Most schools and organizations engage in reflective practice. After an incident occurs, we try to answer some questions about about an incident: What happened? Where did it happen? When did it happen? Who was involved? Why did it happen? How did it happen? How are we going to deal with it if it happens again?  While these are important questions to answer, there is another necessary piece missing – the emotional outcomes that we experience when dealing with behaviors of concern. Behaviors of concern can stir up all kinds of emotions in us such as fear, annoyance, revulsion, frustration or ..read more

The DSM-V lists restricted and repetitive behaviors as one of its diagnostic criteria for autism. These behaviors can look like repetitive movements, restricted interests, insistence on sameness, and atypical responses to sensory stimuli. Mirko Uljarević, clinical assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University in California, says these four types of repetitive behavior described in the DSM-V may erroneously lump together distinct characteristics. In his study of 1,892 autistic children, Uljarević’s team found the insistence on sameness is comprised of three di ..read more

All behavior is viewed through a judgmental lens. The observer brings their beliefs, past experiences, expectations, emotions, understanding and knowledge into every situation. We react when we see and experience behavior from the person we support. We have to understand that the behavior we observe is just like the tip of an iceberg; below the surface of the waterline lies the cause of behavior. We need to delve below the waterline and address the root cause, not the behavior itself. In order to support a person who has behaviors of concern, the observer must change the lens through which the ..read more

The following extract is from a recent practitioner article on the role of exercise in reducing stress, written by Assistant Psychologist Matt Cotterill at WALK, UK. The full article can be accessed here. Providing care and support to people in the caring professions is often fraught with stressful interactions. The stress-induced cascade of hormonal and molecular responses can, if left unchecked, serve to disorientate you to the world, culminating in a negative view of future interactions and, more nefariously, the individual themselves. Over time, the feelings of helplessness and fatigue ent ..read more

One of the most important, challenging and controversial aspects of autism education is improving experiences and outcomes of autistic learners.  This process is far from straightforward. Autistic students share as many differences as they do similarities and to expect a single approach or intervention to meet the needs of all is naïve. What is the whole-school saturation model? The whole-school saturation model (Morewood, Humphrey, & Symes, 2011) was originally developed to illustrate the principles of effective inclusion of autistic learners in a secondary mainstream scho ..read more

Parents of autistic children often finding eating, feeding and mealtimes a struggle. If parents reach out for professional help, they may not be able to find it because of the limited number of specialists dealing with eating and feeding disorders; finding a specialist who understands and has experience with autism spectrum disorders can be even more difficult. Picky eating, food aversions, restricted food intake, sensory issues, and possible medical problems such as dental or pica (ingesting non-edible substances) should never be ignored. Eating can be a contributing factor to behaviors of co ..read more

The Anti-Bullying Alliance defines bullying as the repetitive, intentional hurting of one person or group by another person or group, where the relationship involves an imbalance of power. Bullying can be physical, verbal or psychological. It can happen face-to-face or online. This definition encompasses four key elements of bullying – hurtful, repetition, a power imbalance, and intentional. Bullying tends to be a group behavior and rarely takes place just between the victim and bully alone; peers are present in 85% to 88% of all bullying episodes. Autistic children are more likely to experien ..read more

Autistic individuals often have difficulty falling or staying asleep.  It is estimated that 40 to 83% of autistic individuals have some form of sleep disturbance. Autistic children are twice as likely to have sleep issues as typical children or children with other developmental conditions. Disordered sleep is also one of the first concerns reported by parents. As diverse as autism symptoms are, so are sleeping issues. Some may experience insomnia, characterized by waking up frequently throughout the night or staying awake for one of more hours during the night, sleep paralysis (waking but ..read more

The Christmas holidays are a time of great excitement and anticipation. Holidays also mean changes in the schedule, visitors, crowds, line-ups, noise, and socializing. For autistic children, the Christmas holidays can be a stressful and anxious time. Meeting family demands can be especially nerve-wracking, particularly if you want to break with time-honoured traditions that just don’t work for an autistic child. This can be a difficult time of year, but with some preparation and planning, the holiday season can be enjoyable. 15 Tips for Making the Best of the Holidays 1)Family Expectations – B ..read more

Autistic students often find learning in the classroom environment overwhelming. There are many demands and expectations such as shifting focus, taking tests, listening, following instructions, doing homework, coping with a noisy environment, processing information, socializing, and organizing tasks. These are just a few examples. Most autistic students will require accommodations to support their unique learning styles and needs. The word accommodate means to give consideration to or allow for, so when we use accommodations we are considering someone’s needs. Because every autistic student wi ..read more