2. You are working as an ECE in the junior preschool room.
Simon (age 3) has just been diagnosed with autism. Wheels
and cars fascinate Simon. He has very little impulse control
and his language is primarily echolalic. His father is a single
dad who has two older children in teens. He is new to Toronto
and asks your advice about services in the area.
3. Housing
Employment agencies and local community services for father.
Speech and language therapy for Simon.
Early intervention program for Simon.
A high school for other two teen children.
Need to learn about the funds provided for child with special
needs and may need to look for agencies that help to apply for
funding for special needs.
A family physician for the family in the neighbourhood.
Agencies that work for autism in Toronto area for Simon’s
different special needs
4. “Autism Spectrum Disorders (autism and related ASD’s) affect a
child’s rate and pattern of development. These
“neurodevelopment” (brain development) disorders are
common, and may affect children to varying degrees.
Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders have challenges
with communication and social interaction skills and exhibit
repetitive behaviors. They have learning and developmental
challenges”.
http://connectability.ca/2012/11/22/supporting-children-with-autism-module-1
5. Impaired communication
Problems with social relationships and play skills
Engagement in stereotypical/repetitive behaviors
Sensory impairment, tactile defensiveness
Insistence on following a particular routine and having objects or
people in a particular location
Attachment to objects and special interest on a particular interest of
topic
Inability to repeat back, word for word, with the correct intonation, a
song or even an entire videotape, exactly as it was first presented
Sensory differences, tactile defensiveness
Gets easily distressed, and apparent lack of reaction to pain
Eating difficulties, toilet training difficulties, and sleep challenges
May be excessively active and have difficulty with attention
(although attention skills may be good for activities of interest)
Apparent lack of awareness or appreciation of danger, specific fears
and may have sudden change in mood .
6. “Changes in the room
for the group settings
Physical environment: space and materials
Visual supports
Transition strategies
Schedule and routines
Individualized programming”
http://connectability.ca/2011/06/13/supporting-children
7. For family
Doing workshops for family
Creating an information binder for the child
Set up an information board
Regarding the child's supports and needs
Posting all new information
8. Websites
Autism Society Ontario
http://www.autismontario.com/client/aso/ao.nsf/web/About+Us
Geneva Centre for Autism
http://www.autism.net/
Surry Place Center
http://www.surreyplace.on.ca/Clinical-Programs/Autism/TPAS/Pages/Home.aspx
Books and resources
Children With Autism- A Parents’ Guide
Editor: Michael D. Powers
Playing, Laughing And Learning With Children
On The Autism Spectrum: A Practical Resource of Play
By Julia Moor
(Inclusion of children with special needs, Reading package, Part one)
“ASD includes the following diagnosesAutism- impairments in communication, social interaction, imaginative play, and stereotyped behaviors, interests and activities prior to three years of age.Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD)- Commonly referred to as atypical autism, does not meet the criteria for specific diagnostic but there is a severe impairment in specific behaviors.Asperser’s Syndrome- impairments in Social interactions and the presence of restricted interests and activities, with no clinically significant general delay in Language and testing in the range of average to above-average intelligence.Childhood Disintegrative Disorder- Characterized by normal development for at least 2 years, followed by a significant loss of previously –acquired skills.”(Inclusion of Children with Special Needs, Reading Package Part One, Pg. 1of 3)Reason “ Although a single specific cause of autism is not known, current research links autism to biological or neurological differences in the brain.” Manifested “ Children with the ASD often appear relatively typical in their developmental until the age of 24-30 months. At that time, parents may notice delays in language play, or social interaction. Autism is a combination of several developmental challenges”.(Inclusion of Children with Special Needs, Reading Package Part One, Pg. 1of 3)
Physical environment: Reducing the running space in the room, define the space using the shelves furnitureand different types of play in that area. Reducing the visually hanging from the ceiling it might cause distraction, sound absorbing materials in the wall and natural lighting in the room is beneficial. Organization and Sequencing through Task analysis. Using reinforcement for motivation, encouragement and self-esteem and later fading the reinforcement.Visual instruction and oral instruction in the classroom photo, drawing, text physical gesture. Stable and predictable routines. Clear concrete rules for expectation and repeated instructions .Finding out the triggers and coping with that. Finding out the sensory stimulation in the environment to reduce their stress. Circle time give his favourite toy in his hand and made him sit on the circle time. Plan activities around the area of his interest (car). Clear predictable routines, be consistent and be concrete.http://connectability.ca/2012/11/22/supporting-children-with-autism-module-1
http://connectability.ca/2011/06/13/supporting-childrenThrough the interactive workshops families will be introduced to the other children’s family and working team. In the workshop teacher can share the information about the particular special needs and what programs are included the center for the child.By creating the information binder teacher and family can communicate through the binder, his daily activities, schedules.In the information board teacher can share all the new information coming up in the government websites and post health, food, safety issues.
Autism Society Ontario is creates the public awareness about the autism. The problems faced by the individuals, family and the community working with. This association educate, support research and advocate for autism community. This is a charitable organization that relies on donations. It serves the whole Ontario community. They do not have any service fees. Geneva Centre for autism is related to the clinical intervention and services. They have experienced professionals on speech-language pathologists, behaviour analysts, therapists, early childhood educators, occupational therapists, developmental paediatricians, psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers. They provide services to the families too. The services has waiting list and have to wait for months. The diagnosis is done there but doctor should refer there for the programs and they will check for the eligibility. Most of the services are free but fun games they have specific day is a free day.Surry Place center they provide the specialized clinical services and provide services to individual needs and promote health and wellness. The services provided no fees but has a waiting list. Anyone can refer to the programs. They will assists about the eligibility of the programs. They serve the whole Toronto area.
This course includes the children with special needs with typically developing children. This course gives the study of how to develop the enrich programs to include child with special needs. There is provided in depth details about the different kinds of special needs, including children with special needs in the programs include their family, their different needs through class discussion, video, websites and class handout notes. This course provides the information about the different agencies and resources that provide the supports to the special needs child. Throughout the course we were connected to the connect ability website where lots of information and different workshop were done.The learning in this assignment wasall about the teacher role in the classroom to include the child with special needs and his family. It also contains the information about the type of special needs and its introduction, characteristics. It also contains the information about the agencies working to it and other resources. This is an online presentation. In second part of assignment we will be getting opportunities to discuss with our friends about the information and share with them.When a teacher learns about the child with special needs, it provides in depth knowledge about the requirements of those children with special needs. It provides the opportunity to support personally and get involved with families for their need. This action is going to help in community level by developing knowledge towards them and built up the respect in the society by including the child with special needs. After getting knowledge we can work globally as the needs will be same everywhere. In every part of the world we go we can share the knowledge and will be able to work with the child with special needs.The strengths about this assignment was the depth study in a topic where there is introduction on special needs, classroom environment to support the inclusion, and got knowledge about the different agencies working for them. I made an online presentation which helped in my professional growth. The challenge of the assignment was to link the pages but with the discussion with friends and with the research in that topic in the internet I was able to overcome this challenge.