1. Create a concrete plan you share with you child and set expectations before going on the vacation – If we know exactly what’s going on and can see a schedule beforehand it feels much less overwhelming to tackle new places and new experiences.

2. Make sure you’re staying in a place with enough space – when I was a kid, if we stayed in a place with plenty of space, my parents had no issues. For example, every year my parents would take us to Pawleys Island, SC. Generally that trip was fine because my parents rented a big enough house and I had my own space, which is something a lot of us on the spectrum need. One year, we moved to a much nicer but much smaller house. I had to share a bedroom with my brother and the house was very compact so we felt packed in and I had a lot of difficulties. Even though the house was nicer, renting the bigger, albeit more shabby, beach house was much better for our family.

3. Plan your vacation during the destination’s off-season and go to a place that’s less crowded in general  Autistic people can get overwhelmed in large crowds or places that have a lot of people. And when you go to tourist destinations, that can be even more overwhelming if it’s during a busy season.

4. Plan a lot of physical activities  Things that involve bike riding, walking, swimming, or even outdoor activities like the zoo, are good for helping to get rid of that excess nervous energy that can build up .

5. Doing more shorter vacations like day or weekend trips can be easier than going on a single longer vacation If a week long vacation is too much, try doing a few 3, 2 or 1 day trips. If your child hates the trip, you can leave without worrying about the fact that you paid for a whole week.

6. Since activities can be overwhelming, limit them in time and scope and plan them so that they work for your child - 

As an example, for a trip to a museum, create a plan of things to see and do and share it with your child before going in. Whatever you do, don’t just walk around looking at things. People, especially kids, on the spectrum don’t like uncertainty.

Also, call ahead and ask what the least busy time is – sometimes google has a graph that shows how many people are at a specific attraction for each hour of the day.

Also, plan mini tours that involve activities related to what you’re doing (like a scavenger hunt). Often times, places like a museum will offer guides for children.  Don’t be pedantic, the experience of new places and experiences should be enough. You don’t need to teach them everything about everything you see and don’t try too hard to make sure they’re learning. Children will remember activities related to what they saw, not  what was written on a plaque you made them read.  Be more hands off and your child’s curiosity will do the rest.

Plan an escape if it’s a new overwhelming experience. One time we went to a haunted house. My sister who is also on the spectrum was insistent upon going in so my mom talked with the people running it and they came up with an egress plan for her to go to a guide to take her out if she got overwhelmed and needed to leave.

7. Always have a plan of where your next meal is coming from – either bring your food or plan to eat at a specific place you research that is fun and not overwhelming from a sensory perspective

Plan rest times – While it can seem like it’d be better to make use of all the time you have and do as much as possible, if you do less things and have built-in breaks, the things you do will be much more rewarding and memorable. You don’t need to see the whole city or even the whole museum. A lot of parents

8. Be aware of your child’s needs and prioritize those over your own- If your kid likes rocket ships, go to the air and space museum. Even if you think you’d enjoy an art gallery more, you won’t if your kid is having a melt down the whole time. You can still go to the art gallery if you make it fun, but sometimes the path of least resistance is best.

9 Prepare staff in advance - Tell them you have a kid on the spectrum and explain that a meltdown is possible. That way, if a meltdown does happen they will be more patient and accommodating and you won’t get as many people judging you.

10. If you have multiple kids on the spectrum, consider one parent taking them each separately on different vacations based on their needs and interests. Or if you’re doing activities on the same trip, maybe split off so each child can do something that will work for them.

The post Planning a family vacation with Autism – 10 tips for success appeared first on Wrong Planet.

Maja Toudal is a student with Asperger’s I met in Copenhagen, Denmark. Here are her tips for succeeding in your classroom.

I realize that not every part of this will be applicable in every country. We have different educational systems, and this is tailored to mine. This is meant as an inspiration to what you can do to make the student-teacher relationship go well from the beginning.

When I begin a new semester there’s a conversation I must repeat. Actually, it’s getting to the point where it’s more of a monologue. I have some diagnoses that make it difficult for me to be in a classroom, and while I do my best to deal with it, there are still a few things that will be affected.

I need a place – preferably always the same – on the first row, and away from the door. This allows me to create an imaginary sensory bubble around myself, the teacher and blackboard, which excludes the rest of the room. That way, I can pay attention in class. It is exhausting to do this, and to keep it up, but not as much as every other strategy I’ve tried.
As for taking part in the class, I do my best, but the teacher should never expect me to take part in group work. It is one of the most stressful things to do, and I am only capable of it on very good days, in a group of two with someone I like. That’s a problem in Denmark, because group work is a huge part of our educational system.

When I explain my issues with it to teachers, I try to keep a non-dramatizing, matter-of-fact tone, and let them know that I will generally learn more for the whole week if I am not forced into group work, due to the extra stress it would cause to take part in it.

I will have to take a day here and there to decrease my stress levels. I am aware that this pattern in absence can easily appear as though I am skipping school, and because of that I find it important to let the teachers know that this is not the case. I mention it in an effort to avoid misunderstandings.

Finally, I tell them not to worry about me learning the subject. I’m a good student and I will work hard to do as well as I can. After this conversation, we’re usually on good terms.

I have not promised to be perfect. I have not promised that I will be a straight A student – only that I will do my best. I’ve also been open and honest. This is something most people appreciate.

On the really bad days, I remind myself that whatever I do, I must not piss off the teachers. There is nothing at all to gain from it. I want them to be my allies, not my enemies. So I am always polite to all teachers.

Aside from this, I keep two things in mind:
I can only expect them to take me seriously if I uphold my end of the agreement. So no matter how long I will be taught by this person – one semester or several years – I have to do my best.

Second, my diagnoses are explanations, NOT excuses. So while they demand attention on certain points, they do not keep me from being a decent person or student, or from advancing both in education and in social matters. I must always improve.

As for the conversation itself, the key elements to it going well (there are no guarantees!) are:

1) Be polite Make sure everything seems like a request, but one that will make it all easier for both parties.
2) Be exact About the difficulties and the solutions.
3) Make it short The whole conversation, from “hello” to “thank you, goodbye”, should only last 5 minutes – remember you can always have another at a later time.
4) Only give the necessary information Don’t explain every detail of the difficulties that are relevant. Present them in short, simplistic form, and stay focused on what they need to know in order for things to go as smoothly as possible.

Maja started writing songs when she was 9 and released her debut album, Live, Acoustic & Stripped less than a year ago. She has also released quite a few singles, available online.

Listen to Maja’s Music on Myspace and check her out on Facebook. and check out her music channel on Youtube.

Maja also has a youtube channel where she talks about Asperger’s and Autism.

The post How to Deal with Classrooms and Autism appeared first on Wrong Planet.

Jerry Webster is our newest columnist. Jerry will be serving as WP’s official Special Education expert. Here’s his first article:

I remember well the first time I heard the title of Oliver’s Sack’s book, An Anthropologist on Mars (1995.) I had seen the movie Awakening and read a couple stories from The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat. I remember hearing that it was how a woman with autism described her experience in the neurotypical world. It was only later I discovered it was Dr. Temple Grandin.

It comes back frequently, as I am in my fifth year of teaching students on the Autism Spectrum, now in Las Vegas, Nevada. I find I spend a lot of time trying to understand how my middle school guys (all boys in my class) see and understand the world.
As well as post graduate education from Pennsylvania State University, I am also the online guide for Special Education at About.com, and read and review a lot of resources. Nevada is one of the few states that require an autism endorsement for teaching, and I have it. But I am also an anthropologist.

I’m clearly aware that the “Anthropologist on Mars” quote referred to Dr. Grandin’s experience of the neurotypical social world. She found it baffling. In interviews she did around the time of the release of Animals in Translation, I heard her say that she had no need for a primary “romantic” relationship.

I know that is not true for all people on the spectrum, especially young men on the higher functioning end of the spectrum as well as people diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome. I was delighted to read the front page article http://specialed.about.com/b/2011/12/29/serendipity.htm) where I spent lots of time trolling, getting to know more about the organization and Alex, the founder.

As the special education guide for About.com, I write for special education teachers. I see my role as providing resources for the whole range of teachers, those who work in resource rooms to those who deal with students with multiple handicaps. I have noticed a lot of interest in articles I write about social skills and behavior management. I also have found that many of the books written about teaching social skills are designed for therapists in clinical settings or afterschool programs. In my situation, and classrooms like mine, there are a range of abilities. Some of my guys are able to participate in some general education classrooms with support: they have Aspergers or high functioning autism but their difficulty in dealing with the expectations of a general education classroom makes a full day impossible. Others are low functioning. There are no social skills programs that can support both groups.

It’s time to write the book. I have decided I need to address this need, using the resources I have at hand and research that has already been done. It will be a middle school curriculum with a cafeteria style organization, to equip teachers and provide a rich menu of options. It will involve emotional literacy, scripting, video modeling and video self-modeling, role playing and lots of explicit teaching, using the “teaching interactions” method from the Autism Partnership. It will also involve peer mentoring.

What I really need is feedback and suggestions from the Autism Community, from family members and those on the spectrum. I need to know what is essential, what you have done that didn’t work or seemed like a waste of time, what you wish someone had taught you.

Alex and I spoke by phone the last week of 2011, and he agreed to give me this opportunity. I’m thrilled (I’m also on the forum with my own name) to contact the community and get your input. I hope you will share based on these questions:

Jerry will be reading the comments. He’s looking forward to hearing your answers to these questions so please comment!

The post An Autism Anthropologist in Need of Help: Special Education and Autism appeared first on Wrong Planet.

Joanne Houldsworth is the parent columnist for WrongPlanet.net. She covers autism through the perspective of a mother of a young son with Aspergers Syndrome. She writes a weekly blog, entitled Aspergers: A Mom’s Eye View, where this article was originally posted.

OK, I’m a nerd….I’ll admit it. I’m one of those kids who loved school, adored books and even enjoyed a challenging homework assignment! (Can’t you just see that big “L” on my forehead???) For me as a child, the end of summer brought a mix of feelings. On one hand, I adored the long, lazy, unstructured days spent playing with my friends. On the other hand, the siren song of the new school year enticed me…all those new supplies, new school clothes, new books, new teacher and treasures of knowledge – vast potential awaiting me. Even today, although I won’t be heading off to school myself in September, I feel that nostalgic excitement building. Instead, I live vicariously through my children – planning, dreaming, imagining all the promise ahead for them.

But for Gregory, now heading into 5^th grade, September brings with it, not excitement and anticipation, but dread and anxiety. Typically, Gregory has had a very difficult time adjusting to each new school year. The new teacher, new room, new schedule, new class work – all requiring simultaneous adaptation – has often proven too much for him to cope with. He would have melt-downs during school, followed by full-blown tantrums at home. At school, it would be shredded projects, head-banging and crying jags. At home we experienced slamming doors, projectile toys and even running away. Obviously Greg’s limited and over-taxed coping mechanisms were insufficient to meet the burdens being placed upon them.

Over the years, we’ve learned a few ‘tricks’ that have helped his school year transitions. And while Greg’s transition into 4^th grade was not without episodes, it was by far the smoothest to date. I’m hoping that by applying some of the strategies that we’ve developed, this fall will be even better!

With that in mind, I wanted to share some of the tactics that we’ve employed previously with good results:

1.

Select the ‘right’ teacher.

The personality and teaching style of the teacher can have dramatic impact on the student. While no one type of teacher is ‘right’ for every student, there most probably is a ‘right’ teacher for each child.

In Gregory’s case, the type of teacher that has been most positive is one who is nurturing, but has good control and structure within the class. He/she is knowledgeable about Asperger’s Syndrome (and Greg’s need in particular), but maintains high expectations for success and achievement – both academically and socially. And perhaps most importantly, Greg’s ideal teacher must maintain a calm, accepting, tolerant classroom, where the students support one another.

To help make sure your child gets the appropriate teacher assignment, start a dialogue with the guidance councilor, principal and current teacher the spring prior. Discuss the types of teaching qualities to which your child responds best. Include teacher assignment in the annual IEP meeting. While our school administration will not necessarily make commitments or talk ‘specifics’ about teachers, the open discussion at least puts everyone on the same page about the needs of your child. And face it, if your child transitions well and has fewer disruptive episodes, everyone benefits.

2. Maintain skills over summer months.

Gregory is a perfectionist and finds it very stressful when he can’t do something or when he gets answers wrong. To help combat this anxiety, I have Gregory (all three of my kids, actually) read nightly and do two workbook pages every weekday during the summer break. They are free to read anything they would like, but I’ve utilized the Summer Bridge Activities workbook series by Michele D. Van Leeuwen for a several years now. The material varies each day, but includes math, reading, writing, language and science over the course of the summer. Since the work is based on the previous year’s curriculum, all the material is review, which makes the tasks fairly simple and the enables the child to feel successful. And most importantly, this practice keeps the material fresh in the child’s mind, ready for the new school year.

3. Meet teacher before school starts.

Last year for the first time, I arranged for Gregory and me to visit the school the week before school started. It enabled us to meet his new teacher, see his new classroom (including which seat was his), see a list of other kids in his class, look through his new books, etc. We included the guidance councilor in the meeting and took this opportunity to discuss some of Greg’s challenges and strategies. The school was calm and quiet and Greg could stroll around at his leisure, taking it all in at his own pace. He loved the experience and became more excited for the first day of school. And when the first day arrived, Greg was already an ‘expert’ about his new class, entering with confidence instead of anxiety.

4.

Build positive excitement – but not too much!

Knowing how stressed Gregory can get about the new school year, I am careful to not talk about it too much ahead of time. I might mention it in a round-about way, saying something like, “Look how much you’ve grown. I can see you are ready for 5^th grade.” I’ll also mention in passing the particular kids who will be in his class and maybe even some of the things he’ll be learning and doing (for example, the 5^th graders put on a musical at the end of the year.) I want Gregory to know that the new year is approaching (so as not to catch him off-guard) and that he has a lot to look forward to, but I don’t want to build it up too much.

5. Maintain close communication with the teacher.

Since so much with Gregory is helping him manage his moods and emotions, during the first few critical weeks of school, I have almost daily communication with the teacher. I will email the teacher to let her know if something at school that day was difficult or stressful for Gregory, so that she can head-off an issue the following day. If he has a rough night or morning at home, I will also alert the teacher, so that she knows to handle him with kid gloves…at least until she senses his mood.

6.

Hold off on extra-curricular activities.

Knowing that Gregory’s senses and coping mechanisms are worked over-capacity at the start of the school year, I’ve learned not to have him start any other new activities after school for at least 6 weeks or so….and that includes play dates! He needs the after school time to decompress from the stress of the day without any added pressures or performance expectations. In fact, I usually encourage him to have some down-time (such as riding his bike, swinging or jumping on the trampoline) before even attempting homework. In that mode, I also try to minimize any weekend activities or commitments during September to provide maximum down-time.

7.

Define safe havens at school and at home.

Even with the best laid plans and sensitive accommodations, Gregory will sometimes ‘lose it’. His emotions will get too big for him to manage and he’ll have a melt-down. We’ve arranged with the school, teacher and guidance councilor for a specific place to go when he feels the need to escape. In our case, Greg’s ‘safe haven’ is the guidance councilor’s office, where hopefully she will also be available to aid him in calming down. At home, Greg’s bedroom is his safe haven to escape from the intrusions of family life with two noisy siblings. We’ve also equipped his room with a beanbag chair which provides added sensory input to help him calm down.

So, as September fast approaches, I can feel my excitement brewing. I’m avidly anticipating back-to-school shopping for shoes, clothes and supplies. I’m drooling over all the brochures that arrive in the mail daily, announcing great sales and a myriad of after-school activities. As I drive past our local elementary school (at least 5 times every day!), I look over fondly, imaging my kids in their new classrooms, absorbing all those ‘treasures of knowledge’ that I so enjoyed. And hopefully, with some planning and foresight, Gregory’s transition into 5^th grade will be smooth sailing, and someday he’ll be able to think back upon his back-to-school days with fond nostalgia too.

Do you have any strategies that have helped ease your child’s back-to-school transitions? If so, I’d love to hear them!

This story was originally posted on Asperger’s – A Mom’s Eye View

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Parents commit an act of faith every day when they send their children to school, trusting that teachers and administrators will take proper care of their offspring.

That’s especially true for parents of autistic children, some of whom can’t speak for themselves when trouble arises. And a couple of recent cases alleging abuse by teachers are especially troubling for that reason. The Charlotte Observer carries the same story.

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A woman says in a lawsuit that an agency working for the East Lansing School District repeatedly left her 21-year-old autistic son alone in a locked car rather than caring for him.

The post East Lansing, Ingham schools sued over autistic student’s care appeared first on Wrong Planet.

1. Survival skills (e.g., listening, following directions, ignoring distractions, using nice or brave talk, rewarding yourself)

2. Interpersonal skills (e.g., sharing, asking for permission, joining an activity, waiting your turn)

3. Problem-solving skills (e.g., asking for help, apologizing, accepting consequences, deciding what to do)

4. Conflict resolution skills (e.g., dealing with teasing, losing, accusations, being left out, peer pressure)

You can view their ideas on improving social skills on this link- social skills

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