doing. Further, even if it means just sitting and following the therapists’ directions. Use motivators such as reward charts, hugs, edible rewards like candy or cookies. Additionally, follow the reward frequency that your therapist advises. Takeaway message – There are many things that therapist can do to address the sensory symptoms or autistic traits that your child may have. We urge the parents to consult an Occupational therapist, for the child to learn how to process sensory inputs the world has to offer & overcome fears. Sensory integration therapy is now one of the most requested and used interventions for autistic children. Sensory integration therapy is a type of occupational therapy that is typically provided by specially trained occupational therapists. It entails specific sensory activities that teach a child how to respond appropriately to light, sound, touch, smells, and other input. Swinging, brushing, playing in a ball pit, and a variety of other sensory-related activities may be used as interventions. These activities may result in increased focus, improved behaviour, and even decreased anxiety. #autismspectrumdisorder #MythsaboutAutismampSensoryIntegration #occupationaltherapy #sensoryintegrationtherapy

How to choose Vocabulary for AAC Is your child a new AAC (Augmentative Alternative and Communication) user? Are you unsure of how to start using your child’s Vocabulary for AAC? If you have answered ‘Yes’ to any of these questions then you have come to the right place. When you start using an AAC device, there is a list of things that you would need to be aware of.  Choosing vocabulary is just one of them. It can be a challenging task especially if you are new to AAC. Why is choosing vocabulary important? Promotes and motivates communication Improves communication with family members and communication partners Improves communication in relevant social contexts such as school, home etc. Helps use the vocabulary most specific to the individual w.r.t age and culture Improves writing, listening and reading skills Increases the AAC acceptance and use Read a detailed blog on AAC for Children with Autism In this blog, you will learn how to choose vocabulary for your child’s AAC device. 1. Consider your child’s present level When selecting words, you must always remember to consider your child’s present language levels. Select words as per their receptive and expressive language ages. Also, remember to keep in mind the developmental norms while selecting the vocabulary for AAC. Your speech therapist would be the best to guide you with this. 2. Start off by selecting a few words Choose words that your child is aware of. For example, favourite food items (idli, chips, chocolate etc.), favourite toys (ball, doll, blocks etc.) etc. These types of words act as ‘communication motivators’. They motivate your child to explore and use AAC. 3. Consider your child’s interests Choose words that your child is interested in. For example, if your child loves playing with trains. Choose words such as train, fast, slow, red, go etc. When you choose words of your child’s interests and use them with AAC, it motivates them to communicate about it. 4. Use different word categories Language is an amalgam of different word categories. We use verbs, nouns, adjectives, prepositions, conjunctions etc. when we communicate verbally. The same holds true for AAC users. When choosing vocabulary, make sure to use words from all word categories. Take into consideration the developmental norms. According to research, when you use a wide range of word categories, it helps your child communicate more effectively. It would also help them form two-word phrases in the future. 5. Use a balanced vocabulary A balanced vocabulary includes core words, fringe words and alphabets. Core vocabulary- These include all the word categories (verbs, nouns, adjectives, prepositions, conjunctions etc.) except for nouns. These are words that you can use in a variety of settings. For example verb-‘drink’: “ I drink juice”, “The drink is very cold”, “We drink milk in the morning” etc. Our speech is comprised of almost 80% of core words. This makes core words very important for your child to use. You must use core word vocabulary for AAC. Fringe vocabulary- These are the nouns that we use (names, places, animals, fruits etc.). We use nouns in our speech almost 20% of the time. These are low-frequency words. Use fringe words that are very specific to your child’s needs. For example, favourite foods, fruits, familiar family members etc. 6. Select words that are motivating and meaningful Activity-based vocabulary: If your child loves a specific activity such as ‘building blocks, you can do the activity together and use words such as “Look at the blocks ”, “I have a red block ”, or “Now let’s make something with these blocks . The word used here is both motivating and meaningful to your child. Make sure to use activity-based vocabulary like this. Situation-based vocabulary: Use various situations that your child is familiar with. If your child has set routines like meal times, play times, bath time etc., make use of these situations to choose appropriate vocabulary. Use this vocabulary when you are doing a specific routine. Communication-based vocabulary: Use vocabulary for specific communication functions. This promotes meaningful communication. Some examples of communication functions are greeting, protesting, requesting etc. In this case, you can use vocabulary like ‘hello, bye, no, please, thank you etc.’ 7. Add new words based your child learns As your child learns their vocabulary, keep adding new words to their AAC device. This will aid them to expand their vocabulary and start using phrases and sentences. Consult with us to get started with AAC . Remember to always consult a qualified Speech Language Pathologist for your AAC-related queries. #AACdevice #VocabularyforAAC

Understanding Stimming in autism Stimming is repetitive use of object or actions that one does to feel secured in uncomfortable situation. Stim is short form for self-stimulating actions. Stims may help to distract or relieve stress or calm you down. It may serve purpose to the doer but proves to be a distraction for people present around them. It is commonly associated with autism, but everyone & everybody has their stim. Many people have a stim to self-regulate, but it’s not always obvious and they know how to control the behavior in socially acceptable manner, unlike for people with autism. For people with autism, Stimming in autism is much more pronounced as they experience each & every sensation in a very intense manner. Types of stimming There are different types of stimming. Here, I have classified few of them into types based on the sensory system involved – Visual stimming involves vision & sight – Staring at fans or lights, blinking or turning on/off lights, moving fingers in front of lights, hands flapping, eye tracking from corner of eyes, lining up objects. Auditory stimming involves hearing & sound – Humming, tapping objects, covering ears, finger snapping, repetitive speech. Tactile stimming involves touch & feel– skin rubbing/scratching, hand movements – opening closing fists, walking on toes, water beads, playdough. Vestibular stimming involves movement & balance– spinning around, rocking back & front, jumping. Oral stimming involves mouth ie teeth, tongue, cheeks – biting oneself or others, licking objects. Olfactory stimming involves nose & smell – Sniffing candles, new clothes, soaps or sanitizers. Proprioceptive Stimming in autism involves body awareness with respect to where it is in space, joint position sense – Ball pressure, tight hugs, pushing heavy objects. Benefits of stimming Stimming helps in self-regulation – while dealing with strong sensations like noise, heat, light, smell, crowd, etc. Stimming helps in mental health – coping up with overwhelming situations and emotions like anxiety, fear, anger, excitement. Some do it for fun, enjoyment or to gain sensory input. Some find it helpful, as it helps child to cope up with challenging situations. Stimming is basically a tool for the child to manage unpleasant feelings. It may vary every now & then. Should you intervene & stop the stimming? There is no need to try to stop stimming, unless the behavior is dangerous. If one stim is removed, it will be replaced by something else. It can be hard to change stimming behavior but it needs to be managed at times. Stop stimming only when it can cause injury to someone & replace it with some other stim giving similar sensory input to the child. Stimming behaviors can come & go according to situation around. Sometimes they get better as child matures or get worse during stressful times. So be patient & understand how to manage stimming. OT Tips for managing stims Figure out the trigger or reason that why is child stimming, what is bothering him/her. Do what you can to reduce or eliminate the trigger to lower stress. Stimming is a behavior, and behavior is way of communication. Understanding what child is trying to convey is very important in order to stop stimming. Provide calming & safe environment. Encourage good behavior & avoid punishing bad behavior as it might make them feel uncomfortable leading to stim more to feel better & deal with situation. Manage stim slowly & gently. Avoid being the trigger yourself in process of calming the child down. Understand needs of your child, validate their feelings and give them the reason to stop. Give movement/ sensory breaks to avoid overwhelming the child by giving tasks back to back. Avoid changes in their routine. Try to make them aware as soon as possible, about schedule or changes in their day. Teach your child few self-regulating activities, which are socially acceptable. Try swings for vestibular stimming, headphones for auditory, tight hugs for proprioception, sunglasses for visual, etc. Seek medical/professional help when required. Book a session now #childstimming #CommunicationDisorder #Stimminginautism

Autistic Communication and Infodumping Autistic communication is unique. If you are a teacher, parent, or friend of an autistic person, understanding their communication style is critical. Hence, today we are talking about autistic communication and infodumping. There are many ways a person can communicate. In other words, people using speech, signs, AAC, gestures, eye gaze, picture exchange, facial expressions, pointing, echolalia or stimming are all ways to communicate. Most autistic people can be speaking or non-speaking. Neurotypicals are verbal when they communicate. Whereas autistics may be non-speaking or use a combination in order to communicate. We should accept any form of communication. First, let’s understand some autistic terms. Many autistic and autism advocates prefer speaking versus non-speaking as opposed to verbal versus non-verbal. Speaking versus non-speaking: Speaking means an autistic individual uses speech/words to communicate. Non-speaking means the person prefers not to use words/ speech to communicate. In other words, a non-speaking person understands language but prefers to use gestures, signs, or AAC to communicate. Verbal versus non-verbal: These two terms were used in the past. Nowadays people are moving away from these terms because they stigmatize an autistic person. Verbal means the person uses speech/ oral movements to say words. Whereas, non-verbal means the person does not understand language and does not speak using words aloud. Hence, autistics feel calling them verbal and non-verbal depicts they have a linguistic comprehension deficit. But, that’s not the case at all. In short, linguistic comprehension ability is superior or on par with peers in non-speaking autistic people. They prefer not to use words. They prefer using signs and gestures to communicate. Overall, we will be using the terms speaking versus non-speaking in our blog today. Autistic Communication As mentioned before, autistics are speaking or non-speaking when they communicate. Moreover, even speaking autistic people have unique ways of communicating. They rely on body language, tone of voice, gestures, and eye gaze. So, let’s look at some ways autistics communicate. Speaking: Some Autistics prefer speaking/ using words to communicate. Additionally, they use echolalia or repeating phrases, focusing on the literal meaning of words, moving from topics, information dumping, and speaking without eye contact. Although they speak, they sometimes have the above manner while speaking. Non-speaking: Many autistics prefer the non-speaking way to communicate. In other words, they use gestures, signs, pointing, AAC, or eye gaze to communicate. Most autistics have sensory execution and processing difficulties in addition to anxiety. So, they prefer the non-speaking mode. Infodumping Infodumping is a unique autistic way of communication. Further, it refers to an autistic person communicating excessively about a topic they love. For instance, an autistic person talks for hours about “sea animals” enthusiastically because it is their specific interest. Furthermore, it is called the autistic “love language”. If they love a topic or an idea, they continue to communicate about it. In other words, infodumping is an autistic tendency to share detailed information at one time on a specific topic. Autistic infodumping style of communication: Speaking at great lengths irrespective of the listener’s interests Long monolog-type communication or monologuing Use a loud voice while infodumping Speaking fast with great interest Missing body language cues from a listener Autistic kids and adults engage in infodumping Communicate until the information is exhausted Why autistics infodump? Many autistic infodumps due to some of the reasons below: They want to share their joy and passion To express themselves and their interests Sharing information Building bonds and making friends To release built-up thoughts They want to create a sense of pride If you know an autistic person who infodumps, support and acknowledge them. Further, listening to them infodumping makes them feel loved. It encourages their attempts to communicate and build bonds. Research Evidence and Use Links Link to article Autism and infodumping video The autistic  love language of infodumping  Autism and infodumping  Please drop us a comment if you liked the article. If you wish to know more about Speech Therapy, kindly contact us! For more ideas check out our other blogs!  #AutisticCommunication #communication #nonverbal

Did you know that low good microbial colonies can affect your child’s behaviour and development (like speech)? So where are these microbial colonies present? They are present in the large intestine and there are millions of them in our gut. Our gut and brain have a two-way communication network of which our gut microbiome is a part. Our microbes have a mutual connection with us. We feed them with the type of food we eat and space to live in our gut. These microbes communicate with the gut nervous system to protect us from pathogenic diseases. There are gut microbes including bacteria, fungi, protozoan, yeast, and mold. Bad bacteria, mold, and yeast overgrowth are said to worsen ASD symptoms . Dysbiosis or imbalances in the good and bad bacteria I.e., more bad bacterial colonies over good bacterial colonies can give rise to autism-related behavioural symptoms. For example, a particular group of bacterial metabolites (chemicals produced after digestion) is toxic and can cause infection. These chemicals can enter the blood if your child has leaky gut syndrome or IBS. It enters the brain and causes altered behaviour. A type of bacteria (clostridium bacteria pathogens) found in uncooked foods or foods sitting out for long, cool and then refrigerated produces a chemical substance called propionic acid. This propionic acid is said to cause repetitive interests, atypical social interaction, and unusual body movements according to a research study done on rats. If it were to affect humans, one of the skills that would be affected is their speech. Bad gut health involves the type of microbes in your child’s gut. It also depends on how your child’s body is affected by the food they eat to cause tummy issues. For example, wheat contains a protein called zonulin. This protein is known to damage the lining of the intestine allowing unwanted substances from food to enter the blood. Sometimes toxins or bacteria from the food enter the blood and cause inflammation or even reaches the brain to worsen ASD symptoms. This is another reason to avoid wheat products. When your child has tummy issues like constipation or diarrhoea it can interfere with the way your child learns a new skill and how developmental milestones are achieved. You may notice delayed speech or poor social skills. Children in the spectrum are four times more likely to have tummy issues. A common underlying cause of tummy issues is dysbiosis (the imbalance of gut bacteria) or yeast overgrowth. Diet plays a role in improving tummy issues. Stool tests can help us understand the distribution of microbes in your child’s gut and gives us an idea of the possible reasons for gastrointestinal issues. Analyzing metabolises in the urine can also help make necessary changes in diet to see improvements in autism symptoms. Good gut health has been shown to improve brain functions and social skills since they produce powerful substances (bioactive compounds) which are very important to prevent ASD symptoms. So, how can you bring a balance of microbes for good gut health? 1. There should be balance in these four pillars: Nutrition, physical activity, deep breathing, and good sleep. 2. Nutrition includes the right foods, prebiotics, probiotics, and synbiotics. 3. Including antioxidants and phytochemicals as it has brain-protective effects. 4. Heard of sun-charged water? It prevents the growth of some harmful bacteria, has protective effects on the brain, and helps to boost probiotic activity. 5. Breastfeeding over six months can help reduce the chance of showing ASD symptoms and ASD-related gut issues. For older kids, camel milk has slightly similar properties as breastmilk. Two common homemade probiotics are: 1. Homemade curd- Boil and cool milk. Add 1 tbsp curd and let it set for 8 hours. Use when fresh. Refrigerate immediately. Homemade curds are healthy, nutritious, naturally flavoured, thick and creamy. Hence, they do not need food additives or preservatives. This makes homemade curds a better option than commercially available curds. 2. Rice kanji- Soak rice overnight with water. In the morning, grind it, add curds and drink it. You can introduce some amounts initially (1 tsp) and gradually increase them over time (50-100 ml). You can give it twice a week. The advice mentioned above that can help improve your child’s gut health is not enough to see results. There is more to it. If you find your child facing any gastrointestinal issues and you need help to improve your child’s diet. We are here to help your child. Contact the admin to book a diet consultation . Did you know that kids with ASD are 8x more likely to have Gl issues? The most common symptom is constipation, but gut symptoms can range from diarrhoea to acid reflux to bloating. Diet and supplements can restore your child’s gut health. Unfortunately, supplements alone can’t completely heal the tummy. A suitable diet is a must to help fix it too! Sending your child to play and stay active during the day is equally important. It is also necessary to make sure your child learns how to be calm and stress-free by using meditative techniques. You also need to feed your child food containing prebiotics in food to feed good bacteria. #ASDsymptoms #Autism #childrenwithASDsufferfromconstipation #preventASD

The term mental health is used widely and commonly today. It has become a trending topic but still, we fear addressing this subject amongst our families and inner circles. As 10th October is World Mental Health Day, you’ll see more and more about this subject around you. However, what is interesting is what people and the community at large take away from this. What do we know about mental health? What do we do for our mental health? Is it just a small way of being woke? Are we liking intellectual health posts online and going back to our homes and routines without giving it a second thought? “You don’t have to be positive all the time. It’s perfectly okay to feel sad, angry, annoyed, frustrated, scared and anxious. Having feelings doesn’t make you a negative person. It makes you human.” — Lori Deschene Mental Health and Physical Health aren’t different. They are interconnected and actually influence each other. Physical health is a socially accepted topic. We discuss our family history of physical health openly talking about kidney ailments, hypertension, cancer and cardiac health in the family. Meanwhile talking about anxiety, depression, and addiction remains a taboo and a hush-hush conversation. As a result, we foster a negative image of mental health for our children and the younger generation. Mental Health and Mental illness Mental Health is always present just like physical health. It is a state of your mind, feelings and emotions. A person’s intellectual health may have its ups and downs and it can be both negative and positive. Mental illness is the presence of an illness or a disorder that affects your mental health. It affects a person’s functionality over a period of time and can be diagnosed by a professional. A person with mental illness may struggle with having control over their emotions. Self-care: An integral part of Mental Health “Self-care is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation.” – Audre Lorde To foster intellectual health, it is crucial for us to engage in self-care activities. Self-care helps us to keep checking in with ourselves and helps us to tend to those parts that need care and attention. Only, we can do this for ourselves. It not only helps intellectual health but also physical health. Self-care is nothing but taking care of your mental, physical and emotional needs. Just like an empty cup cannot water anything, we cannot do much for people around us when we ourselves are tired, exhausted and burnt out. “Self-care is how you take your power back.” — Lalah Delia Types of Self-care Emotional Self-care Emotional self-care is about becoming more in tune with your emotions. It can be done by checking in your feelings and being mindful of your thought patterns. This comprises taking care of your emotional needs and includes activities that promote your emotional health like engaging in mindfulness, seeing a therapist, writing in a journal and reflecting on your thoughts, creating art or playing music etc. These are just some of the ways people can express themselves emotionally. 2. Mental Self-care There are some activities that help to stimulate our minds or intellect. These activities allow us to feel challenged and nourish our minds like learning a new skill, reading a book, solving a puzzle, playing a board game or visiting a museum. 3. Social Self-care Humans are social beings and we cannot deny the need for socialization every now and then. Post-pandemic, our social health underwent a dramatic change and we can still see the effects on both adults and children. This type of self-care may depend from person to person. Some of us are introverts and don’t need a lot of socialization while others who are extroverts may have a high need. Depending on which category you fall into, the idea is to make a connection. This connection helps to deepen and nurture relationships with people around us. This includes activities like spending time with your family and friends, reconnecting with old friends and calling up your loved ones. 4. Physical self-care Physical self-care is rather important to ensure the well-being of your physical health. It is essential for us to pay attention and take care of our bodies. That does not always mean vigorous exercises and can simply be eating right and just being mindful of your body. The body is our only companion that will stay with us till the very end so take care of it. Activities like yoga, walking, hiking, and joining a gym can be some ways to get it right. 5. Spiritual self-care When you think of spiritual self-care, it does not always mean religion. Although some people do find peace and solace in praying, spiritual self-care is basically doing something that nourishes your soul and makes you feel inner peace or satisfies your spirit. It can be anything that helps you feel purposeful and adds meaning to your life. Activities can include meditation, yoga, going to a place of worship, self-reflecting through dancing or your favourite art form or hobby, spending time in nature or doing something for others like charity, community work etc. How take this forward? This year WHO has announced the theme for this World Mental Health Day as “Make mental health & well-being for all a global priority”. This means it is our collective responsibility to take this movement forward. In doing so, we are not just ensuring our intellectual health but also setting the right example for the generations to come. Our children especially look up to us for everything and by talking about intellectual health openly, we are sealing their future with a promise of prioritising mental health. The pandemic has been eye-opening for a lot of us in terms of mental health and this is the right time to spread this message and adapt to a more mentally healthy lifestyle. Here is what you can do to make this world a better place for our collective mental health. Talking about mental health with your kids Checking in with your grandparents and parents Talking about your own mental health Creating awareness about mental health and mental illness Offering help to those around you Normalizing seeking help from mental health professionals Having a family mental health counsellor for your family just like a family doctor “Mental Health is not a destination but a process. It’s about how you drive, not where you are going.” – Noam Shpancer Book a session now #mentalhealth #mentalhealthprofessionals #Selfcaretips

Before discussing How Occupational Therapy helps children with Special needs, I would like to share something. As an occupational therapy enthusiast, I have had the privilege of learning about the various ways this therapy approach helps children with special needs. In my opinion, occupational therapy is a godsend for children who are struggling with developmental disabilities because it addresses several key areas that have a significant impact on their lives. Occupational therapy is a powerful tool that can be used to help improve the daily lives of people of all ages and abilities. Before understanding How does OT help children with special needs, lets understand what can you expect from OT session What to expect from OT? The occupational therapist (OT) first evaluates the child’s strengths and weaknesses and conducts an interview with the parents to determine their goals for the therapy. Based on this assessment, the therapist designs a personalized therapy plan for the child, which incorporates play-based activities aimed at improving the child’s motor skills, sensory processing, social skills, and cognition. Let's first see what OT for children with Special needs program looks like in details and then understand how it can help a child with special needs and they can deal with which aspects of development. A typical OT program includes An initial evaluation where the client, their family & the therapist identify the client’s goals. A customized intervention plan to address the client’s needs & improve their ability to complete daily activities & reach their goals. Ongoing evaluations to make sure the interventions are effective & goals are being achieved. Changes can be made to the treatment plan, as required. Session typically lasts from 30-60mins, scheduled regularly with frequency set depending on needs & goals of the individuals. The ultimate goal is to be able to translate every learned skill in a variety of natural settings individual’s everyday life. So, after assessment therapist understands better about why the breakdowns are happening & after explaining the parent, they discuss goals which are important for parent. How does an OT help children with special needs? Let’s understand How can Occupational Therapy helps children with Special needs and in which areas. Motor skills Development is a crucial element of occupational therapy. Children with developmental disabilities often have trouble with fine and gross motor skills, which can cause delays in daily activities such as brushing teeth, buttoning clothes, and writing. Fine motor skills – The occupational therapist designs activities that help the child strengthen their fine motor skills , such as squeezing playdough, using scissors, using cloth clips. These activities help with improving fine motor skills which also helps in developing appropriate grasp & grip to be able to manipulate fine objects, pencil, and so on. Gross motor skills – The occupational therapist also designs activities that help the child develop gross motor skills such as obstacle course, jumping, running, etc. These activities help with improving gross motor skills which also helps in balance, coordination & ambulation. These activities also in improving hand-eye coordination and postural control. Sensory processing This is another significant area that occupational therapy focuses on. Children with developmental disabilities have difficulty processing sensory information such as touch, sound, taste, smell, and sight. This can lead to sensory overload or sensory-seeking behavior. Occupational therapists work with children to develop strategies to better regulate their sensory systems through exposure to a variety of sensory experiences. Sensory processing difficulties can often be a cause that can disturbing for child to be able to participate in day to day living skills like preparing meal, walking barefoot, having bath, wearing particular cloth or accessories, etc. The occupational therapist also designs activities that help the child to overcome these difficulties by using kinetic sand, theraputty, wilbarger brushing protocol, and so on. Occupational Therapy works on improving sensory processing using sensory play and goal-directed interventions. Social skills – This skills are also essential to children’s development. Several children with developmental disabilities struggle with communication and social interactions. Occupational therapists design group-based activities that encourage teamwork, taking turns, and communication. These activities help children with developmental disabilities develop friendships and build social skills that are essential in life. As children with special needs struggles with communication, they often avoid social interaction which leads to social isolation & anxiety disorder, social phobia, depression. It is of utmost importance for them to be able to engage with others in meaningful manner. Occupational therapist along with Speech therapist help them process language & auditory processing to help them interact with others. Occupational Therapist also work on social skills like impulse control, turn taking, joint attention in group discussion, auditory filtering & so on. Higher executive functions – Lastly, occupational therapy improves cognitive development through the use of games and puzzles. Children with cognitive disabilities can benefit greatly from therapy that focuses on memory – visual & auditory, attention – joint & passive, problem-solving & organisation skills. From learning to count and spell to enhancing their reading and writing skills to overall enhance school readiness, occupational therapy helps children with developmental disabilities develop their – Higher executive functions – cognitive abilities and improve their overall quality of life. Takeaway message – In conclusion, occupational therapy has an incredible impact on children with special needs. By addressing key areas such as fine & gross motor skills, sensory processing, social skills, and higher executive functions as cognition, attention, Occupational therapists can improve these children’s daily lives drastically. Through play-based activities and personalized therapy plans, occupational therapy helps children with developmental disabilities achieve their full potential and lead fulfilled lives. If you know of a child who needs occupational therapy, I highly encourage seeking expertise from an occupational therapist. #Childrenwithspecialneeds #occupationaltherapy #OTforchildrenwithSpecialneeds

What is PROMPT Therapy? This article discusses the “PROMPT” therapy method, which is utilised in speech therapy for both children and adults, regardless of whether they have speech issues. So, let’s start our learning on PROMPT speech therapy tips! PROMPT stands for Prompts for Restructuring Oral Muscular Phonetic Targets . PROMPT Therapy is a technique which uses a tactile-kinesthetic approach which uses touch cues to the patient’s jaw, tongue, and lips(also called the articulators). It manually guides the patient through a targeted sound, word, phrase or sentence. The technique focuses on eliminating unnecessary muscle movements, such as jaw sliding and inadequate lip rounding by the development of proper motor control and oral muscular movements. NOTE: It is very important to know that a detailed assessment focussing on different domains (Physical, Cognitive & Socio-emotional) will be conducted by the PROMPT-trained therapist before starting PROMPT therapy. How did PROMPT develop? PROMPT was developed in the 1970s by speech therapist Deborah Hayden. The children with severe motor impairments who did not respond to traditional speech therapy methods were given PROMPT therapy. What happens in PROMPT therapy? The therapist helps the patient to produce targeted phoneme/s ( A phoneme is the smallest increment of sound in speech). For example, the “c” sound in the word cat is one phoneme, the “a” is another and the “t” is yet another. The muscle contractions/retractions and placement/movement of the jaw, lips, tongue, neck and chest to produce are all different for each of these phonemes. Hence, to produce one phoneme correctly, everything has to happen with the proper timing and sequence. To correctly say the phoneme, the PROMPT therapist tries to “teach” the patient’s muscles by stimulating all of these through touch. The training is very intense because, there are about 100 muscles involved, and the therapist will concentrate on the movement and timing of these muscles. What are the different levels? There are 4 levels in PROMPTing used by the therapist. They are, Parameter Syllable Complex Surface How is it different from other therapy approaches? ·    In traditional speech therapy, the therapist uses mostly visual and auditory cues/prompts to help the client. Articulation therapy teaching s-blends Whereas, in PROMPT therapy, the therapist follows hands-on techniques to manipulate the client’s oral muscles. PROMPT requires a special certification and training from the PROMPT institute, to be called a “PROMPT-trained therapist”. A therapist needs no such training apart from their professional qualification in taking traditional speech therapy. Unlike the traditional treatment approach, PROMPT is a multidimensional approach that relies on motor performance along with auditory and visual input. A PROMPT therapist uses a System Analysis Observation (SAO) checklist to assess each motor stage of the client and form therapy systematically. Conventional articulation therapy might not always be best for clients with motor-speech difficulties. The PROMPT method gives repeated trials of auditory, visual and tactile cues to the client. Who can benefit from PROMPT Therapy Clients with a wide range of communication disorders can benefit from PROMPT therapy For clients who are non-verbal, or have a motor speech problem, articulation problems are most common. Clients with aphasia, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), apraxia, dysarthria, pervasive developmental disorder, cerebral palsy, and acquired brain injuries have highly benefitted from PROMPT. The intensity and focus of therapy change based on the severity and the client’s age. Advantages of PROMPT therapy It improves functional daily communication in children It follows a holistic treatment approach  Highly structured and individualistic Anybody of any age, with or without speech disorders can make use of PROMPT Could always be used along with other traditional techniques PROMPT therapy is effective for a variety of population It is an evidence-based treatment approach as there are numerous of research work going on PROMPT. The PROMPT institute has developed PROMPT for all alphabets in English and many other languages (Including Indian languages). we can make it language-specific. Through PROMPT institute research, PROMPT therapy for 2 sessions for 45mins per week is enough to promote speech along with other traditional therapy approaches. Tips for parents on PROMPT therapy Parents get to observe and learn from the PROMPT therapist and help the children practise the sound. It is important that the parents follow what their therapist guides them to do. It is always best for the parents to follow and learn what the therapist uses in the PROMPT technique on the targeted sound/word/sentence, as PROMPT is a motor skill that needs extensive practice and training. The clients also learn to self-monitor and self-correct for generalisation. Along with clients, parents get to understand how each sound is produced, how its heard, and feel how its produced with their own articulators. Parents are taught the main basic fundamentals of PROMPT treatment. Rather than focusing on only the production of single sounds, the PROMPT program advocates language development for social interaction through motor skills. Make sure the environment and seating are comfortable. Give head support when required. HAPPY READING, HAPPY LEARNING!! Extra notes: You can read more on PROMPT through these links what is the prompt method #autismspectrumdisorder #OnlineSpeechTherapy #PROMPTspeechtherapytips #PROMPTtherapy