- medical treatments showed better results for people with autism in the placebo group.
- the two most effective treatments have shown to be mindful meditation, and cognitive behavioural therapy.
- access what you can, and get what YOUR child needs.
Autism: Talking with the Experts -courtesy of the Toronto Star
So in pursuit of these key intervention strategies, treatments..or lifestyle changes, however a person wishes to address them, here are some tips and ideas I have used in the past, and am currently using to develop these as personal strengths with my children, as well as to benefit from the immediate results they offer.
- when the kids are having trouble following through on a task, I label the obstacles, and with this they are less offended its presence, like naming a demon..it soon leaves. As they come down, I try to describe the task, with how it feels to the touch, what it looks like, etc. If it is a new situation entirely, I remind myself to stay simple, but if it is something they are familiar with, I try to connect them with it in more detail and personalized terms with each encounter. Gradually over time they will do it independently. I find it important to be calm and expectant of their anxiety, and not focused on the task at all but to be self-aware myself and know the environment, being mindful myself, I slowly acquaint them with their environment by helping them give conscious constructive thoughts to their subconscious instincts. In hopes that they will walk themselves through more and more challenges on their own. So far it works.
- when a meltdown hits, we like to call it when 'too much' gets out of control or sensory explosions. Whatever the trigger, (whether its being pulled out of concentration too suddenly, an overload of negative sensory experiences coinciding, or simply mismanagement) I try to provide support directly, maybe a hug, space, turning on sensory goodies, or transitioning to a different task (be it, cognitively challenging, outdoor physical activity, or socially-demanding) as smoothly as possible. In the case of meltdowns that are recurring, and he is resistant to my solutions, I give space immediately, rethink my own strategies (ensuring they are correct, pairing the behaviours with triggers and consequences, eventually finding a simple answer), and intervene immediately with as much confidence and presence in the moment I can muster.
- If he is feeling down, we discuss or commune on the past, whether it was this morning, the latest upset, or a simpler time, I try to connect with them through this process of reflection. If he is feeling too high-strung and anxious, I join him in worrying about the future, what is next? we lost our footing, and now the future is highly uncertain again. We talk about what may happen depending on his behaviour, if he calms down we can have this, if he remains up there, these things may happen. It is different for each child, but to talk out my own reactions, instincts, worries, and concerns, I can also share with them hopes, dreams, loving memories, and smiles. I try to bring them from pain or fear back to joy. When this is successful we sort out what may have caused this sudden mood swing, and show them a different approach, which would likely not bring on such an intensely overpowering sensation. I also try to differentiate between emotion and sensation. Happy and anxious don't have to be on the same level, and can be experienced together..when they are able to see that these things are experiences not how they are emotionally feeling at the time, it gives more logical information for them to process. When they get it, I rarely have to revisit the same catalyst many times.
Dr. Joe Dispenza, author of Evolve your Brain
In practice a few ideas I have in regards to encouraging self-care in this department varies from each individual in the household to the next. We are all familiar with each other's mechanisms and tools, sometimes even sharing in these in an attempt to grow and understand, or the comfort of borrowing somebody else's strategies until you find your own.
I love to pair vestibular challenges with new phases of working through anxieties, and mindfulness practices with 'D'. His level of caution in life and lower activity levels due to too many 'can'ts' and 'too much's make things like this wobble deck a great place to start. Right now we use an hourglass and the picture window, to keep him in the moment and something to focus on outside of himself, literally. His job is to try and stay still for however long the hourglass runs for, usually one to three minutes. When he is distracted or giggly, he takes deep breaths and continues on, trying not to tip it!
Diggin Wobble Deck
With 'A' it is a different story altogether. He is quite active and his response to unpleasant sensory input is to be even more active. Sometimes struggles dealing with noise pollution can be quite a bit to deal with in an urban center of any size. He likes to create music, in many different ways. When I work with him to calm him down or to talk to a more centered version of him, we dance, sing, or play gymnastic games. More often than not, nowadays its about providing him the right musical tools for him to find his own auditory pleasure.
Assemblage 23 - Ground
Next in this area: working on the skill of attention.
