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Maricarmen SaletaEducational Support Specialist

UM-NSU CARD

Miren OcaDirector

Ocaquatics Swim School

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Clinical CharacteristicsClinical Characteristics

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Autism Spectrum Disorders:What We Know

� Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) are neurological disorders that can cause significant social, communication and behavioral challenges.

� ASDs are "spectrum disorders." That means ASDs affect each person in different ways, and can range from very mild to severe.

� Diagnosis is based on observed behavior and social history

� Lifelong disability

� Outcomes are better with early identification and

intensive intervention

� No known cause/No known cure

� Often occurs along with other disabilities

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Prevalence: How Common is ASD?

� 1 in 88 children has been identified with an ASD

� ASDs are reported to occur in all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups.

� 5 times more common among boys (1 in 54) than among girls (1 in 252).

� Reasons for the increase:

• Changes in diagnostic criteria

• Increased public awareness

• US Dept of Education added autism as diagnostic category in 1991

• Laws promoting early intervention services

• Research continuing to explore more reasons for increase in ASD

*CDC's Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network

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The Autism Spectrum “Umbrella”: Pervasive Developmental Disorders

Autistic Disorder

Asperger’sDisorder PDD-NOS

Childhood

DisintegrativeDisorder

Rett’sDisorder

5 separate diagnoses

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RED FLAGS

� No big smiles or other warm, joyful expressions by six

months or thereafter

� No back-and-forth sharing of sounds, smiles,

or other facial expressions by 9 months

or thereafter

� No babbling by 12 months

� No back-and-forth gestures,

such as pointing, showing,

reaching, or waving by 12 months

Greenspan, S.I., Prizant, B.M., Wetherby, A, and First Signs, Inc. http://www.first signs.org/healthydev/milestones.htm

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� No words by 16 months

� No two-word meaningful phrases (without

imitating or repeating) by 24 months

� Any loss of speech or babbling or social skills

at any age

� Some children and older individuals

repeatedly flap their arms or walk on their

toes. Some suddenly freeze in a position.

� Sometimes they may be disruptive and

physically aggressive

Greenspan, S.I., Prizant, B.M., Wetherby, A, and First Signs, Inc. http://www.first signs.org/healthydev/milestones.htm

RED FLAGS

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Main Areas Affected

*Affected individuals will vary in the number and severity of specific symptoms exhibited

Social Interaction

Restricted & RepetitiveBehaviors

Communication/Play

Challenges� Sensory Processing

� Motor Skills

� Attention

� Organization

� Motivation

� Learning

� Co-Morbid Conditions (anxiety, depression, seizures, mental retardation)

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Teaching Strategies

� Reinforcement

� Prompting

� Modeling

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Positive Reinforcement

“When a behavior is followed immediately by the presentation

of a stimulus and, as a result, occurs more often in the future”

(Cooper, Heron, Howard, 1987)

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Prompting

Stimuli used to increase the likelihood that a

correct response will be emitted.

Special cues before or during the performance of a behavior in order to direct attention to an activity and help the behavior to occur.

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Types of Prompts

� Physical Prompts

� Modeling

� Gestural Prompts

� Verbal Prompts

� Visual Prompts (pictures, words)

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Visual Prompts

Anything that we seethat:

� Enhances the communication process

� Helps us gain information

� Improves organization

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Why use visuals?� Children with autism learn visually

� Reduces anxiety and fears

� Enhances comprehension

� Helps reduced inappropriate behaviors

� Helps them to predict what is coming

� Teaches independence

� Helps with attention and learning

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Introductory Books

� Called Social Stories-Created by

Carol Gray

� Short stories to visually convey

expectations

� Use for self-help, changes in

routine, behavior, etc.

� Introduce to a new event or activity

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An Introductory Book for our Swimming Lessons

Welcome to Ocaquatics Swim School!Welcome to Ocaquatics Swim School!

The mission of Ocaquatics Swim School is to teach families to love swimming and to become safer, more comfortable and responsible around the water.

This introductory book will help your child come more relaxed, excited, and prepared for his/her swimming lessons.

Please print this book at least a week before the lessons starts and read it with him/her everyday.

We can’t wait to have FUN in the water!

The Schedule goes as follow:

Welcome and warm-up Arms/Rainbows and Rollovers

Kicking Backstroke kicks

Arms/Rainbows Backstroke arms/rainbows

Back floating Jumps

Rollovers Playtime/ Rings

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Positive Behavior Support� Environmental Design

� Boundaries

� Visual Supports� Schedules� Choice boards

� Show them what to do (task strips)

� Clarify Expectations� First /Then (verbal or visual)� Timer, count down (verbal or visual)

� Be prepared ( know your goals, have materials ready)

� CATCH THEM BEING GOOD!!!!!!!!!!

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Schedules-Choice Boards Why?

� Give information on� What is going to happen

� When it’s going to happen

� Increase� Independence

� Structure of the environment� Predictability

� Decrease� Fear and anxiety� Surprises

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Responses to Challenging Behaviors

� Ignoring

� Redirecting

� Removal from current activity or remove desired item

� Reinforce appropriate

behaviors

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Pilot Swimming Program

� 24 Children (Autism and other disabilities) split into 3

groups

� 10 Week program. Swimmers came once per week.

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Pilot Swimming Program

� 4 Ocaquatics staff in the

water. 1 Ocaquatics staff member on deck. 1 from

UM-NSU CARD. 2-3 from

Beyond Expectations School in and out of the

water for support.

� Before the program started, UM-NSU CARD

provided training for

Ocaquatics staff members.

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Waiting for a Turn

� WAIT BOARD

� Preferred toy

� Squeeze ball

� Ring to STOP ring to GO

� STOP sing

� Give verbal cues (one or two words)

� Peers (buddy system)

� Bobs

� First-Then

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Bubbles� Model

� Prompt

� Peers (buddy system)

� Straw for blowing

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How Many Laps� Numbers on board

� Instructional Tools

� Ducks

� First-Then

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Kicking� Model

� Prompt

� Doll

� Peers (buddy system)

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Back and Front Floating� Model

� Prompt

� Doll

� Peers (buddy system)

� Sensory-Squeeze forehead

� “Shuuu” sound

� Mirror

� Kickboard

� Float under mat

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Front and Back Arms� Model

� Prompt

� Doll

� Peers (buddy system)

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Jumps and Diving� Model

� Prompt

� Instructional Tools

� Peers (buddy system)

� Hoola Hoop

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