It’s summer vacation time and with the kids out of school you may already be hearing the dreaded words: “I’m bored.” We’ve come across this great, OT approved, method to prevent boredom and help kids independently keep active and busy. We encourage you to post the “Bored Board” in your home and each time you hear “I’m bored” ask your kids if they have tried each of the items.
AOTA Blogs: Before You Say I’m Bored… the Bored Board & Lots of Outdoor Activities
It’s that time again… The report cards are done, the bell has rung, the kids are excited and summer vacation is upon us! Summer is a time for camps, vacations, trips, cottaging and so much more! But where do they fit in learning? Ahead lies two full months of vacation from traditional schooling; which for many kids is enough time for their young minds to unlearn much of what was taught. How do we as parents make sure our kids don’t suffer summer brain drain, while still ensuring they get the break and vacation they need? Check out the following from Family Education for great tips on how to easily and painlessly incorporate learning into your summer plans!
The following video by Dr. Mike Evans gives a great overview of concussions that is simply and easy to understand. It provides parents and children with vital information about how concussions occur, the symptoms of a concussion, and some guidelines for recovery.
Remember, a concussion is a serious injury and requires treatment and rest to ensure the brain recovers properly. Ensure you speak to your Family Doctor and consult an Occupational Therapist if you or your child has suffered a head injury.
I get very confused when I see children riding bikes without helmets. Over the last many years the safety benefits of a helmet for biking, skiing, skateboarding, ice skating (and many other sports) has been well studied. Research shows that helmets can be extremely effective in preventing head injuries and ¾ of all cycling fatalities are the result of head trauma. You don’t even have to hit a car or tree to sustain a head injury – the ground or even your handlebars are often enough.
The laws in Ontario are clear: since October 1, 1995 anyone under the age of 18 is required to ride a helmet on a road or sidewalk (http://www.toronto.ca/cycling/safety/helmet/helmet_law.htm). Based on an increasing number of adult cycling deaths by head injury, it is likely that this law will soon be extended to adults as it is in other provinces.
So, considering the laws and the well-publicised risks, why are children (including young children) still seen riding bikes without helmets?
As adults, I recognize that we were not raised to wear helmets. Adopting this practice has been difficult as we find it unnatural, maybe uncomfortable, and probably uncool. However, most of us likely wear seatbelts when in a vehicle. Why? BECAUSE WE WERE RAISED THAT WAY. Seatbelt laws in Ontario were passed in 1976 and so many of us were raised in the era of this as mandatory. Many of us probably don’t even have to think about our seatbelt anymore as it is part of our regular “get-in-the-car” routine and we feel naked and exposed without it. We need to apply the same concept of “normal” to our children regarding helmets.
There are two main reasons why children need to wear helmets:
1. They are safe and have been shown to save lives and reduce disability.
2. IT IS THE LAW.
As a parent, by not requiring that your child wear a helmet on their bike you are not only putting them at risk, but are also teaching them that laws don’t matter. And I am not talking about the diligent parents whose children leave the house with a helmet on, to later have this on their handlebars or undone on their head. I am mostly talking about the young kids in my neighbourhood who are out on their bikes without helmets, often under the supervision of their parents, and are thus not being taught that helmets are law, mandatory, and safe.
I am going to hazard a guess that no parent would put their child in a car without a seat-belt. Heck, child seats are also law and until a certain age these are five point and offer more protection than the adult restraint. So, for the same reasons you put your child in a seatbelt (protection and law) you need to ensure they are wearing a helmet for biking (skating, skiing, skateboarding). And lead by example – get a helmet for yourself and model the appropriate behavior. And be firm: no helmet should equal no bike. No discussion
Going to the movies can be a great way to spend your day or evening, however, the dark and loud environment of a typical theatre may not be suitable for many. Autism Speaks Canada has teamed up with Cineplex to bring sensory friendly entertainment to individuals on the autism spectrum or those who require this type of environment.
Check out the details of this partnership at Cineplex.com.
In celebration of Autism Awareness Month we are thrilled to bring you this guest post from our colleague Bill Wong. Bill is an Occupational Therapist, speaker and Autism advocate who lives and practices in California. For more information on Bill please check out his recent Ted Talk: “Fighting On: Overcoming Autism Diagnosis.”
Employment for Autistic Individuals
Guest Blogger: Bill Wong, OTD, OTR/L
Unlike many occupational therapy experts in autism, my expertise in autism comes from a combination of clinical and theoretical knowledge and my lived experiences as an autistic individual. Since I was diagnosed in 2010, I have been working on trying to understand my lived experiences from an occupational therapy perspective.
Employment can be tough for autistic individuals. There are 3.5 million autistic individuals out there in the United States, myself being one of them. Of the 3.5 million autistic individuals, 35% have never held a job, and before occupational therapy, I was part of that statistic.
Fast forward to my occupational therapy career, my first occupational therapy job lasted 3 months and I had an unsuccessful attempt at private practice for 8 months. That said, I am now employed for 7+ months in the skilled nursing facility setting and poised for a pretty good performance review if I were to have one today.
What have I really learned?
1. Networking is really important. Every real connection in your life counts. You never know when will these connections come into play. If you are a parent of a young autistic child, encourage them to learn to play with other children or join extracurricular activities where they can be with others and make friends. If you are a parent of an autistic adolescent or adult, encourage them to make some close friends that they can rely on in the future. As an autistic individual, I understand that making connections spontaneously can be difficult. However, inviting them to participate in social opportunities that interest them can be a good start for facilitating such connections.
2. It is important for autistic individuals to know about themselves well– from their strengths and weaknesses, to sensory preferences, to their abilities in stress and anxiety management. Unless autistic individuals are in supported employment or sheltered employment, they won’t have access to support workers around them constantly. Understanding such things can help maximize the length of time these individuals are employed, or leave on their own terms if better opportunities come along.
3. Don’t overlook volunteer opportunities or internships. Autistic individuals can learn about working as a team and many other job related skills. Expectations might be lower than an actual job. However, they can be important job-skill building experiences prior to actual paid employment.
4. Social media can be a double edged sword for autistic individuals. On one hand, it can be an avenue to develop strong professional networks and support systems. On the other hand, it can be a key reason why autistic individuals might not get employed if their employers study their social media accounts. For autistic individuals, that means they have to be aware of their social interactions online so that they don’t put themselves in disadvantages that they are not aware of.
5. Once employed, building rapport with colleagues is vital. That can set the tone on whether a job can be a successful and enjoyable one. In order to do so, this means autistic individuals must have at least adequate social communication and rapport building skills. Performance skill development will come with time at any job.
6. The first paid job can be learning experiences for future jobs. Getting fired or having to resign are not fun feelings. But reflecting upon objectively the reasons why can lead to opportunities to improve and make adjustments for the next job.
7. Mental flexibility is extremely important in many jobs. Job environments can produce many unpredictable situations. There also may not be enough time for transitioning from one task to another. Training autistic individuals how to deal with such from an early age will go a long way in preparing for their futures.
8. Working at a paid job doesn’t mean sacrificing all the things that are meaningful to you or can bring balance to your life. Having a job that can pay the bills is important. However, if this comes at an expense of not doing things that autistic individuals can either relax or serve as a change of pace for what they are doing, it may be is time to switch to a better job situation.
9. Never be ashamed to ask for help on job related matters– from people at the autistic individuals’ current jobs, to those in their social circles who are also working in the same profession. As an autistic individual, I understood it can be tough to ask for help, especially to my peers who have accomplished more than I do. That said, once I realized I was struggling in my current job after I completed my observations, I quickly turned to social media unashamedly asking my peers for help. My proactive actions helped me settled into the flow of my job within two weeks.
In conclusion, maintaining paid employment can be a daunting challenge for autistic individuals when they become adults. However, with great preparation in childhood and helping them learn generalizable skills will carry them a long way to succeed. Even if they have to learn these skills in adulthood like me, being intentional about attacking these problems can increase chances of successful employment.
photo care of: www.tedxgrandforks.com/press
Many parents with children who have autism are moving towards a strict gluten/casein free diet. Although this diet has not been medically proven to help with the symptoms of autism spectrum disorders (ASD’s), many feel that it does. The following from Web MD discusses the pros and cons of the gluten/casein free diet and the connection to ASD’s.
Web MD: Gluten-Free/Casein-Free Diets for Autism
We want to hear from you! Has the Gluten-Free Casein-Free diet worked in your situation? Would you recommend it to others?
Today, April 2nd, is World Autism Awareness Day. A 2010 study conducted by the U.S. CDC found that approximately 1 in 68 American children are on the autism spectrum. Furthermore, they estimate that autism spectrum disorders affect more than 2 million Americans and tens of millions of individuals across the globe. World Autism Awareness Day began as a day to honour those with autism and is celebrated with the annual “Light it up Blue” campaign.
Check out the following article from Autism Speaks to find out more about this campaign and how YOU can “Light it up Blue” for autism awareness.
Autism Speaks: 5 Ways You Can Light It Up Blue on World Autism Awareness Day!
One of the main reasons that parents seek Occupational Therapy services for their children arises from problems with printing and writing. Many of the solutions we provide focus on the task of handwriting itself, however, the appropriate environment and posture of the child can make a big difference.
The following article by Katherine Collmer of Handwriting with Katherine discusses seating and posture tips to help your child excel at handwriting.
Handwriting with Katherine: 5 Reasons Why Handwriting Needs a Good Seat
We also invite you to view our Occupational Therapy Video (OT-V) episode: Solutions For Printing Success for more handwriting strategies.
After returning from a vacation do you ever feel you need another vacation to recover? Travelling with your family can be stressful, let’s face it, it IS stressful. Whether travelling by car, airplane or boat there are always stressors from getting from point A to your vacation destination. March break is just ahead and, if you’re one of the lucky ones heading away, we invite you to check out these helpful tips and strategies from Parents Magazine to help reduce your travel stress. Bon voyage!