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Single square image (will print clearly on A4). Image: Sometimes my best looks like this This image may be printed, given away, displayed, shared (printed) with educators, professionals, families. It may be used in presentations and training seminars, however do not distribute the digital copy to attendees. Please link to my NeuroWild Facebook, Instagram, and TPT if using my work professionally. The PDF may not be distributed or resold.

Autism is a group of developmental brain disorders collectively called autism spectrum disorders, or ASD. Dr. Craig Erickson, a psychiatrist and assistant…

In this show, I talked with Floortime & autism educator Dr. Jennie Trocchio to discuss the DIR/Floortime approach for working with children with autism (and other developmental delays/disorders!) We discussed the levels of Floortime, the research that makes this approach EBP, and a few other interesting (perhaps slightly controversial!) topics about treating autism. Listen here:…

ADULT ASD (Level1/2)/Asperger’s TRAITS LIST By Tip of the Asperg. 2018. Emotional. Sensory. . High to extreme levels of anxiety or autonomic arousal from a young age (panic, palpitations, hyperventilation, etc). . Tendency to become depressed or despondent from an early age. . Often switches rapi ...

A great speaking exercise to get both your shy and bold students enthusiastic about speaking English. The goal of the game is to make a 45 second improvised speech on a random topic (98

While overall autism diagnosis dramatically rose during the past few decades, a 16-year Danish study published last year found female diagnoses are rising at a faster rate.

Learning about Self-advocacy: I have recently been occupied with the ideas and complexities of self-advocacy and disclosure for H (and others). I am accompanying H on his journey – but it is …

A blog about autism resources and support from a special ed teacher with first-hand experience.

Resources, tips, and materials to help you, help children with autism

The goal of the Nest Support Project is to partner with public schools to establish inclusive cultures and advance the development and implementation of educational practices for autistic learners.

Pathological demand avoidance is part of the autism spectrum.Parents must learn the right strategies for reducing avoidance behaviors and anxiety in PDA ...

"I may face extra challenges... but I wouldn't have it any other way. It's just who I am."

This month we’re focusing on visual supports and strategies to support positive behavior. We’ve talked about transition supports and environmental arrangements. Another way to help ther…

"How can I teach my daughter (high functioning) to relate better to her classmates and not be so offensive. She's having difficulty gaining acceptance from her peers." “Socially different” describes children who may not use appropriate eye contact, may not know how to open or close a conversation, may be isolated from their classmates for a variety of reasons, may have trouble with self-control, don’t seem to fit in with others in the classroom (which is easily identifiable by the other classmates), or are unable to maintain social acceptance. Such social skills deficits often characterize children on the autism spectrum. An important method for overcoming these deficits involves the use of Social Scripts. Social Scripts are a social narrative that provides direct instruction of social situations for young people with Asperger’s (AS) and High-Functioning Autism (HFA). The scripts are written by the youngster’s parent or teacher (sometimes with the help of the youngster), providing a visual cue and desired social responses. The content of the script should match the youngster’s needs and take his or her perspective into consideration. Social Scripts can reduce the stress associated with social interactions and assist the AS or HFA youngster with understanding the perspective of others. Slang or child-specific terms in the script can help the conversational exchange appear more natural. Scripts can be used to help a youngster deal with uncertainty, introduce change in routine, teach various routines, or address a wide variety of impeding behaviors (e.g., aggression, fear, obsessions, etc.). Other examples of ideas for scripts include: Being assertive without being pushy Compromising and negotiating Conversation starters Dealing with failure or being left out Dealing with peer pressure Disagreeing with others Giving and responding to criticism Learning to participate appropriately in groups Respecting someone’s personal space Responses and ideas to connect conversations or change the topic Settling conflicts Taking charge of one’s feelings Thinking about one’s behavior before, during, and after speaking Using appropriate eye contact, voice, tone, expression, and posture ==> How To Prevent Meltdowns and Tantrums In Children With High-Functioning Autism and Asperger's Here is an example of a Social Script written for Michael, a sixth-grader with Asperger’s, for purchasing a fountain Coke at the corner gas station (which he was allowed to do several times a week): When I go to the gas station for some pop, I will stand in line at the pop machine until the people in front of me are done getting their drinks. Then I will get my drink and go to the cashier. The cashier will say something like, “Hi, is that all for today?” I will say, “Yes.” If she asks me if I want anything else, I will say “No.” I will then hand her $2.00 and will be given some change. Then I will say, “Thank you.” Daily observations and reports from others who interact with the AS or HFA child can help determine the skills that need to be practiced. Basic social skills are a good place to start. For example, respecting personal space, greeting someone, making eye contact, using active listening, and starting/ending a conversation should be part of every scripting lesson. Skills should be applicable to the child’s needs, daily experiences, and interests in order to help maintain his motivation. Blending humor into the scripts or using silly names for the characters can help maintain motivation as well. In addition, scripts need to match the child’s life experiences at home, at school, and in his community. ==> Parenting System that Significantly Reduces Defiant Behavior in Teens with Aspergers and High-Functioning Autism Social Scripts can be used in groups as well (e.g., special education class). Once the “special needs” children are comfortable with practicing the scripts, short field trips can provide opportunities to practice and enhance newly learned skills. Peer-assistance is often helpful to the social skills class or target group. Due to the fact that socially challenged kids tend to associate with other socially challenged kids, peer-assistance is highly beneficial because the assistant can model social situations appropriately and help children with social skills deficits acquaint themselves with people outside their usual circle of peers/friends. Social Scripts may not be appropriate in all situations, because there is a risk of making the AS or HFA child sound too “rehearsed” or “scripted” in her response. Since children on the autism spectrum struggle with generalization of skills, they may try to use one particular script at the wrong time. For example, Michael learned how to purchase his fountain Coke at the gas station through scripted communication. However, when he ordered a Coke at a fast food restaurant, he became agitated when asked additional questions about the order, such as “Do you want a meal with that?” and “Do you want a regular Coke – or diet?” When parents and teachers utilize Social Scripts, these prompts should be systematically faded out fairly quickly. Otherwise, the AS or HFA child may continue to spontaneously communicate with friends and classmates using scripted phrases. Visual prompts (click on the picture at the top of this article for an example) have the potential to be more effective than verbal prompts given by a parent or teacher because they are much easier to fade out. Using Social Scripts as a prompting procedure to teach kids on the spectrum to engage in more complex play, initiate and maintain conversations with others, and participate in a variety of community activities can be effective in the short and long term. The key to using scripts is to fade them out so the child does not become dependent on the prompt. Resources for parents of children and teens on the autism spectrum: ==> How to Prevent Meltdowns and Tantrums in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder ==> Parenting System that Reduces Defiant Behavior in Teens with Autism Spectrum Disorder ==> Launching Adult Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Guide for Parents Who Want to Promote Self-Reliance ==> Teaching Social-Skills and Emotion-Management to Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder ==> Parenting Children and Teens with High-Functioning Autism: Parents' Comprehensive Handbook ==> Unraveling the Mystery Behind High-Functioning Autism: Audio Book ==> Crucial Research-Based Parenting Strategies for Children and Teens with High-Functioning Autism ==> Videos for Parents of Children and Teens with ASD

You've received a referral to assess the language abilities of a school aged child with suspected language difficulties. The child has not been assessed before so you know you’ll need a comprehensive language test to look at the child’s ability to recall sentences, follow directions, name words, as well as perform a number of other

I was trying to think of a clever title for this entry…some alliterative phrase that captures the essence of my theme. I quickly decided to stick with the matter-of-fact title, “Visual…

The Premack Principle is known by the famous "First-Then statements" used by parents and therapists everywhere. The Premack Principle was created by...

I am trying to get some cover sheets on some of the curriculum I have sitting here. This has been a slow process. I just starting using Power Point a little over a week ago, and so far so good. The folks on TpT have been great answering my questions and helping me out. Tutorials are great!!! Will post more as I make them. http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Personal-Hygiene

There is increasing awareness around PDA (pathological demand avoidance), a subtype of autism. However PDA is sometimes conflated with Demand avoidance which is a normative human trait. Complicating matters Autistic demand avoidance is quite common. Demand avoidance is common among neurodivergent

symptoms of Asperger’s syndrome in children - 1. Difficulties with social interaction and communication 2. Repetitive behaviours and rigid routines

Happy New Year! I had a busy holiday season with my Etsy shop, which is leading into a busy Valentine’s Day, so I haven’t had as much time here as I’d like. I’m also redoing…

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Great little visual for students learning how to cope with angry or fustrated feelings. #socialskills

Are your looking to make life more manageable for you and the class? Our Social Skills bundle is packed with engaging stories, useful sorting sheets and fun behavior posters. This Social Skills Bundle includes 10 of my best stories plus 6 Social skill strips. I've also added some handy behaviour sor...

"With this graphic, everyone can map their own personal spectrum."