Autism Awareness Day

Today is Autism awareness day and we wanted to post to bring attention to Autism Spectrum Disorders.  April is Autism Month so we will be posting information regarding Autism throughout the month.  According to the CDC's Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, 1 in 68 children have been identified as being on the Autism Spectrum.  These figures are up from years ago and seem to continue to rise..  More and more children are being identified as having some form of Autism.  Why?  Is this because of increased awareness of Autism, therefore allowing for increased identification of Autistic characteristics seen in children? Are parents, teachers and other care providers more aware of the behavior differences  and characteristics commonly seen in children having Autism?   Or, is Autism truly becoming more prevalent in today's society?  And, if so, why are we seeing more and more children on the Spectrum?  These are questions that are currently being debated regarding the rise in Autism. There are rational arguments for all these explanations and everyone seems to have their own opinions.  What are your opinions about this?

IEP revisions

So it's midway through the school year and your middle schooler's homework nights are getting longer and more of a struggle? Time to revisit that IEP! Although IEPs are an annual document, they are free flowing, ideally team driven plans of action. Suggest a quick conference with the special ed coordinator or guidance counselor to recommend assignments being a day or two late with no penalty, or extra time in a secluded location to take tests. You needn't feel you have to wait until the date of the IEP to make a positive change in your child's school career!

Motor Planning and Reading Fluency

Well, this was one interesting solution that a parent and I came up with for a struggling with reading fluency fifth-grader who happened to be an excellent baton twirler... tape a passage to read on the wall and have her do a repetitive, easy rhythmic pattern with her baton.  Try reading along to the cadence of the pattern.  It worked quite nicely for her.

Promising research articles have begun to show a correlation between the two.  Try encouraging your struggling reader to do it while walking on a treadmill, pushing himself back and forth on a scooter board, or rocking in a rocking chair.  Think out of the box on this one, but no bike riding, unless of course it's stationary!  Let us know any creative ways you find to help your struggling readers with movement!

Painting with squirt bottles/guns

It's still summer, so get outside and have fun!  Here's a great and creative idea for painting.  Use a squirt bottle, or squirt gun.  Just add food coloring to the water and have your child squirt at a piece of paper.  We first attempted to squirt on pavement, but the color didn't show up.  You could try adding a lot of food coloring to see if that would make the color show on pavement, or just hang up some paper.  It's great for hand strengthening to have your child squeezing the bottle/gun and the kids think it's great. 

IEP or 504?

Here in Pennsylvania, we have IEPs (Individualized Education Plans) and 504 plans in our education system.  IEPs help your child through specially designed instruction that can take the form of direct treatment, consultation and/or observation.  Your child is seen for therapy sessions with a service provider.  504 plans can support your child with what they need to be successful in school without the need for direct intervention, i.e. attention/focus supporting strategies, transportation or self-care supports, or adaptive equipment/modification needs.  Children with 504 plans are not showing any developmental delays, but may be struggling physically or academically anyway.  I'd like to open the comments section here with your experiences with 504 plans.  My older son has one to support his needs related to attention and focus, and I have to say it's working out very well this year in 4th grade.