Jananam

There was a presentation today..

I chose to give a complete practical treatment to a strong theory.

I realised how much I am learning from the kids whom I work with.
⭐He had taught me to look beyond his challenges
⭐He had broken all my pre-held notions about his challenges and issues
⭐She made me find out more new ways to help her with her anxiety..
⭐She pushed me to think out of the box to help her with writing issues
⭐He had given me a entirely new perspective of looking at his challenges.
And many more ...
This more than two decades of work has been molded, modified, expanded, enriched, refined and updated by them.

Thanks a lot to each one of you who had been part of chiseling my abilities and skills. ❤

At this juncture, I thank my ⭐ professors too for strong foundation they had given during the academic years. ❤
Gratitude to my teachers at school as well with whom my soil ( brain) was made fertile.

Thank Almighty for this wonderful experience of growing.... 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

The Long Drive ……………………………..

It was around 11.00 pm. They hurried downstairs with pillows and blankets, half asleep brother, water bottles and him. He was crying profusely with palms on both the ears. Father turned on the car and mom was stuffing the boys and the things into the car. Brother continued his sleep. He was still sobbing and mom was trying to pacify him. They crossed many streets and reached the city outskirts than he began to doze off. Father kept on driving for two hours and then drove back another two hours. He halted at the gate. He was wide awake again. That was the 12th day of his sickness. Seeing him closing his ears, doctors and parents suspected ear pain and were treating him with antibiotics and eardrops. Then thinking that he might be having toothache, made an appointment with the dentist. Parent felt helpless. He was the same - anxious, violent and sleepless all day long. On the 18th day, they figured out that the he was suffering from stomach pain and got him treated.

Father recollects this episode every time he falls sick. Now, he points to the letters on the keyboard and clearly communicate the nature of sickness, where he has pain or discomfort and whether he was getting better with medication. He is a 9 years old falling into the ASD and non-verbal though.

Last week, again the family went on a long drive. This time though for an occasion at their home town.

They do connect...

A Hi! is enough ... He looks into eyes, wears a broad smile, holds hands and radiates happiness. The next meeting, he initiates a smile without an hi! too...( And he definitely ignores those who do not attempt to connect with him )

His friend was just sitting holding a peg ignoring the instructions. He immediately held his hand and completed the activity. They both exchanged smiles ...

She walks in ... Calls out her name every time. They both met during a group session.

He always likes to hang around with his older cousins...

She hides the travel bags of her cousins visiting her home fearing that they may leave...

Her sister brings her friends home and she is always around them with her book and color pens...

He always enquires whereabouts of my son with his laboured speech ...

All of them fall into the spectrum and I experienced that they have joy in connecting with people.

His mother messaged that he secured 71% in intermediate 1st year (Class XI). He falls into the spectrum, high functioning and optimal outcome.

Had been to his new school to study his sociometry...

Spoke to his friends and teachers. He has won acceptance from his peers and was appreciated by his teachers.
An incident narrated by his headmistress..
Class VII A has a girl with hearing loss ( his classmate). He always went up to her, sat beside her, shared his snacks, helped her with class work and be behind her where ever she goes. These instances became a talk of every teacher and student in school. May he is fond of that girl and tried to enter into relationship was everybody's thought. So, she was sent to another section and a girl with muscular dystrophy ( was on wheel chair) soon became her classmate. Again he was after her - waiting with her in the class till the school attenders come to pick her, helping the school attenders to shift her from desk to wheel chair, rolling out the wheel chair to the lift down to the gate and shifting her form the wheel chair to the auto. His auto comes after her auto leaves. She added that his helping nature was misunderstood...

Training the talent
A low functioning child with high intelligence

• Diagnosed at the age of 2; Started speech therapy, ABA, Occupational therapy
• Attended regular school but never sat; Mother started accompanying him to school for 2hours.
• He was pushed to a corner so that he cannot roam in the class.
• He bites his left palm in anger, tries to scratch others.
• Spoons and any metal objects, chocolate wrappers, shampoo sachets were his obsessions
• He used to just barge into grocery stores to pull a trail of sachets; ran to thrash cans in search of chocolate wrappers; rushes into neighbours house to find a spoon.
• He was intelligent though – learning was quick and writes exams when mother just gives some pressure around his fingers.
• He could articulate some sounds but did not develop word articulation until the age of 8.
• He needed full support for his self-help skills.
• He was on sugar, casein and gluten free diet to reduce his hyperactivity.
• His learning ability was optimally utilised. He started solving long problems multiplication and division in grade 2 and challenged with grammar and science lessons.
• He took at least 3 months to learn to associate a three sound with an object - /a/ - apple, /p/ for parrot. /n/ for nanna.
• He suddenly started telling the first sounds of all words.
• Within 2 months, he started articulating the sounds of all the words and similarly a whole sentence.
• He had enormous linguistic abilities that he could make a story with two items like onion and a needle.
• His vocabulary was huge and used excellent words in both Telugu and English.
• He himself started shedding his odd behaviours, overcame obsessions and turned a new leaf. He was as though a typical child locked in the autistic body.
• “I know , I have to pick red, but my hand does not go there. I am not able to control my hand," he muttered to his mom in his syllabified articulation. This showed a way to shift the focus of the therapy – Dyspraxia (difficulty in motor planning and ex*****on)
• He reads, loves to watch movie, sits through a party or any functions, shares his feelings so appropriately, understands and deduce from situation, excellent in decision making, have updates of current affairs.
• At age 13, he is in grade 8, independent in self-help skills, typing on key board (slow though) and aims to give his 10th grade board exams through typing or scribe assistance. Biting of palm to express anxiety continues.

His mother messaged that he secured 71% in intermediate 1st year (Class XI). He falls into the spectrum, high functioning and optimal outcome.

Had been to his new school to study his sociometry...

Spoke to his friends and teachers. He has won acceptance from his peers and was appreciated by his teachers.
An incident narrated by his headmistress..
Class VII A has a girl with hearing loss ( his classmate). He always went up to her, sat beside her, shared his snacks, helped her with class work and be behind her where ever she goes. These instances became a talk of every teacher and student in school. May he is fond of that girl and tried to enter into relationship was everybody's thought. So, she was sent to another section and a girl with muscular dystrophy ( was on wheel chair) soon became her classmate. Again he was after her - waiting with her in the class till the school attenders come to pick her, helping the school attenders to shift her from desk to wheel chair, rolling out the wheel chair to the lift down to the gate and shifting her form the wheel chair to the auto. His auto comes after her auto leaves. She added that his helping nature was misunderstood...

An outing

It was just for half an hour. She was accompanied by his mother and he was accompanied by her mother. Both the pairs left in opposite directions. They went to buy chips. They would visit a shop first and spend sometime where no purchases would be made. Then they would visit another shop where they're allowed to pick a pack of chips.

She is aged 10, non verbal who used to roll and grab chips and pull down a roll of shampoo sachets. He aged 7 is not so verbal falling in the spectrum who used to cry and throw tantrums when his wishes are not gratified . They both waited and were able to take 'no'. They both behaved well with other parents too.

Kudos both of you !!! ❤

The unusual birthday party

Kids walked in one by one. Three marched in with their older siblings. The siblings were the role models for the other kids to imitate. The kids sat huddled together around the cake while the birthday boy's mother was decorating it with candles. All the 20 eyes were glued to the rich fluffy fruit cake adorned with kiwi and orange slices. The cake remained intact till the party began.

The candles were lit and I saw him closing his ears and tightening his eye lids. kudos! He self regulated, else he would shout and run away from the place. The birthday boy blew the candle and the song was sung. Still the cake remained intact. The boy gave the cake a cut and licked his fingers to taste the cream stuck to them. Still the cake was intact. The cake was then made into pieces. He stood there watching the process. Kudos! he controlled, else he would shout and cry to see the cake being disfigured. The cake was served in small dishes and he and she were the last ones to receive their share. Kudos! they waited ,else would have grabbed by then and rolled over wanting more. Than we heard a voice from the corner ," aunty, inka cake kavali" ( aunty, I want some more cake). Kudos! he expressed his need else though verbal would take form others. Then came the serving of crispy chips. Again they were the last ones to receive. They came to us with their empty bowls. He started to scream a bit but he calmed when rationalized. The parents waiting outside to receive their kids were happily chit chatting else they will be on toes to take their kids away.

We all sat in a circle for the sumptuous dutch lunch. The 90 minutes just flew away with joy and ease.

Two people had to hold his hand and legs ...
He will be standing while the work is being done ..
He will be walking around the place...
She will be sleeping while her mom does.it ...
He will playing with water in the washroom ...
He will have a very close shave to delay the next cut ...

Visit to salon is a herculean task for the kids falling in the autistc spectral disorder. The clicking sound scissors disturbs some, the Buzzing of the trimmers overloads few and the ticklish touch of the blades scares the other.

Conscious desensitization during the therapy sessions helped a lot to overcome the fear of hairdressing.

Thanks to the hairdresser near my place who is patient and adepted to give the kids smart haircuts !!!

https://www.facebook.com/184825818204863/posts/2397706673583422/

My Presentation at the UN World Autism Day on AAC and Communication Rights Proud to have presented this video at the UN World Autism Day today. Typers were well represented at the conference. To view the whole conference,follow this link. Enjoy