social story

Leave a comment Posted on August 11, 2016July 5, 2017 Autism

Autism and Education – Tips for children on the autism spectrum starting the new school year.

Autism and the new school year

As I’m sure you know autism and education is one of the big themes of this blog. And for many in the autism community the new school year is about to begin. To with our commitment to crowd sourcing ideas from our readers we decided to ask our readers on FaceBook what they thought were good ideas by asking the question “What tips would you give for children on the autism spectrum just about to start the new school year?”.

The results were ( as always from the autism community) both abundant and useful. So here is a selection for you.

“Leading up to going back to school, I show him pictures of his new teachers, talk about school and generally just prepare him for it. Also put him into the holiday Club 1 day a week through summer hols, which is basically on the school campus x x” came from Julie.

While Kirsty said “The school should have provided the child with a social story that can be shared. This should include any teachers they will be working with together with a picture. If they are changing rooms they should have pictures of that room. Give them an idea of what the day will be like but make sure they know that things can change. Practice the school run/route before term starts including getting uniform on. There are normally admin staff in school a week or so before term so call them or the head and ask them if you can visit before term starts.”

Michelle told us “When my son started preschool, I brought him to the school for orientation so he could see the classroom, meet the teachers and therapists. I took pictures of them and the classroom and building. I got a copy of the daily schedule and used Powerpoint to create a social story for him on how his days would go. I do something similar whenever he does anything unfamiliar from getting a haircut to going to birthday parties. I can’t anticipate every challenge, but I hope it helps him. I always hyper-prepare for myself, because I get very anxious, too, in new situations and it helps me.”

“We make a special orientation just for my daughter where I can take her to her classrooms and introduce her to her new teacher. We go they’ll the whole schedule. What I do at home is start school work more rigorously 1 month ahead of time. I take her out and get new stuff and always try to get her excited for school. We have 1 month before school starts, but she is excited to go. I’ll be more nervous later, because she is in a whole new wing this year and now instead of being 1 year behind she is now 2. I think I need to prepare myself more than her really.” was Katie’s similar approach.

Another Michelle’s idea got a lot of support “I would tell parents to set up a meeting with all teachers that will be involved with your child so you can make your expectations of them to help your child”.

“Colour code your subjects on your timetable and colour code your books/folders to match the subject. Arrange a social story about the new year. Where the toilets will be, which teacher they will have, what the classroom may look like etc” is Rachel’s very organised idea.

As Brenda says there are a number of ways to crack the nut “Before the schools in our area instituted Back to School Night before school started, I made an appointment with his new teacher to bring him in and meet him/her and see where he would be sitting, get familiar with the classroom, find the bathroom nearest the classroom, etc. All of his teachers were cooperative and eager to help him transition well to a new classroom (mainstreamed always). Took him school shopping and let him pick his backpack, notebooks, etc.”

So is there anything else you would add to this? If so please feel free to add your suggestions to the comments boxes below.

Update

One thing I should mention is that I asked a similar question of another Facebook page. this time one run by a autism teaching expert called Trisha Katkin. Miss Katkin has shared some of her great posts with us in the past so please check them out here. Anyhow one of her readers named Tracy Sherriff has written a guide to this exact problem. The great news is that you can download it for free here.

16 Comments Posted on March 10, 2014September 11, 2018 Autism, Patient Talk

Autism and Challenging Behaviour Part Eight. Getting dressed in the morning.

Autism and learning to get dressed

This is one of those areas which my wife and I still have big issue with regards to our seven year old autistic son named John. So far we have drawn a bit of a blank in teaching him how to get dressed in the morning, or at any time, so I thought I would throw myself on the mercy of our readers and ask them how it’s done.

I should explain that John has a neurotypical sister, Anne, who was a dressing up fanatic so picked up the relevant skill almost as soon as she could walk. At the age of 11 this has now moved on to what she describes as fashion.

Each morning I have to sometimes cajole, sometimes humour John into getting dressed. This is a time-consuming and rather boring task which I would prefer for him to complete on his own.

So how do I do it? Social story? Dress him back to front?

Over to you. How did you or your children with autism learn to get dressed? It is a bit of an important life skill when you think about it.

Please use the comments section below to tell your story. I know that there are plenty of other parents who would love your advice.

Thanks in advance.

PS In full disclosure I should say that I did mention it at his school recently. He goes swimming on a weekly basis with his other ASD classmates. They said that he could get dressed by himself after swimming. But this was mainly because he was cold after getting out of the water. This has never happened at home but it could be another of those cases of a particular situation. Thoughts?

LorraineJames	I have a visual sheet that I’ve made up and laminated on the wall with the morning, afternoon & evening routines. I find this assists my 6yo son to manage. Having said that, dressing is always a challenge with clothes getting thrown all over the place, or being put on back to front/inside out. With time restrictions for school, I find that putting a time on everything helps. We actually found that getting undressed at the end of the night was more of a challenge. Our psychologist helped with that one. We simply tell him now that he has 5 minutes to get dressed for bed, if he is not ready then he goes to bed exactly as he is when the time is up. Works a treat as he likes things to be done properly and hates the idea of going to bed half dressed (without his pyjamas on)
katindal	Hi…I have a son who is 23 and has autism…..and i don’t think there is a cure…..I do know …however…my son has come a very long way…..and if there are any parents of older children…I would love for our kids to get to know each other…… we live in Conway,s.c. i would like to address the dress of a morning….I dressed my son every morning…I don’t remember when he finally got it…..I chose my battles……he did for a long time have to wear the same kind of jeans…always wanted a red shirt and kid tennis shoes……and if thing bothered him he would cry for hours…..sooooo I dressed him…..he had to be at school on time…he was in a regular class room……good luck…
SabrinaRaeBlessel	Oh this has been an issue since day one of his first day of preschool. My son is now 8 yrs. old and we still have issue with morning routine but they are better than when we first started. What works for my family is routine, routine, routine! I have also found it easier for him to transition from one thing to the next with giving him notice in advance as to what he needs to do. Ex.( I will say while he is eating breakfast, as soon as your done eating it will be time to brush your teeth. I say that to him when I hand him his breakfast then I repeat it while he is eating and then when he is done eating.) I do this for every time it is time to move on to the next transition in the mornings. Also I have found another big distraction is the tv. Turning the tv off helps for us also.
Peggy Hood	I can not stress it enough……..ROUTINE! That’s what has worked for us. My son is twelve and has a diagnosis of PDD-NOS. We have been in routine for a while now. He pulls his shoes off at the door, hangs his jacket up, dresses himself, ect. and I believe routine is the key for these autistic children. If we do something that isn’t in the normal routine he gets a little upset but not like before. Just saying what works for us!
slseiler1	ZimenaJane LauraBunderson We all have different experiences and beliefs with autism. In my experience, my son’s symptoms were not just different, they were dangerous. Multiple interventions like Laura describes have helped my son significantly. He still has triggers, but he has learned to manage himself in most situations. I feel his autism has been healed to a large degree…and I am pleased to learn of another mom who fought not just the autism symptoms but the “advice” of medical “professionals” who insisted I should get out of denial, get used to the fact that he would never speak, never express love, never have a typical life…I didn’t accept it and I’m thankful. He’s 15 as well. In public school. Grades are decent. Socially shy, but not obvious. Great eye contact. Loving and kind. Wrestles and was undefeated last year. So…I gently disagree that “Autism is not a disease that you can “cure.” No one really knows what autism is.
ZimenaJane	LauraBunderson Autism is not a disease that you can ‘cure’ – the brain is wired differently to the way that other peoples’ brains are wired. Your son’s visible signs of autism may have diminished but he will have autism for his whole life. There is nothing wrong with it – it’s just a different way of being and people with autism need to be helped to learn how to cope with life in our society.
LauraBunderson	I forgot about some of these issues I dealt with early on while I was curing my son of autism he also could barely dress himself. Before some of his break-throughs I remember dressing him most of the time wondering if he would ever learn. Even when he started shirts would often go on backwards as well as pants. Elastic wasted was a must. My best advice to you is to do your research on a cure they are out there but it isn’t like taking medicine or something quick. It takes a total life change and it is hard but not as hard as the life you have ahead you or your child if you don’t do something about it now. I started when my son was 5 he is now 14 and has very little signs..this year he got his first A on an English test I was so proud. He had lots of struggles when he got well enough to put back into public schools. It is looking like next year he will no longer need an IEP at school. Don’t ever give up finding the CURE its out there but you won’t find it at your family MD for sure. God Bless you all its a tough road I know.
LauraPalazzoLuckey	Hi John’s dad. I’m a Special Education teacher and think that a Picture Board might be of help. It will serve as a reminder or task analysis, of the desired actions as well as a tangible barometer of success. The following should be set up in a grid. Clothing Mon. Tues. Wed. Thurs. Fri. Underwear Socks Pants Shirt Shoes John can place a sticker for each piece of clothing that he puts on himself. Make a big celebration each time. At the end of each morning of successful independent dressing, John should get a reward. ( a few minutes of TV, computer, play time) John and you will decide together how many stickers he should need to have gotten in order to earn a bigger reward. ( Happy Meal, pick out Saturday night’s dinner, ect) Eventually, you should wean John from daily rewards, but never from daily praise, with each successful independent dressing. Every other day until a weekly reward remains as the only reinforcer. I wish you well and congratulate you on being an obvious wonderful advocate for your son. Laura Luckey
slseiler1	I put his clothes in the dryer. He loved the warmth. ..not too long or zippers (etc) get hot. I started w a warmed towel wrapped around him. I have also put him to sleep on clean school clothes.
TiffaneyStowe	Hello everyone. I don’t have an autistic child(ren) but I am a Care Provider who works with a High Functioning Autistic 19 year old who also has Aspergers. I’ve had to help get her into a routine of getting dress and doing hygiene stuff and keeping her room clean. Of course routine, praises and rewards. Stickers can be a big deal even tho it may not seem like it. To the parents of John, i think that if it is at all possible if maybe your son can take a shower in the morning then get dress. Since it seems he understands that he has to get dress after a shower. If that doesn’t work or can’t be done then maybe you could try something else. I’m not sure of everything that you’ve tried or how. So I don’t really want to say to much or say something you already or have done. Or offend you. But if you would like me to help further or rather help however I can. You can find me on Facebook. Thank You for your time and the opportunity to try and help. A Loving and Caring Care Provider, Tiffaney Stowe.
kalamu	We’ve only just begun to discover that our son probably has Aspergers/high functioning ASD. He is nearly 5. It is so difficult for him to focus on getting dressed in the morning as any other stimulation like talking o rtoys means he stops. If he accidently puts his socks on before his underpants he has to take them off again to put his pants on because ‘pants go first’. He sometimes has major freak outs with his buttons and I have to calm him down and talk him through it. Mornings are very time consuming and his 3 year old sister sees all of this and messes around for the attention too, she also knows how to push his buttons and set him off on a meltdown or a tangent which stops him getting dressed. Stressful is not even close! X
auzzymum	You may find it helpful to have the clothes stacked and ready to put on in the order that the child needs to get dressed. Including shoes. This may be the order that the child chooses to get dressed in rather than the order you think is most appropriate and always leave the clothing in the same place every day ie the foot of the bed, beside the bed, somewhere that you can keep up even if you go on vacation or visiting sometime overnight. Consistency and order is the key. I also found this method helpful to control what my son wore because when he was left to his own devices, he choose clothing that was not always appropriate for the weather we were having. That is if he bothered to get dressed at all on his own accord. Now that he’s older (19) everyone in the neighborhood remembers him as “the kid who used to keep taking his clothes off” thankfully we lived in a small and very understanding town. Good luck.
sneedley13	I guess we tackled Connor’s issue without even realising we were doing it. He is also 7 and ASD, and gets lost in his own head quite a lot, so needs routine and bribery/reward to keep him focussed on the boring stuff. Like Sally40 ‘s son, Connor undresses and dresses in a certain order (known only to him as it changes from day to day) so when I get up in the morning, I lay out his school uniform ready to go – jumper on the bottom (as this has to be last!), underwear on the top. I always check to make sure nothing is inside out, and we have taught him to check for ‘ticket at the back’ so he knows he has put his t-shirt/trousers/jumper in the right way round. Connor knows that until he is dressed, he will not brush his teeth, and until he has brushed his teeth, he cannot have his breakfast and watch tv – we allow him to watch some tv in the morning, as this seems to take the stress out of getting ready for school for him, because it gives him time boundaries. Sometimes I have to start work at 6am, so I have left before he wakes up, but I always make sure that I tell him the night before, so he knows I won’t be there, but I sneak in and lay out his uniform in the same way, so that the only change to the routine is that he has to go in and jump in Daddy before forgetting to brush his teeth (apparently its daddy’s fault because he doesn’t do the reminding like I do!)If he does this without fuss during the week, as a reward, on one of the weekend days (if we aren’t going out early in the morning) he is allowed to stay in his pyjamas until lunchtime, which for Connor is the best thing ever!
morag59	Hi I’m Lyndsey and I’m 24 and suffer from Aspergers Syndrome. My mum had to deal with the same thing when I was small. Someone told her to make it fun getting dressed. It would take me so long getting ready in the morning that sometimes I would be late for school which wasn’t good. I found it boring to get dressed because I would have to do all of these rituals in order for me to put the clothes on. Even now as an adult I still have to do rituals to put on my clothes. My mum used to make a kind of treasure map thing the night before. She would then leave items of clothing around the house according to the treasure map before she went to bed. She would draw a new treasure map each night to mix it up and be a bit more exciting. When I got up in the morning she would tell me that if I could find all of my clothes and put them on everyday then on Sunday I would get a reward. I found this exciting because I never knew what the surprise would be on Sunday. It was usually things like she would take me swimming or get me a new book to read or take me to McDonald’s. She would also keep a chart that I could see so that I knew if I was on my way to getting a reward. I really appreciated this as it gave me something to take my mind off the rituals and focus on something positive. I’m 24 and I still have to think up ways to make it easier and quicker to put on my clothes and thanks to my mum doing that simple thing it’s so much easier to find ways to put my clothes on.
Sally40	I had a problem with my son when he was younger until i realised that he dressed himself in a set order – if something was missing (usually socks) he would not get dressed and would just sit there. He had a set routine on how he got ready for school so it was a case of everyone sticking to it. I have a friend who wrote a checklist for her son – an itemised list of what he had to do to be ready for school which he would follow.
TonyaSue	I have a 7 year old that is high functioning Asperger’s. This is an ongoing, daily task for me as well. I have to figure out a way to get him dressed as well as his 2 younger brothers while trying to get myself ready! There are times where he absolutely refuses to do anything. He will just sit there and grunt. I have tried bribing him, I have tried getting him dressed myself. I am not sure what to do either. His brothers see this going on and they try to do the same thing which makes my morning even harder!

13 Comments Posted on February 21, 2014April 24, 2017 Autism, Patient Talk

Autism and Challenging Behaviour Part Six. A trip to the dentist and brushing those teeth.

Dentists and Autism

When I was young any mention of a visit to the dentist would create a shiver of horror and fear right across the school yard.

In fact, in my case, there was not a whole bunch to worry about in dental terms. But for a child with autism this may not be the case.

Having talked to a lot of parents of children with autism I believe dental care may be more than a bit of a worry. Firstly there is the task of brushing teeth and then there is the sensory overload of a tip to the dentist itself. The aim of this blog is to give parents and people with ASD the opportunity to share their tips for great dental hygiene.

In the case of our seven year old we have eventually found some solutions but, I have to say, with plenty of hiccups along the way.

In fact cleaning teeth is actually helped by his ASD. One of his sensory “pressure points” is at the back of his mouth along the gums. So in fact the act of his cleaning his teeth is not a problem at all. He rather enjoys it. What did prove to be a problem was getting him to remember to clean his teeth. What my wife has done is so simple I have to describe it as an act of genius. Each evening she and John play a game just before going to bed. The game? Cleaning your teeth. In fact he now reminds us it is time to play “cleaning your teeth”. There is a song to go with it but I’ll not share it for reasons of aesthetics.

Visits to the dentist on the other hand have proved harder. But we got lucky. In a conversation with the local Early Years Centre (who provided a lot of the initial support including PECS training) it was mentioned that one of the local NHS Health Centres has a specialist autism clinic once a week. (I should mention that for reasons totally unknown to me they do not publicise the clinic.)

Actually the practice is not that different from other dentists. Where it does vary is that a lot of the children’s posters are removed from the walls. Also the staff have been training in behaviours associated with ASD and know how to help in case of meltdown or over stimulation. But their real trick is to give plenty of time for John to get used to the surgery. In fact on his first visit they did not look at his teeth. Rather they let him play with the safer instruments and go up and down on the chair. By the end of 30 minutes he was very keen to come back and play some more.

Since then he has had to have a couple of interventions. Both have gone without issue as he has a social story to look at and the procedure is clearly explained in bit sized chunks and carried out at a speed that meets his need.

And the overall outcome? His latest ambition is to become a dentist. Not just a dentist but the first dentist on Mars!

So my real advice to other parents looking for a suitable dentist. Is google for autism specialist. They do exist and they are very good.

But over to you. It would be great if you could use the comments box below to share how you deal with your child’s dental health. Perhaps you might like to consider some of the following questions:-

a) Do you have any concerns and challenges with your children dental health and visits to a dentist?

b) How did you establish a teeth cleaning routine?

c) What is a typical trip to a dentist like for you?

d) Do you use a specialist dentist?

e) What advice would you give to another parent of a child with autism who has similar issues?

I really look forward to reading your responses.

Many thanks in advance.

NikkiZumbachHarken	I actually am working with a Dentist in creating a ‘plan’ to use for ANY ASD children visiting the dentist (including sensory advice, social stories, and gradual appointments) Would LOVE to share what we are doing. If you are interested in being a part of what we are doing please email me nicholekea@gmail.com
Tami Kaye	Every morning is a struggle and an argument with my 11 year old son to brush his teeth. I always find it odd because I try to enforce routine and schedule because that is so important. It just seems like after getting up for school for the last 6 years, that routine would have became a natural thing to do. I understand that it is a sensory issue but such a simple thing can disrupt an entire morning for the family. I try not to let it become a power struggle!! I do not want a toothache in that sensory mouth. Been there and done that. We have been pretty lucky with dentists appointments. The exams go well and the results are usually good as well. a few years ago he did have a cavity and a toothache. It was terrible 🙁 I try to use that as a reminder to why it is sooo important to brush. I would love to hear any suggestions or ideas. HELP 🙂
SarahFlores	Yes, I finally broke down and called a pediatric dentist in wichita, we have a consultation schedule for June, it’s 3hrs away from us but in talking to them and looking on their website I think this is going to be the best way to go 🙂
MaryHayden	SarahFlores Have you tried an incentive or reward? My son, almost 8 now, has a hard time with the dentist. He chooses a reward before hand, something reasonable. He gets that reward if he does well and cooperates for the dentist. I find that a reward system works for my son with most things but the dentist is still a challenge. He also has to know what to expect so we talk about it at least a few days before we go. He usually does a lot better when he knows what’s coming. We use a pediatric dentist, they are good with him. I don’t know if we have any dental programs for ASD or special needs kids in my area.
AmberWilder	My 3 year old son use to hate brushing & flossing his teeth but I kept at it and now he tolerates it but still hates going to the dentist lol.. I started out with him on the ground with his arms under my legs, his head between my thighs and have bite on the end if a toddler toothbrush while I brushed his teeth with a different toothbrush.. He hated it at first but I knew I had to keep at it and eventually he didn’t mind it as much so now I’m able to floss his teeth with little floss picks. When I started flossing I also had him bite on the end of a toddler toothbrush. Now I’m able to floss and brush without having him bite on the end if a toothbrush ( the dentist has a biter stick that helps too). It’s definitely hard at first but once you desensitize them it gets easier. He just had his 2nd visit to the dentist and that was a lot if work but I’m hoping if I keep at it that it will get easier 🙂
Choirgirl64	luciecc One thing that works for my son is instead of using the mirror to open and examine, he uses a toothbrush. My son is used to opening for the toothbrush and enjoys the sensation, so actually will open very wide for the dentist to have a look. He won’t let a metal mirror in at all. Perhaps they should invent a plastic toothbrush looking mirror. When he needs work, even a cleaning, he is put under anaesthetic at the hospital. That has always gone very well. We’ve had three of these. He’s 19 now.
Ymkje Wideman	First Visit to the Dentist I approached my grandson’s first visit to the dentist with some trepidation. When he was little, his Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) made brushing his teeth a daily challenge. Still, with persistence, and experimenting with the brush and toothpaste he liked best, we had settled into a good routine. He would gingerly “brush” a little bit, and I would finish by standing behind him, holding his chin with one hand, and gentle brushing until all his teeth were clean and free from “sugar bugs”. He only tolerated very little toothpaste on his brush, which I’d rub into the bristles with my finger, so he’d hardly see it, because if the gel or paste was atop the bristles he always protested—and he still does. It must be something about the texture or taste that makes it hard for him to handle. I knew his first check-up would include the hygienist brushing his teeth and applying fluoride, so I was concerned it wouldn’t turn into a scene. I researched a bit and found Autism Speaks’ very helpful Dental Tool Kit. You can find and download it here: http://www.autismspeaks.org/family-services/tool-kits/dental-tool-kit. I called several local dentists before I settled on one who understood and was willing to accommodate my special requests for my grandson’s visit. I emailed and sent information about autism and his needs ahead of our visit, which they read and acknowledged. Just after we arranged the appointment, we happened to visit the local Children’s Museum, which included a “dentist office” with a real chair that went up and down, an X-ray apron, and some of the “tools” a dentist uses. It was perfect visual preparation for his upcoming appointment. I also prepared at home by writing a picture story for Logan, which we went over repeatedly, and which he carried with him to refer to during his check up. The staff was so accommodating, and they really took their time to reassure him and make sure he was comfortable with everything they were going to do during the check up. I’d asked if I could bring his own toothpaste, which they said was fine, and they were careful to show him that they’d just used a little bit. It took a little longer than a regular trip to the dentist might take, but all the preparation paid off, and his first visit was nothing but a pleasant experience for him, paving the way for future successful visits.
SarahFlores	any advice would be great I have to threaten grounding to get him to cooperate for his cleanings and sometimes that doesn’t even work, he is atypical autistic in the grey area between autistic and aspergers, so what works for either side doesn’t necessarily work for him 🙁 next visit they want to do sealants since he turned 8 this year. so looks like I’m in search of a new dentist, it was suggested that I take him to a pediatric dentist….any ideas? he loves brushing his teeth and always reminds me if I forget

DJBlytheII	The first time I took Kaylin to a dentist it was a nightmare. As a single dad, I am usually accused of abusing her after someone sees her meltdown. This is what happened at her first dentist appointment. The dentist pulled me aside and interogated me as if I had been mistreating her. I get this a lot but i never get used to it. Now, I have found a dentist that treats many ASD, SPD, ODD kids and they are awesome! Kaylin just underwent oral surgery and did great. If your in the Denver area, check out Ridgeview Pediatric dentistry at The Orchards shopping center Westminster, CO. Not only did they take good care of my lil girl but they didnt treat me like a bad dad!