tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21733403049704371202024-03-19T12:43:21.628-07:00Autism Gist with AdelolaAutism Gisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13336587015914807512noreply@blogger.comBlogger79125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173340304970437120.post-12373316107385210272019-09-11T16:38:00.002-07:002019-09-11T16:38:36.409-07:00Autism Training for Children's Church Workers<div style="height: 0px;">
<span class="ember-view" id="ember1601" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9); font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", "Fira Sans", Ubuntu, Oxygen, "Oxygen Sans", Cantarell, "Droid Sans", "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Lucida Grande", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit !important; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit !important; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.”
Matthew 19:14
Next Saturday, Autism Gist with Adelola, in partnership with 2CE Fitness, will launch her first mobile Special Needs Training for Children's Church teachers. Our first stop is Surulere! 💃💃💃
Date: September 14, 2019
Venue: Jubilee Christian Centre, William Close, Surulere.
Time: 10am to 2pm.
</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVoWwLpn_egmalSrvyclomRsVWvjG0DH2Ltb2QUX1yb4jIgwO_LbNikJnsDJNMk7laJuDCS648o7xJG5kEzASeRSMSxGVWxS-vgdnAltaiJdD7V_kS_z8eT2ETPIUTWMs0UhR1RwE5w2RQ/s1600/Special+Needs+Training.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="889" data-original-width="1080" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVoWwLpn_egmalSrvyclomRsVWvjG0DH2Ltb2QUX1yb4jIgwO_LbNikJnsDJNMk7laJuDCS648o7xJG5kEzASeRSMSxGVWxS-vgdnAltaiJdD7V_kS_z8eT2ETPIUTWMs0UhR1RwE5w2RQ/s320/Special+Needs+Training.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
The teachers will learn how to engage children with autism in their children's church classrooms and how to ensure the safety of these children.
Attendance is completely FREE, however, registration is compulsory. To register, send an email to <a class="feed-shared-text-view__email ember-view" href="mailto:autism.asi@gmail.com" id="ember1605" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #665ed0; font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", "Fira Sans", Ubuntu, Oxygen, "Oxygen Sans", Cantarell, "Droid Sans", "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Lucida Grande", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 600; line-height: inherit !important; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; touch-action: manipulation; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">autism.asi@gmail.com</a><span class="ember-view" id="ember1609" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9); font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", "Fira Sans", Ubuntu, Oxygen, "Oxygen Sans", Cantarell, "Droid Sans", "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Lucida Grande", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit !important; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit !important; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> or an SMS to 09053552959, with your name, the name of your church, your email address and your phone number.
We look forward to having you on Saturday. Please spread the word.
</span><a class="hashtag-link ember-view" data-control-name="update_hashtag" href="https://www.linkedin.com/feed/hashtag/?highlightedUpdateUrns=urn%3Ali%3Aactivity%3A6577695673553043456&keywords=%23SpecialNeedsConference&originTrackingId=MflayY5LRa%2BMmu59hCpKCQ%3D%3D" id="ember1612" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #665ed0; font-weight: 600; line-height: inherit !important; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; touch-action: manipulation; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_self"><span class="hashtag-a11y ember-view" dir="ltr" id="ember1613" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit !important; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="visually-hidden" style="background: transparent; border: 0px !important; box-sizing: inherit; clip: rect(0px, 0px, 0px, 0px) !important; display: block !important; height: 1px !important; line-height: inherit !important; margin: -1px !important; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden !important; padding: 0px !important; position: absolute !important; user-select: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: nowrap !important; width: 1px !important;">hashtag</span><span aria-hidden="true" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit !important; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">#</span><span class="hashtag-a11y__name" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit !important; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">SpecialNeedsConference</span></span></a><span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit !important; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><a class="hashtag-link ember-view" data-control-name="update_hashtag" href="https://www.linkedin.com/feed/hashtag/?highlightedUpdateUrns=urn%3Ali%3Aactivity%3A6577695673553043456&keywords=%23Training&originTrackingId=MflayY5LRa%2BMmu59hCpKCQ%3D%3D" id="ember1616" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #665ed0; font-weight: 600; line-height: inherit !important; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; touch-action: manipulation; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_self"><span class="hashtag-a11y ember-view" dir="ltr" id="ember1617" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit !important; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="visually-hidden" style="background: transparent; border: 0px !important; box-sizing: inherit; clip: rect(0px, 0px, 0px, 0px) !important; display: block !important; height: 1px !important; line-height: inherit !important; margin: -1px !important; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden !important; padding: 0px !important; position: absolute !important; user-select: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: nowrap !important; width: 1px !important;">hashtag</span><span aria-hidden="true" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit !important; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">#</span><span class="hashtag-a11y__name" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit !important; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Training</span></span></a><span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit !important; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><a class="hashtag-link ember-view" data-control-name="update_hashtag" href="https://www.linkedin.com/feed/hashtag/?highlightedUpdateUrns=urn%3Ali%3Aactivity%3A6577695673553043456&keywords=%23ChildrensChurch&originTrackingId=MflayY5LRa%2BMmu59hCpKCQ%3D%3D" id="ember1620" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #665ed0; font-weight: 600; line-height: inherit !important; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; touch-action: manipulation; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_self"><span class="hashtag-a11y ember-view" dir="ltr" id="ember1621" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit !important; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="visually-hidden" style="background: transparent; border: 0px !important; box-sizing: inherit; clip: rect(0px, 0px, 0px, 0px) !important; display: block !important; height: 1px !important; line-height: inherit !important; margin: -1px !important; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden !important; padding: 0px !important; position: absolute !important; user-select: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: nowrap !important; width: 1px !important;">hashtag</span><span aria-hidden="true" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit !important; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">#</span><span class="hashtag-a11y__name" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit !important; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">ChildrensChurch</span></span></a><span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit !important; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><a class="hashtag-link ember-view" data-control-name="update_hashtag" href="https://www.linkedin.com/feed/hashtag/?highlightedUpdateUrns=urn%3Ali%3Aactivity%3A6577695673553043456&keywords=%23Inclusion&originTrackingId=MflayY5LRa%2BMmu59hCpKCQ%3D%3D" id="ember1624" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #665ed0; font-weight: 600; line-height: inherit !important; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; touch-action: manipulation; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_self"><span class="hashtag-a11y ember-view" dir="ltr" id="ember1625" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit !important; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="visually-hidden" style="background: transparent; border: 0px !important; box-sizing: inherit; clip: rect(0px, 0px, 0px, 0px) !important; display: block !important; height: 1px !important; line-height: inherit !important; margin: -1px !important; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden !important; padding: 0px !important; position: absolute !important; user-select: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: nowrap !important; width: 1px !important;">hashtag</span><span aria-hidden="true" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit !important; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">#</span><span class="hashtag-a11y__name" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit !important; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Inclusion</span></span></a><span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit !important; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><span class="hashtag-a11y ember-view" dir="ltr" id="ember1629" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit !important; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="visually-hidden" style="background: transparent; border: 0px !important; box-sizing: inherit; clip: rect(0px, 0px, 0px, 0px) !important; display: block !important; height: 1px !important; line-height: inherit !important; margin: -1px !important; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden !important; padding: 0px !important; position: absolute !important; user-select: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: nowrap !important; width: 1px !important;">hashtag</span><span aria-hidden="true" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit !important; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">#</span><span class="hashtag-a11y__name" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: inherit !important; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Advocacy </span></span></span>Autism Gisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13336587015914807512noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173340304970437120.post-76305760524504678682018-12-31T14:25:00.000-08:002018-12-31T14:25:45.145-08:00It's Another December 31!!!<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Good
news!!! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Autism Gist with Adelola is four
years old today!!! It’s our anniversary today!!! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Also,
it has been a very eventful year for me. Although the blog was inactive this
year, we had three Special Needs Conferences. Did you hear that? Read it out
loud to yourself, three Special Needs Conferences!!! We had the second edition
of Special Needs Conference for Churches, and we introduced a conference for
educators and on vocational skills development. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">I
also had different opportunities to speak on inclusive education for children
with autism and related disorders.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Before
I share pictures form the conferences and other speaking engagements, let me
wish you a wonderful 2019. Happy New Year everyone!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Are
you following us on social media? Although I will share some pictures here, you
will see all the pictures on Facebook and Instagram.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Facebook:
Autism Gist with Adelola<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Instagram:
@autism_gist<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Twitter:
@adelolaonautism<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Autism Gisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13336587015914807512noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173340304970437120.post-26668902738726490812018-01-11T10:23:00.003-08:002018-01-11T10:23:28.924-08:00Now That School Has Resumed School resumed on Monday, so it's been a lot of adjusting to life after the holiday; the children and the teachers are adjusting, we are back to waking up early 😁<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMlqMzO0YQKlu-9Ma8pUtHIIlYcB1Eg45dZNu2K2ulJydCREq0hpr7JBtntyu5blxzXPwfW7niCOMOQ7c10QSDCCPtcjasRP9HwrSwEvj4x8phU6JPSimme6bYKc6Ph1gwPagotZPuEuae/s1600/IMG_20171103_065516.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMlqMzO0YQKlu-9Ma8pUtHIIlYcB1Eg45dZNu2K2ulJydCREq0hpr7JBtntyu5blxzXPwfW7niCOMOQ7c10QSDCCPtcjasRP9HwrSwEvj4x8phU6JPSimme6bYKc6Ph1gwPagotZPuEuae/s320/IMG_20171103_065516.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Welcome back to school smile 😁</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Although we are adjusting, work has started full time; teaching, classroom support, one-on-one sessions, classwork, homework, etc.<br />
<br />
If you teach or support a child with special needs in Nigeria, or you are a parent of a child with special needs, you would have started talking about the IEP now.<br />
<br />
What's an IEP?<br />
It's an acronym for Individualized Education Plan.<br />
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Do you want to know more about it? How does the IEP help your child have a productive term? Join me on Twitter by 8pm today for #ThrowbackThursday #AutismAwareness with Adelola; follow @adelolaonautism.Autism Gisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13336587015914807512noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173340304970437120.post-33620124745304644032017-12-31T10:39:00.003-08:002017-12-31T10:39:42.626-08:002017 WAS A GOOD YEAR<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 15.0pt; line-height: 150%;">No matter how much
I feel a writer’s block, I always have to write on this blog on the 31<sup>st</sup>
of December because it’s our Blog Anniversary. This year we clocked 4, and I remember
that first December 31 and the first article I posted on the blog; I still
think it was a great way to close the year.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 15.0pt; line-height: 150%;">This year was
different from previous years, as we took our autism and other special needs
awareness offline for the first time; we held the Special Needs Conference for
Churches 2017 in August, and it was a huge success. I am happy that people
came, and that their expectations were met; the feedback was very good.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 15.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Here are some
pictures from the event.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEIINxaJQu_05N6CVa3NpCXoJMDxdw5RjWChfRmm5TVe4lOvzvVf3qbDKrGq0psnFEust5dqLbTsBuCk3P5N1-Q82bNAHuANqbsbS6tcWgNrKP4Q8yzP_I9ewZdttep9Rxf-uweV6IiL9l/s1600/IMG_5977+copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEIINxaJQu_05N6CVa3NpCXoJMDxdw5RjWChfRmm5TVe4lOvzvVf3qbDKrGq0psnFEust5dqLbTsBuCk3P5N1-Q82bNAHuANqbsbS6tcWgNrKP4Q8yzP_I9ewZdttep9Rxf-uweV6IiL9l/s320/IMG_5977+copy.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Registration</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEjF1nEN2T3pFUAWAWBJ5aWJc_V_KKbeXfoD34n0Vp8ZcM-jdhAfMp-Rj2UIr9v7URJwiAy8nrmau2ALtsBQO2p6nj1ddbLQweDzSzdlVwWeFNQJq5e6XXy4XbsazslE_snwigD-4O7QXW/s1600/IMG_5995+copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEjF1nEN2T3pFUAWAWBJ5aWJc_V_KKbeXfoD34n0Vp8ZcM-jdhAfMp-Rj2UIr9v7URJwiAy8nrmau2ALtsBQO2p6nj1ddbLQweDzSzdlVwWeFNQJq5e6XXy4XbsazslE_snwigD-4O7QXW/s320/IMG_5995+copy.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Conference jotters</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2TELw6p6cRfSN656c9z9Ecc2tVIdbqdFziTPOs9bj-8yfUg4uIda-XKetFuG-0Q8h82W8hjd3KsWi4hh7WvH4o7fRHBRhjKaG5htrZvvmiC8yXPyOj5bf9FBP8K7vffdOFvtJND9KXD4Q/s1600/IMG_5998+copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2TELw6p6cRfSN656c9z9Ecc2tVIdbqdFziTPOs9bj-8yfUg4uIda-XKetFuG-0Q8h82W8hjd3KsWi4hh7WvH4o7fRHBRhjKaG5htrZvvmiC8yXPyOj5bf9FBP8K7vffdOFvtJND9KXD4Q/s320/IMG_5998+copy.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Registration </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 15.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Now I look forward
to 2018 with a lot of expectation. In February, the Special Needs Conference on
Vocational Skills Development will hold. It will be a gathering of stakeholders
in the Disability community in Nigeria and different people working in the
vocational skill space, and we will be addressing how teenagers and adults with
special needs can benefit from vocational skill development, in order to attain
independence.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFTKMuSNe7RLm-8NZQqoIRmHc2eOUT7_dythWQkeUt85Ntew_j7N2F1UdRtJc65WstTq_oBOLIdYZw6sKr3pVX34Xlx5v7Gn0OFiEhW_S9K9WdKgsQNzJtDNy5UJ3cUb_tMmP8SpUsWkED/s1600/IMG-20171213-WA0008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="768" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFTKMuSNe7RLm-8NZQqoIRmHc2eOUT7_dythWQkeUt85Ntew_j7N2F1UdRtJc65WstTq_oBOLIdYZw6sKr3pVX34Xlx5v7Gn0OFiEhW_S9K9WdKgsQNzJtDNy5UJ3cUb_tMmP8SpUsWkED/s320/IMG-20171213-WA0008.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 15.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The Special Needs
Conference for Churches 2018 will also hold later in the year. I hope you will
be available when we call.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 15.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Always remember that
I love you guys, and I appreciate your support for the blog. Thank you for
reading and sharing always.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 15.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Happy Anniversary
to Autism Gist with Adelola. Happy New Year in advance to you all. 2018 will be
a good year.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Autism Gisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13336587015914807512noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173340304970437120.post-88086505781242808462017-12-14T09:39:00.000-08:002017-12-31T10:49:08.316-08:00Tips for Christmas for Nigerian Families That Have Children on the Autism Spectrum <div dir="ltr">
Countdown to Christmas already!!!</div>
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I am a huge fan of Christmas because I am a Christian and I love Christmas hymns. My father has always liked the family together at Christmas, so I grew up spending it at home with my parents. My birthday is also on Christmas day, so it always entails a lot of cooking, birthday cake and singing happy birthday songs.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs6TyBGl2f1g9pQIUKBDvpYJs96a4Q6rhONGVtXDo4AhHUIK1v2Vnz5wZKZ1vioRv3sJySpGgMy_FYC4AtWpapmAGr9pMqJJI1qiiUmkek9ROgWZFYLI6KJP-5aTz0zEuDAyVfelAiGw1O/s1600/IMG_20171210_115824%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs6TyBGl2f1g9pQIUKBDvpYJs96a4Q6rhONGVtXDo4AhHUIK1v2Vnz5wZKZ1vioRv3sJySpGgMy_FYC4AtWpapmAGr9pMqJJI1qiiUmkek9ROgWZFYLI6KJP-5aTz0zEuDAyVfelAiGw1O/s320/IMG_20171210_115824%255B1%255D.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Although I didn’t grow up travelling to the village or to Grandma’s place for Christmas, I know many people that grew up like that; I also know families that travel for Christmas.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6rKp_9BqAuawIBcnGxRayhA953XfDgxMtyz3-M3No0pWtMkh410XFa2Suz3QJG_idJqkW80HwtYJGIu_H915up1Kr8jnSqLvX9RzL84yOh48nw0fCSmwyZ1zVNUP4yzTMiZq1U5wNyBRM/s1600/IMG_20171207_203157_235.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="408" data-original-width="720" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6rKp_9BqAuawIBcnGxRayhA953XfDgxMtyz3-M3No0pWtMkh410XFa2Suz3QJG_idJqkW80HwtYJGIu_H915up1Kr8jnSqLvX9RzL84yOh48nw0fCSmwyZ1zVNUP4yzTMiZq1U5wNyBRM/s320/IMG_20171207_203157_235.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Are you going to Calabar for Christmas? I heard the Christmas Carnival is always an awesome experience</td></tr>
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Recently I searched on the internet for Christmas holiday tips for families that have children on the autism spectrum, and most of the tips that I saw may not be helpful for Nigerian parents, as our cultures are different. So today, I will be sharing the tips I can think of, and I will appreciate if you can share your own tips too, as you may have tips that have benefited you and you will like to share.</div>
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1. Prepare your child for the holiday. You may need to tell the child, using pictures, about the people visiting or the people you will be visiting. For example, “we are travelling to Grandpa’s, and we will see your Uncles and Aunties, and Grandpa and Grandma’s friends”. Provide certain details that your child may need about each person.</div>
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2. If your child is on a diet, plan ahead, pack as much as you will need. You don’t want to feel stranded in a “strange place”. You may also make enquiries on what food they have there that can be acceptable to your child.</div>
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3. Prepare for the journey. How can you keep your child comfortable or engaged during the trip? I can imagine travelling by road from Lagos to Abuja!!! OMG! I, as a neurotypical adult, never find that journey comfortable; I would usually sleep, drain my phone battery while chatting or surfing the internet, or talk if I have company. You understand your child better; you may plan short stops on the way, or charge the Tablet and the power bank. You can make it happen.</div>
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4. Did you read my post about children with autism having a right to protection? (You can read it <a href="http://adelolaonautism.blogspot.com.ng/2017/04/right-to-protection.html?m=1" target="_blank">here</a>). If your child is prone to wander, you need to guard against that when you are out of town. I know a mother personally whose child wandered off while they were celebrating Christmas at their hometown. I have also read of other similar cases. Read the post here to know what to do to guard against wandering.</div>
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5. Educate your family. Sometime last year, I spoke with the owner of Brainfoods, who has a daughter on the autism spectrum. She told me that as Ibos (from the Eastern part of Nigeria), it is customary to go to the village for Christmas. As a mother of a child with autism, she decided to call a family meeting a particular year when they got to the village for Christmas. She explained autism to her family members, and how exactly it has affected her daughter. She also explained that her daughter was on a diet, and therefore could not eat certain types of food. She said that her family members were able to understand her daughter better, which fostered acceptance. Her daughter has since then enjoyed Christmas at their hometown, because she is well loved.</div>
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Let me stop here; I will add more tips as I remember. I need your help for other families; if you have any tip that has worked for you, please share with us here, so others can benefit.</div>
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Thank you.</div>
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PS: Can I say Merry Christmas in advance now?</div>
Autism Gisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13336587015914807512noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173340304970437120.post-19677267853533348352017-10-31T11:25:00.001-07:002017-10-31T11:25:29.104-07:00In Other News: I Attended a Training on ADHD<p dir="ltr">I attended a training on ADHD earlier this month. I want to give you the gist of the things I learnt. </p>
<p dir="ltr">I'll be right back </p>
Autism Gisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13336587015914807512noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173340304970437120.post-64709027250338493632017-09-21T08:04:00.001-07:002017-09-22T03:41:49.841-07:00GIST FROM AN INCLUSIVE CLASSROOM<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I saw this a
few days ago in an inclusive classroom, and I thought I should share.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwsJ9Bfeq9lNvYeqRnrzwKyK_AgQ5zXKYIBli4Oy0_wkpnVGWUz5Itc3htLkzAR5E6T_akofE0XtOwf3tTMsuXodNceYnBXC4NiyEaJsyZlF2Bk7qpqZ-ouh5F7pPtcXURQOpVgg7mXSvx/s1600/IMG_20170919_110013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwsJ9Bfeq9lNvYeqRnrzwKyK_AgQ5zXKYIBli4Oy0_wkpnVGWUz5Itc3htLkzAR5E6T_akofE0XtOwf3tTMsuXodNceYnBXC4NiyEaJsyZlF2Bk7qpqZ-ouh5F7pPtcXURQOpVgg7mXSvx/s320/IMG_20170919_110013.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Dear
teachers in Nigeria,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">A visual schedule
like this is a good way to manage the behaviour of a child with autism in your
classroom. It shows the sequence of events in the classroom, helping a child to
be organized and to know what to expect in his/her day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">A visual
schedule has many benefits for children on the autism spectrum. Let me share a
few here:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">It
helps for easy transition from one activity to another in the class.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">2. It reduces anxiety, as the child knows what to
expect.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: 21.3333px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">3. </span><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">It
reduces the need for adult prompts, thereby helping the child to be more
independent.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">4. It
helps with literacy development, as the child gets used to the words, especially if it comes with pictures as well</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: 21.3333px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">5. </span><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">It
helps to teach sequence, and the child can reference what he/she did during the
day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> 6.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Children
can learn to plan and follow instructions. This will help them in completing
tasks, preparing for the work place as adults, and in doing activities for
daily living.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: 21.3333px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> 7.</span><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">It
benefits the neurotypical children in your class too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Another benefit is that a child can
also learn to be responsible. You can make it a fun experience for a child, if
you give the child or all the children an opportunity to arrange the visual schedule.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I must say
here that it is important to put in perspective the needs and the ability of
the child with autism in your class. For more functional children, your visual
schedule may have words only, while another teacher may need to have pictures
on the visual schedule.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">For some
children, it will be good to arrange just a few activities at a time. For
example, for a younger child, you may just put up two activities at the same
time, saying “Now” and “Next” or “First” and “Then”. You can have three
activities, and add to it as the day progresses.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKvCSuLiLR58Jx-sjgtKPnZYQQZUjbuJOpC9sSANa7S3s-WfznuQer89qj0g-pr5oulXkHj3dRfH-GUJDU6agiS82_DmExPdej0bXnNsPylFRrncedHg1vMxAig32K7xfPglCmxQOzz2ww/s1600/First+then.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="182" data-original-width="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKvCSuLiLR58Jx-sjgtKPnZYQQZUjbuJOpC9sSANa7S3s-WfznuQer89qj0g-pr5oulXkHj3dRfH-GUJDU6agiS82_DmExPdej0bXnNsPylFRrncedHg1vMxAig32K7xfPglCmxQOzz2ww/s1600/First+then.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can post your own picture on it (photo credit: Pintrest)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">A visual
schedule is a step in the right direction for an inclusive classroom, as it
shows that you are putting things in place to accommodate the needs of a child
with autism that can be in your class.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I hope you
consider putting one in your class today.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Have you
been following my #ThrowbackThursday #AutismAwareness with Adelola on Twitter? Join
@adelolaonautism on Twitter for today’s throwback<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Autism Gisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13336587015914807512noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173340304970437120.post-84057301560961647672017-07-30T19:22:00.000-07:002017-07-30T19:35:37.138-07:00LET'S GET THE CHURCH INVOLVED IN INCLUSION<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; text-align: justify;">I have been silent on this blog, and
I apologize.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">A few years ago, I used to work in a
boarding school for children with special needs. We used to take the children
to a church nearby, till one day the pastor advised us to stop bringing the
children to their church. That was a painful blow to us, but what could we do
than say thank you, and start church at the school.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 201.45pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 201.45pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">But there was this children’s church
teacher that started coming with some other teachers in her church to conduct
service at the school. How happy we were. The children used to be excited to
see them (they found a way to show their excitement) and the woman and her
colleagues would engage the children for about 1 hour in Bible Stories and
music.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 201.45pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Did I mention that the woman was not
a special needs teacher? She was a government worker, whose love for children
made her volunteer to work with children in her church, and she extended that
love to children with special needs<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg29eVjM45SlM92WKHk8_nzK2moskJETgkuPsykrxbdD0VBAReyg_flabB2bkVxteK4J7VKdMvNq4gRBcko_g41OLUE4ikmP30bb52F0eFOzFEozYO1-cu1xTlIAZ3N0qkvRrYJ_03K7emD/s1600/SNC+flyer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="750" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg29eVjM45SlM92WKHk8_nzK2moskJETgkuPsykrxbdD0VBAReyg_flabB2bkVxteK4J7VKdMvNq4gRBcko_g41OLUE4ikmP30bb52F0eFOzFEozYO1-cu1xTlIAZ3N0qkvRrYJ_03K7emD/s320/SNC+flyer.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">This Saturday, August 5, Autism Gist
with Adelola is holding its first conference in Lagos, the Special Needs
Conference for Churches. At this Conference, there will be an awareness about
special needs for the Church community. Pastors, children’s church teachers,
church members, and parents will learn the roles that the Church should play in
the lives of Children with Special Needs and their families. And children’s
church teachers will be taught how to engage children with special needs in
children’s church.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The conference will start by 10 a.m and
run till 4 p.m, at the Conference Hall of Eden Comfort Hotel, 17 Alade Avenue,
off Obafemi Awolowo way, Ikeja (the street is opposite the Lagos Airport
Hotel). Participants are required to register online before August 3 (https://odiame.typeform.com/to/Dxy3i9)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Adelola Edema will be joined by
highly trained professionals in special education, curriculum development and
leadership strategy<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Mrs. Dotun Akande of Patrick Speech
and Languages Centre will be speaking on Ways the Church can Accommodate Children
with Special Needs and their Families. Patrick Speech and Languages Centre is
the first Autism center in Nigeria, and they have been actively involved not
just in autism therapy, but also integration of children with autism in
mainstream schools. Patricks has also been in the forefront of autism awareness
in Nigeria and training professionals and parents in handling children with
autism.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Rotimi Eyitayo, who is a splendid
Nigerian strategist with outstanding ideas in peak performance, workforce
activation and process improvement/management. He has distinguished himself as
a passionate catalyst for change, with a rare combination of talent, experience
and research. He is known for his expertise in Content, Strategy and Growth and
he is the MD/CEO of TeamMasters Ltd. He is the convener of the National School
Conference and the project director of the TeamMasters National Spelling Bee
Competition. He will be speaking on the role of the Church as desired by God
towards families that have children with special needs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Eniola Lahanmi is a Speech and Language
Therapist who consults for special needs centers by providing speech therapy
for children with communication and language limitations. She has a Master’s
degree in Speech and Language Therapy from the University Reading and she has
been involved in training of parents, caregivers and professionals on building
communication skills in children with communication and language limitations. She
will be speaking Engaging Children with Communication and Language Difficulties
in Children’s Church.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Joke Joshua will be teaching children’s
church teachers how to create Bible stories and social stories to engage
children with special needs in church. She is the Director of Pison Therapy Centre
in Ikorodu; a center that caters for children with autism, Down syndrome,
cerebral palsy, hydrocephaly, learning disability and related disorders. Joke who
is trained in TEACCH technique of behaviour therapy has worked with children
with special needs since 2008. She is actively involved in special needs
awareness and has organized free trainings for parents of children with special
needs on behaviour management and communication skill development.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Rhoda Odigbo is a <span style="color: #222222;">Childhood Education Specialist, Learning Strategist and a
Curriculum Theorist; with over a decade’s experience in teaching, training,
curriculum development, and development of start-up schools. She is the Coordinator
and Co-Founder of the Learning Craft. Rhoda is passionate about inclusive
education, because she believes that every child is important in the classroom.
She is the convener of The Teachers Network. A Facebook Group with over 1,700
growing teachers from around and outside the country. The core of her work
is in Evidence Based Teacher training programs and Curriculum Development. She will
be speaking on </span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 16pt;">Curriculum Delivery In
An Inclusive Children’s Church.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPkN3nC4GPq-KQ4OIKDiRO69ZxpB6x3aN8CzF_4wlRR9d3CIJPt8RXU5ztdYWxJ5kATnppt4spYn6Xl4oXWUoJddwsztK0yWBvbtDsendY7c0WiGNhhQ_sPMnGzWJsZ2llnE4TMqGIZzFS/s1600/SNC+speaker+profile_adelola.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="768" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPkN3nC4GPq-KQ4OIKDiRO69ZxpB6x3aN8CzF_4wlRR9d3CIJPt8RXU5ztdYWxJ5kATnppt4spYn6Xl4oXWUoJddwsztK0yWBvbtDsendY7c0WiGNhhQ_sPMnGzWJsZ2llnE4TMqGIZzFS/s320/SNC+speaker+profile_adelola.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Adelola Edema is the lady behind Autism Gist
with Adelola and the convener of the Special Needs Conference for Churches. She
</span><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">believes that with the right kind of education, children
with special needs can be successful, regardless of the limitations the
disorders pose. Since 2009, she has worked with children and teenagers with
autism, Down syndrome, Cerebral palsy, Microcephaly, and other learning
disabilities. Trained in ABA and TEACCH techniques of behaviour therapy, Adelola
is actively involved in support and education for individuals with autism and
in autism awareness. She will be speaking on the <o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-size: 16pt;">ABC of Behaviour
Management in Children’s Church.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">You want to be part
of this conference if you are a member of the Church community, and invite your
church as well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I look forward to
hosting you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Autism Gisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13336587015914807512noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173340304970437120.post-47826161531638960532017-05-31T08:35:00.000-07:002017-05-31T08:35:31.874-07:00MENTAL HEALTH: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The first time I ever heard of OCD (Obsessive
Compulsive Disorder) was in the 1997 movie, As Good as It Gets. It’s a movie
about a writer who has OCD and his love interest, basically. As much as I knew
it then, I didn’t appreciate it until many years later, when working with
children on the spectrum made me read about it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-7lsY_VBscY0qMqqxN0tOIWz71tToEAJJ6dbP50xeU94gKh4G-fRHIhCj2yig8joQEAkQAwHBijae7hyUHmImZZsEC8FnBY0_MyclzPG0icJBgAqNnEmOqzxi20hJlFzgWLrM6oBHWmMT/s1600/As_good_as_it_gets.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="431" data-original-width="296" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-7lsY_VBscY0qMqqxN0tOIWz71tToEAJJ6dbP50xeU94gKh4G-fRHIhCj2yig8joQEAkQAwHBijae7hyUHmImZZsEC8FnBY0_MyclzPG0icJBgAqNnEmOqzxi20hJlFzgWLrM6oBHWmMT/s320/As_good_as_it_gets.jpg" width="219" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image credit: Poster from Wikipedia</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Working with children with autism, I
have heard people talk about OCD in relations to autism, with some confusing
OCD with autism symptoms. But what exactly is OCD?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9vvPz8vLMERx5A9sXTnG5cFrLKXdLbjZaFblc8uBvJVUhuKeRqOg6k_svG9adm1xknkWF6r6nfzWdiX4J6qCvtS517dfYSf1IqVGlgeFL2F4LD8nrr44NhD33Q-oBuAsq_N9UqPXnETsL/s1600/OCD.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="242" data-original-width="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9vvPz8vLMERx5A9sXTnG5cFrLKXdLbjZaFblc8uBvJVUhuKeRqOg6k_svG9adm1xknkWF6r6nfzWdiX4J6qCvtS517dfYSf1IqVGlgeFL2F4LD8nrr44NhD33Q-oBuAsq_N9UqPXnETsL/s1600/OCD.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image credit: https://manhattanpsychologygroup.com/obsessive-compulsive-disorder/</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is said
to be a type of Anxiety Disorder, characterized by repetitive and compulsive
behaviors that are a result of fears and distressing thoughts (obsessive). The behaviors
are used to cope with the fears and thoughts, they feel like the behavior will
avert something bad from happening. These behaviors range from ritualized
washing, tapping, touching, arranging and rearranging, checking, apologizing,
and certain mental rituals such as counting, or praying.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqx0jNj0IqJP7_wPZi23zwoYA3E5YBG9T1y-7iZkmn5cN8UfhEei8JAlvxOsooMAjjkJ_sMAHGPH6d944SFOqVcRkkZmWdpgnCM9baTFl9bwlghx6LsaLf_xBBQY2bLejO-N9HqjkfbG0L/s1600/obsessive-compulsive-disorder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="282" data-original-width="425" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqx0jNj0IqJP7_wPZi23zwoYA3E5YBG9T1y-7iZkmn5cN8UfhEei8JAlvxOsooMAjjkJ_sMAHGPH6d944SFOqVcRkkZmWdpgnCM9baTFl9bwlghx6LsaLf_xBBQY2bLejO-N9HqjkfbG0L/s320/obsessive-compulsive-disorder.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image credigt: https://www.askdrshah.com/blog/tips-overcome-obsessive-compulsive-disorder/</td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Although like OCD, people on the
autism spectrum show repetitive behaviors, people on the spectrum will most
likely not think it through and can be unaware of what they are doing, and it
may just be because they enjoy the behavior, so the behavior is not as a result
of fearful thoughts. People that have OCD are afraid of germs and
contamination, harm coming to them or to others, intruders, that they may harm
others, among other things. And then display these compulsive behaviors as
responses to such thoughts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5EpgCmn9fWGXzsq5teJwcQCG8hsBD49G0otE9M0XXkRwqY0MBW86FQ8UTFR_POs17AmLtqZ7IhM6yuI4sGftzxPhuCyuDFdOSYVdWP4QSckJo5XZBrGHqvBFST54I-x8_o-fPXeu0lkD9/s1600/ocd-cycle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="369" data-original-width="415" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5EpgCmn9fWGXzsq5teJwcQCG8hsBD49G0otE9M0XXkRwqY0MBW86FQ8UTFR_POs17AmLtqZ7IhM6yuI4sGftzxPhuCyuDFdOSYVdWP4QSckJo5XZBrGHqvBFST54I-x8_o-fPXeu0lkD9/s320/ocd-cycle.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image credit: https://sites.google.com/a/cms.k12.nc.us/ap-psych-2a/ocd-and-other-compulsive-disorders</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">But then can a person on the spectrum
have OCD?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Last year, I shared on this blog
about <a href="http://adelolaonautism.blogspot.com.ng/2016/05/mental-health-autism-and-anxiety.html" target="_blank">Anxiety</a>, and I mentioned that it can be a comorbid disorder in some
people living with autism. It is the same for OCD. According to a 2011 study,
about 17% of people on the spectrum meet the criteria for OCD (V<span style="background: white;">an Steensel, Bogels, and Perrin, 2011</span>), but
according to Autism Speaks, the percentage of people on the spectrum that have
OCD ranges from 8% to 33%. Although these statistics are based on studies in
the US, and we do not have recorded data in Nigeria, there are families that
have expressed concerns about anxiety disorder and OCD in their children and
adults on the spectrum.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">According to Autism
Speaks, OCD is not common in children on the spectrum, because it develops in
adolescents and adults. The cause of OCD is not fully known, but medical
professionals suggest that it can be genetic as it has a tendency to run in
certain families, or a result of habits that one may have developed over a long
period of time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">If you think that
you may have OCD or as a parent you think your teenager or adult on the autism spectrum
may have OCD, speak to a psychiatrist about it. Although there is no cure for
OCD, there are treatments that enable the patient cope better. As I said
earlier, it is a type of Anxiety Disorder, and so it can be treated through therapy
(Cognitive Behavior Therapy), or in some cases medications. Family support is
also important in helping people with OCD. Family members can help by praising
the efforts of the person with OCD, but no matter what you do, DO NOT make negative
comments about the person’s disorder.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">May is Mental Health
Month, the mental health of everyone is important, including our children,
teenagers, and adults on the autism spectrum. Let's get educated about our mental health.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<u><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Resources<o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<u><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="http://theautismblog.seattlechildrens.org/obsessive-compulsive-disorder-and-autism-spectrum-disorder/">http://theautismblog.seattlechildrens.org/obsessive-compulsive-disorder-and-autism-spectrum-disorder/</a><o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<u><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="http://www.psychguides.com/guides/ocd-obsessive-compulsive-disorder/">http://www.psychguides.com/guides/ocd-obsessive-compulsive-disorder/</a><o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<u><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="http://www.psychguides.com/guides/obsessive-compulsive-disorder-treatment-program-options/">http://www.psychguides.com/guides/obsessive-compulsive-disorder-treatment-program-options/</a><o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<u><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="http://www.psychguides.com/guides/obsessive-compulsive-disorder-symptoms-causes-and-effects/">http://www.psychguides.com/guides/obsessive-compulsive-disorder-symptoms-causes-and-effects/</a><o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<u><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://www.autismspeaks.org/what-autism/treatment/treatment-associated-psychiatric-conditions">https://www.autismspeaks.org/what-autism/treatment/treatment-associated-psychiatric-conditions</a><o:p></o:p></span></u></div>
<br />
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<br /></div>
Autism Gisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13336587015914807512noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173340304970437120.post-36297133842514993542017-04-30T14:58:00.000-07:002017-04-30T14:58:34.197-07:00RIGHTS: WILL YOU SPEAK FOR ME?<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">I met some people on the autism spectrum on Twitter last
year. They spoke for themselves, about the disorder, the struggles and the
blessing of autism. I visited their blogs and learnt more about them and their
autism experiences.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">That day I got to a client’s house, and looking at him I
wished he could speak for himself. I wish he could talk about his struggles,
his victories, his needs, and much more. But I realized that his mum has been
speaking for him, actually both parents but I have had cause to interact with
his mum more. By interacting with her, I have learnt a lot about him, how far
he has come, and I have learnt to appreciate his journey.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">If parents don’t speak up for their children on the spectrum,
how can people understand? It’s important to get early intervention, therapy,
SEN support for your child, but beyond that be the VOICE for your child.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZxGXYwo88ujuuKVIGKsUiJdrH_jyMXcE9zpXrx9V2VwJVG8YsMBf_0ruLTB0esYPmY9ugAoiQ6fUoF6j_SlgTVMrMENKA4zQchuvkFDBEwoFMoD5GP-cubZNSMY3uTzj3vEllTm21ItBO/s1600/IMG_20160402_075116.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZxGXYwo88ujuuKVIGKsUiJdrH_jyMXcE9zpXrx9V2VwJVG8YsMBf_0ruLTB0esYPmY9ugAoiQ6fUoF6j_SlgTVMrMENKA4zQchuvkFDBEwoFMoD5GP-cubZNSMY3uTzj3vEllTm21ItBO/s320/IMG_20160402_075116.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This caption captures my thoughts</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">A mother told me that sometime ago, she went to her child’s
school to lecture the teachers on anxiety and sensory processing disorder in
children with autism, helping them understand some of the challenges that her
child has to deal with daily. She said that it changed the teacher’s
disposition towards her child, and she noticed progress in her child’s
learning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What if she never spoke up for her child?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Another advantage of speaking out for your child is that you
may be speaking up for another child, you may be giving hope to another parent.
Sometimes all a mother needs is the assurance that she is not alone, and you
will be giving her hope by speaking up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Today, April ends. But does autism awareness end? It doesn’t.
Autism awareness continues. Autism advocacy continues. We will continue to be
the voice that speaks for children, adolescents, and adults that live with autism.
We will continue to speak for their families.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2kSEgAZPbO5yEgj3ltLeo8ap1jwfCHLH2_Q6ecvH_UAiodAOmJ57TlXNOhTKZe6MrStBoJuQIbjvEpM05a4UHf-VpkLuvOzJeJwT-xVX2W2OnBYBk34912jLscaeYsRrzhoKQWpJESytL/s1600/IMG_20151005_150454.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2kSEgAZPbO5yEgj3ltLeo8ap1jwfCHLH2_Q6ecvH_UAiodAOmJ57TlXNOhTKZe6MrStBoJuQIbjvEpM05a4UHf-VpkLuvOzJeJwT-xVX2W2OnBYBk34912jLscaeYsRrzhoKQWpJESytL/s320/IMG_20151005_150454.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I speak for children that I teach</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I want to appreciate those who have supported the blog by
sharing the articles throughout the month. I want to encourage you to continue
sharing, not just articles from this blog, but also other articles on autism.
Let us be the voice of those who cannot speak for themselves. People with
autism have the RIGHT TO HAVE A VOICE.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Autism Gisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13336587015914807512noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173340304970437120.post-12217128791198804672017-04-28T15:39:00.003-07:002017-06-15T07:33:35.344-07:00DO YOU KNOW PLAY HELPS CHILDREN WITH AUTISM AND DEVELOPMENTAL DELAYS<h2>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I
read a quote credited to Dr Stuart Brown, “Nothing lights up a child’s brain
like play”. It is said that children learn by play, and play is important for
healthy development in children. According to Jona K. Anderson and Sandra J.
Bailey, 75% of brain development happens after birth, and play helps with that
development by stimulating the brain through the formation of connections
between nerve cells. Play helps with development of fine and gross motor
skills, language and communication, socialization skills, creative and thinking
skills. Children learn to solve problems in play (The Importance of Play in
Early Childhood Development, www.msuextension.org).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">One
man and his team has taken this literally and they play with all children,
helping to boost their development. This program is directed at children with
developmental delays and all other children. The children they work with build
different skills as they play together.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdqICUWY1kUEm3u-CUcPyrRNkbCoEKA55AzgSarK6N3qy4nF6oZl-AHIWP1ep4H6lVOnrPct9K3Xh_WOmbNkMPYPbclHtafjCFhyphenhyphencHYymTNlStJ6T6SgCWNzucdZwzIpLtURwkxgLW8Lnf/s1600/playsmart+logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="99" data-original-width="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdqICUWY1kUEm3u-CUcPyrRNkbCoEKA55AzgSarK6N3qy4nF6oZl-AHIWP1ep4H6lVOnrPct9K3Xh_WOmbNkMPYPbclHtafjCFhyphenhyphencHYymTNlStJ6T6SgCWNzucdZwzIpLtURwkxgLW8Lnf/s1600/playsmart+logo.png" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 3.75pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 7.5pt; text-align: justify; vertical-align: top;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The Playsmart Concept is a full service child development consultancy that works
with the global concept of ‘play’. They provide play based programs for preschools and
primary schools called Smart Play, with emphasis on learning readiness. They also
provide support in form of therapy for children with developmental delays.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 3.75pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 7.5pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 3.75pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 7.5pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">According to them, their main focus is promoting and providing
play based programs for children and support for children with developmental
delays. Having worked for close to 10 years with children with developmental
delays, they have seen that every child develops optimally when exposed to
developmentally appropriate play based programs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 3.75pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 7.5pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 3.75pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 7.5pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">As you should be aware, children with autism have developmental
delays, so Playsmart Concepts provides opportunities for children with autism
to develop earlier through play.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 3.75pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 7.5pt; text-align: justify; vertical-align: top;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 3.75pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 7.5pt; text-align: justify; vertical-align: top;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">I first heard of
Playsmart Concepts when I saw an advert for their Saturday play programs. Then
I asked to volunteer at one of their programs, and I saw how all the children
responded very well. And they had testimonies of the children I could recognize
as being on the autism spectrum, how they had made progress in the time they
had spent attending their programs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0j9B_fLJ1_vU5SDDaoTmTlrcFml2dRcXiHxGeJY5_jTddxM9jig1JinjnjUrPiZMkAJWdCHJPD86CI4hHjZlkTNOI0SJmOvzCR_G8OK0zcZsO4yccr5S1_0kU5516BgYVHaFap1OtO881/s1600/Playsmart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="820" data-original-width="1097" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0j9B_fLJ1_vU5SDDaoTmTlrcFml2dRcXiHxGeJY5_jTddxM9jig1JinjnjUrPiZMkAJWdCHJPD86CI4hHjZlkTNOI0SJmOvzCR_G8OK0zcZsO4yccr5S1_0kU5516BgYVHaFap1OtO881/s320/Playsmart.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16pt; text-align: justify;"> </span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 3.75pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 7.5pt; text-align: justify; vertical-align: top;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 3.75pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 7.5pt; text-align: justify; vertical-align: top;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">The play program created an inclusive environment, as there was no segregation or
discrimination. A child cannot be wrong in play, so all the children had free
expression of themselves. I saw a child who didn’t seem like she wanted to play
with the others when she came in lighten up as the play progressed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 3.75pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 7.5pt; text-align: justify; vertical-align: top;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 3.75pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 7.5pt; text-align: justify; vertical-align: top;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">The Playsmart Concepts team
is led by Mr Isa Gabriel who has had the experience of working with children,
using play as a tool for more than a decade.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 3.75pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 7.5pt; text-align: justify; vertical-align: top;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 3.75pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 7.5pt; text-align: justify; vertical-align: top;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">I am happy to celebrate
Mr Isa and The Playsmart Concepts team today, because of the part they play in
the lives of our children living with Autism. Inclusion of people on the autism
spectrum in the society is very dear to me, and The Playsmart Concepts is not
only helping with inclusion, but also they are helping our children develop
better.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 3.75pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 7.5pt; text-align: justify; vertical-align: top;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 3.75pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 7.5pt; text-align: justify; vertical-align: top;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;">You can learn more about
Playsmart Concepts by visiting their website www.playsmartconcepts.org<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</h2>
Autism Gisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13336587015914807512noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173340304970437120.post-88676072563975285842017-04-27T05:52:00.000-07:002017-04-27T05:52:26.293-07:00RIGHT TO PROTECTION<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Andalus, serif; font-size: 16pt;">Working with children that have
autism over the years, I have seen parents leave out sensitive issues like their
child having the tendency to wander, or being prone to seizures when they bring
the child to school. They may have sincere reasons, but then it may be putting
the security of the child at risk.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Andalus, serif; font-size: 16pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Andalus","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In 2013, a parent brought her
son to the school I worked at the time, and she told us he had wandered the
previous Christmas. This information was very helpful because, not only were we
more conscious of the general school security, we paid close attention to this
boy, and realised that if we were not careful we could lose him somehow. He did
attempt to wander, but because we knew he could, he did not succeed. Not just
that, we notified people in the environment that we had children that had the
tendency to try to run, making them realise that it didn’t depend on whether we were nice to the children or not,
but these kids just had the tendency. Somehow, in that community we had eyes
everywhere, including our gates. When people saw our kids at the gate, they
called out to us, without assuming that we probably sent the child on an
errand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZLwHtASjdkhOQjxQElAD0kw_N-MpELgxAmyDorzK5EX6Aq0VBRUsKPGxl6uhU3qxIh85vR5QN9LSPOthrpt5cQ2-Pr9cLtY1FY_fy33ZA2e3OfMWDEFBi_uJFyjUIhW7LAF3ro9crOelb/s1600/autismtopics.org.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZLwHtASjdkhOQjxQElAD0kw_N-MpELgxAmyDorzK5EX6Aq0VBRUsKPGxl6uhU3qxIh85vR5QN9LSPOthrpt5cQ2-Pr9cLtY1FY_fy33ZA2e3OfMWDEFBi_uJFyjUIhW7LAF3ro9crOelb/s320/autismtopics.org.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo credit: www.autismtopics.org</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Andalus","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Andalus","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Andalus","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In another case, I have seen a
child have seizures in school and the school was unaware that he was prone to
that. When they called the mum, she was not surprised, she just “handled” it. Thank
God the school knew what to do.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Andalus","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Andalus","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">A parent cannot always be
around the child at all times, but as a parent, you can put things in place to
ensure your child’s safety. Many parents have testified that their child was
saved from wandering because people in the neighbourhood recognized him/her,
and were able to call their attention. What you have done by not hiding your
child is to empower others to protect him/her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQGMAvxHPPB2uQoasxSLqUTrk-rf3Tjwg8p2OxYFEGuqMYiLw1jayZh_N5QzZjoXHrMie8RkRfXNEhrgGSYXls009O-_lmfeUS7L6prI13k2k5fjOZ3MudrxxMvP-tE9nPKWK1LFGBaj7p/s1600/pintrest+wander.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQGMAvxHPPB2uQoasxSLqUTrk-rf3Tjwg8p2OxYFEGuqMYiLw1jayZh_N5QzZjoXHrMie8RkRfXNEhrgGSYXls009O-_lmfeUS7L6prI13k2k5fjOZ3MudrxxMvP-tE9nPKWK1LFGBaj7p/s1600/pintrest+wander.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo credit: Pintrest</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Andalus","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Andalus","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Andalus","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Also, in a time when people are
evil, it is important that other members of the community take child security
as a communal task. Many children living with autism in Nigeria are non-verbal
or have limitations with communication, so that means that they may not be able
to call for help, but when you sense danger as a teacher, a neighbour, or as
someone lucky to be around the corner, don’t just overlook, ask questions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ-OqIFF1TEbwznswS2F4O1LGf48JAjcCTdlmILK7PQ4gKq4G-4vij3HNeUnyrUIUWrOOkaVWbD_POAT43_F04tHLf6AhQW-H_Vv4B1xp58qL8-JT0h_ZEnwwI-pMusRP96asMjuG1SnMp/s1600/work+together+pintrest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ-OqIFF1TEbwznswS2F4O1LGf48JAjcCTdlmILK7PQ4gKq4G-4vij3HNeUnyrUIUWrOOkaVWbD_POAT43_F04tHLf6AhQW-H_Vv4B1xp58qL8-JT0h_ZEnwwI-pMusRP96asMjuG1SnMp/s320/work+together+pintrest.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We have to work together to protect our children on the spectrum<br />Photo credit: Pintrest</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "Andalus","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Andalus","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Andalus","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I am not saying that you should
live in fear, what I am saying is that you should put things in place for your
child’s safety. Children with autism have a right to being protected, and we
can all play our part as members of the community.</span></div>
Autism Gisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13336587015914807512noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173340304970437120.post-43397490909574837552017-04-26T11:18:00.003-07:002017-04-27T01:38:49.594-07:00CHILDREN RESTORATION INITIATIVE<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16pt;">This
is autism awareness month. Every April on this blog, I have tried to do more
than autism awareness. Autism is not just a disorder somewhere, it is a
condition that families have to live with; parents, siblings, cousins, aunties,
uncles, grandparents, even spouses. So every year, I usually talk first about
people that have children with autism, and then people that provide respite in
their own ways.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">This
week, I am celebrating people and organizations that support families that have
children on the spectrum. I am particularly excited about the group I am
sharing about today.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The
Children Restoration Initiative (CRI) has been around for a while, but somehow
have been doing amazing things without drawing attention to themselves. Born
primarily from experience as parents of children on the spectrum, these parents
are helping other families, creating autism awareness, and are strongly
involved in advocacy for better education for children with autism and other
special needs.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKQfnF66_3ayg8GWNlba6GyFRuSoKHXLAZTzX8DkCdvAnucihiDvz1_kzNc4LMntouxDpWZHD5ojDc5H6DgZKDWmZX8AIQmNYUGLS5Pcg6pRI6RVYTb6yC08K3_Zlp3BAHXTvD6qTdo7eb/s1600/CRI.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKQfnF66_3ayg8GWNlba6GyFRuSoKHXLAZTzX8DkCdvAnucihiDvz1_kzNc4LMntouxDpWZHD5ojDc5H6DgZKDWmZX8AIQmNYUGLS5Pcg6pRI6RVYTb6yC08K3_Zlp3BAHXTvD6qTdo7eb/s320/CRI.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 16.0pt;">According to their website, CRI is a
registered non-profit educational advocacy group established by reform-minded
parents in response to the dearth in educational services for children and
young adults with special needs in the Nigerian education system. They campaign
for the enforcement of existing legislation that ensure the provision of free,
tailored education and related services within the public school system. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSxQbGmBybTBEHN92T4PAFqdNufuFbQ5Eb3HrALRjlMax0Ag_4f56dD6_E1tWElGur8sC79OXnQnBodg2z4ACNl-XzK__KzQSE-oeBa0eVitBEBkxxA9_DYE_p2a78CHoJiDbhMkmv9eUb/s1600/Different+but+the+same.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSxQbGmBybTBEHN92T4PAFqdNufuFbQ5Eb3HrALRjlMax0Ag_4f56dD6_E1tWElGur8sC79OXnQnBodg2z4ACNl-XzK__KzQSE-oeBa0eVitBEBkxxA9_DYE_p2a78CHoJiDbhMkmv9eUb/s320/Different+but+the+same.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Book on autism awareness by one of the CRI parents</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL1zm3zLf1Vk97IEdaOz6vjY5ZnMmcP5LT4xK5NYX2lFqZ1fEifH5I46s3uDNVy0f95b1h2t59tzu9o0h1WsbNjIta03TplUzhUqqqhh3JIsw_G6QUhVgZHs0Jv9NA92f2iwSmXhYbjuZV/s1600/CRI+Awareness.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL1zm3zLf1Vk97IEdaOz6vjY5ZnMmcP5LT4xK5NYX2lFqZ1fEifH5I46s3uDNVy0f95b1h2t59tzu9o0h1WsbNjIta03TplUzhUqqqhh3JIsw_G6QUhVgZHs0Jv9NA92f2iwSmXhYbjuZV/s320/CRI+Awareness.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Autism awareness in a school</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 16.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 16.0pt;">CRI is actively involved in autism
awareness, emphasizing on the importance of early intervention in autism
treatment and support. They campaign for peer autism awareness and acceptance,
so they go around schools, educating pupils alongside teachers and other
members of staff. CRI presently supports the inclusive education unit in one of
the public schools in Lagos metropolis.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2_koNfmH43pD9i0fMUC8yeFYjnUS2wvU_07ajPjfuRtnGe0GGFtQ18iNr5TxycYYM2bp9VxIuXb8RDw9qk73iWRNTPt90ZCrUZ1Gkz1CFrTc4jDdGtCeFqbj92xcFhoH1g3uWKeRWtoq3/s1600/CRI+renovation+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2_koNfmH43pD9i0fMUC8yeFYjnUS2wvU_07ajPjfuRtnGe0GGFtQ18iNr5TxycYYM2bp9VxIuXb8RDw9qk73iWRNTPt90ZCrUZ1Gkz1CFrTc4jDdGtCeFqbj92xcFhoH1g3uWKeRWtoq3/s320/CRI+renovation+3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Working on the inclusive education unit</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWrnVUKSO22vzL1or8h2pOzIdcGkOPLwZkm7jPtaDzBDFxzQ7ZYQ1wKOiDDYKzt8CgTRxrUvyrKG76SJZroTtG_Sil5ntGl7nYlMIqJFR9gwH2SeXy7mjp84OY9O6wP3X3AbdXsqRSqw_Q/s1600/CRI+renovation+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWrnVUKSO22vzL1or8h2pOzIdcGkOPLwZkm7jPtaDzBDFxzQ7ZYQ1wKOiDDYKzt8CgTRxrUvyrKG76SJZroTtG_Sil5ntGl7nYlMIqJFR9gwH2SeXy7mjp84OY9O6wP3X3AbdXsqRSqw_Q/s320/CRI+renovation+6.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inclusive education unit before renovation</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVMb4zvod_E6UJyo2A796zNarYfUck3BC6N6hWXHh5BO6rrBWcg5wn5OlfXXtSlr5vpEZ3jcf_2d-sVOXMuwmhyqJ8aNNyg835uP1ji6XynOxKH_E2ZzbrVUx73Twgc0DwcVlEBfEfQUqv/s1600/CRI+renovation+7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVMb4zvod_E6UJyo2A796zNarYfUck3BC6N6hWXHh5BO6rrBWcg5wn5OlfXXtSlr5vpEZ3jcf_2d-sVOXMuwmhyqJ8aNNyg835uP1ji6XynOxKH_E2ZzbrVUx73Twgc0DwcVlEBfEfQUqv/s320/CRI+renovation+7.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Inclusive education unit before renovation<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJcZ1Jurp3zULc16timrtwYo2kuIy6fDwrBOrksfQ3KnPhYjuV0vEBZt3DZR5JlnFXaguYk5YDt7HPwawYWChJlXMRyQbfRoijrbr8bgk66IW0BuHI9T9x03iv8-_mvq6fjpt6obWmLErj/s1600/CRI+renovation+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJcZ1Jurp3zULc16timrtwYo2kuIy6fDwrBOrksfQ3KnPhYjuV0vEBZt3DZR5JlnFXaguYk5YDt7HPwawYWChJlXMRyQbfRoijrbr8bgk66IW0BuHI9T9x03iv8-_mvq6fjpt6obWmLErj/s320/CRI+renovation+4.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Let me throw this here, as fan club. A CRI member</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 16.0pt;"><br /></span>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnqMiMJnlHMaUFb9qvhosCjasnSekeGfHO21dQbmvRZ-fLHoGv5d3Vzwaqb-5xhrobdqAXnm120Vkk-WcOgRXctgoTjIXgFPWUL-NiNrB-qLE3eEhQsgKdbylIB7NEcauNcww-0P_XNQ__/s1600/CRI+renovation+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnqMiMJnlHMaUFb9qvhosCjasnSekeGfHO21dQbmvRZ-fLHoGv5d3Vzwaqb-5xhrobdqAXnm120Vkk-WcOgRXctgoTjIXgFPWUL-NiNrB-qLE3eEhQsgKdbylIB7NEcauNcww-0P_XNQ__/s320/CRI+renovation+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Inclusive education unit after renovation<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9pld0reOOIVh17D1yQGkQ5d_fiPKZM7pcdYsclE_ybhOqY9YlmMnNSaDxU3y2R8vY70Ijg4p4XAAZt7Padn9j_Nm_fzcBSasQDptnufkP6ig0LLjvOv5VZ5sGjbkDkCmspN_jx2VCkGmB/s1600/CRI+renovation+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9pld0reOOIVh17D1yQGkQ5d_fiPKZM7pcdYsclE_ybhOqY9YlmMnNSaDxU3y2R8vY70Ijg4p4XAAZt7Padn9j_Nm_fzcBSasQDptnufkP6ig0LLjvOv5VZ5sGjbkDkCmspN_jx2VCkGmB/s320/CRI+renovation+5.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inclusive education unit after renovation</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 16.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 16.0pt;">Autism therapy is quite expensive, and many
families in Nigeria cannot afford therapy. Considering that there is no
government support subsidizing therapy for families, CRI supports some low
income families that cannot afford therapy for their children on the spectrum.
They raise the money for these supports from their personal pockets and the
kind support of other people and NGOs.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxRmBvxxmrdFj9i4dI6vwX_2aMUzzVwv6rv8N5wQhNE6BZ_bisbeOQLQVb1T3tIu934JBFP5JfvUsRppekH9BKho1u7wZXd0s1W-LVE_xF5MGWgBpkfcVFcXVXxCB136hy04tSRt5NHOeU/s1600/hearing+autism.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxRmBvxxmrdFj9i4dI6vwX_2aMUzzVwv6rv8N5wQhNE6BZ_bisbeOQLQVb1T3tIu934JBFP5JfvUsRppekH9BKho1u7wZXd0s1W-LVE_xF5MGWgBpkfcVFcXVXxCB136hy04tSRt5NHOeU/s320/hearing+autism.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">CRI helped provide hearing aids for this boy with autism whose widowed mother could not afford</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 16.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 16.0pt;">Today I choose to celebrate The Children
Restorative Initiative for all they do in creating autism awareness, education
advocacy for children with special needs, and supporting families that have
children with autism in different ways.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 16.0pt;">To learn more about CRI or to contact them,
visit <a href="http://www.tcri-ng.org/">www.tcri-ng.org</a> or call
+2348133571965, or send them an email <a href="mailto:info@tcri-ng.org">info@tcri-ng.org</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 16.0pt;">What are you doing to support autism?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Autism Gisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13336587015914807512noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173340304970437120.post-18327377212283047142017-04-24T10:41:00.002-07:002017-04-24T22:16:47.872-07:00HAVE YOU BEEN RHIMAMORIED?<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">You’ll find out soon!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">A few years ago, a centre where I worked needed sensory
brushes, we were told that we had to buy in obodo-oyinbo (abroad). Imagine my
joy when I got a new Facebook friend, and I saw sensory brushes on the wall. The
name was Rhimamory Res (Resources).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqKipomVBEmAUMWzwgRpXcIPL56I80akui6tAkuCHRKFLEF8cRPSe0wS5GcErX21fT6MXQdpoQSr-bWmcQzNf8h9Oekk4mxkXPAV8cTE0kgSa8MZIA_2imgzqHn1bmT6DFfRXAnhKbvqHw/s1600/Rhimamory+logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="119" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqKipomVBEmAUMWzwgRpXcIPL56I80akui6tAkuCHRKFLEF8cRPSe0wS5GcErX21fT6MXQdpoQSr-bWmcQzNf8h9Oekk4mxkXPAV8cTE0kgSa8MZIA_2imgzqHn1bmT6DFfRXAnhKbvqHw/s320/Rhimamory+logo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I initially thought Rhimamory Resources was created to meet
the needs of children with autism, especially as every autism center that I knew
of was shopping from them. But I later realized, from their social media posts,
that they were meeting the needs of typical children as well. Chatting with the
director of the company, she also confirmed it, that they actually meet the
needs of all children.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Rhimamory Resources sells educational materials for all
children in Nigeria. Speaking with the director, Mudi Nwachukwu, she said that
she believes that all children, regardless of location, should have access to
educational toys and materials. So if you follow them on Instagram or Facebook,
you will see posts about deliveries to different parts of Nigeria. Although they
are based in Lagos, they deliver all over Nigeria; North, East, West, and
South.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Mudi Nwachukwu’s goal is to ensure that every child in Nigeria
has access to high quality educational materials, and not be limited by
location. She did not start her business to meet needs of children with special
needs, but it has made her very happy to be able to meet the needs of these
children. Rhimamory Resources has always tried to help parents find materials
that they particularly need for their children, and she believes that that is
how they have been able to meet the needs of families that have children on the
autism spectrum.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Mudi is a trained lawyer, but as a mother, when her children
were much younger she always had people complimenting her for the educational materials
she bought her kids. Eventually she started helping her friends shop for
educational materials whenever she traveled, and now she is meeting the needs
of many more families than she planned for. Rhimamory started on Instagram and
Facebook, but they now have a website, <a href="http://www.rhimamory.com/">www.rhimamory.com</a>,
where people can shop for educational materials for their schools, their
children, and can also gift to others.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO7Z3arpw3yCX97s3LLGyTkld2D2j4HiDwMAVFicNCaQm5iEaTQBnyExMuK2RtWUVh5UKu8EYkWGHAR7JAl3-EcmEV80ril_SImD9NPsncDxoNiMvu6SxwvZ-mBVx4TytVxA-1fSaaIYrt/s1600/Rhimamory+Ft.-Category-Gift-Registry-Image.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO7Z3arpw3yCX97s3LLGyTkld2D2j4HiDwMAVFicNCaQm5iEaTQBnyExMuK2RtWUVh5UKu8EYkWGHAR7JAl3-EcmEV80ril_SImD9NPsncDxoNiMvu6SxwvZ-mBVx4TytVxA-1fSaaIYrt/s320/Rhimamory+Ft.-Category-Gift-Registry-Image.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rhimamory has a gift corner on the website</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Mudi says that she is happy to be able to reduce the stress
of parents, who no longer have to worry about how they will get materials that
they need for their children. Interviewing parents and asking for the kind of
needs that they want to meet in their child helps her to suggest the appropriate
materials for the child. For example, if a parent goes to any store and needs
materials for fine motor, the store keeper may not be able to give exactly what
they need, so parents can come to Rhimamory and they will be sure that they
will get what will achieve the purpose they want to meet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I asked her what materials autism parents usually requests
for. According to her, speech or communication development is very important to
parents of children on the autism spectrum, so flashcards on alphabets,
numbers, action words, and related subjects are quite common. Parents buy everything,
ranging from building blocks, to materials that build fine motor skills,
materials for sensory integration, curly straws, and they buy anything that
aids learning. Children with autism use the same materials as typical children,
and she is able to help parents pick specific materials to meet specific needs. That's what it means to be RHIMAMORIED!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: 21.3333px;">You can follow </span><span style="font-size: 21.3333px;">@rhimamory on Instagram, and you should visit their website <a href="http://www.rhimamory.com/">www.rhimamory.com</a>.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">This week on Autism Gist with Adelola, I am celebrating
organizations that are supporting children with autism or the autism community
in different ways. And I have chosen to start with Mudi and the Rhimamory team.
In meeting the needs of all children, they are supporting our own children as
well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Although I will be continuing with my posts on RIGHTS of
individuals on the autism spectrum, please watch out for the next set of people
to celebrate on Wednesday and Friday. You don’t want to miss out on their
gists.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Autism Gisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13336587015914807512noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173340304970437120.post-43911827353372465282017-04-23T18:46:00.001-07:002017-04-23T22:32:46.484-07:00Autism Awareness Everywhere and in Every Way<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">This year’s autism month has been so busy for us in the
autism community in Nigeria. Just yesterday, the 3-day free consultation
program for indigent families that have children with developmental disorders
was concluded. There were behaviour analysts, speech and language therapists,
occupational therapists, physiotherapists, educational diagnosticians, nutritionists,
counsellors, and psychologists (In hope I covered everything). Many parents
said that the consultation programme really helped them, and they felt empowered
to work with their children now.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNOkeGteZ3kgZEECFtWjXLDac3TAPZ50y7WQ74oJmMvCGGX0k9mUo4K2RfPEF6wUXiw1mYT7eakAnNkv17ibuPr7wTLdi80lc_Q91POziYdleWcEUb5MbEZ0ArCPfFsK63bE_IdGSX4P8H/s1600/received_1291609390936090.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNOkeGteZ3kgZEECFtWjXLDac3TAPZ50y7WQ74oJmMvCGGX0k9mUo4K2RfPEF6wUXiw1mYT7eakAnNkv17ibuPr7wTLdi80lc_Q91POziYdleWcEUb5MbEZ0ArCPfFsK63bE_IdGSX4P8H/s320/received_1291609390936090.jpeg" width="180" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">A lot has been done as regards autism awareness as well.
Blazing Heart Autism Center, Port-Harcourt kicked off awareness on a golf
course. They had a golf tournament on the 1<sup>st</sup> of April, tagged
Golf4Hope, and there was a good turnout of people, giving them an opportunity
to create autism awareness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP7ZNs_1uF475MW80J3WazknCSQ-Elk7RfUfnI_N5WFSlaMQDF2FTh0LJid62pAHxhAbybDtGRAZ-3nwv9GeFiU15RM52o2XDV0qUPjQ2Zv8JC-SDI58U2edpfrhOoW0B-U-fqmvccN08H/s1600/Beauty+golf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP7ZNs_1uF475MW80J3WazknCSQ-Elk7RfUfnI_N5WFSlaMQDF2FTh0LJid62pAHxhAbybDtGRAZ-3nwv9GeFiU15RM52o2XDV0qUPjQ2Zv8JC-SDI58U2edpfrhOoW0B-U-fqmvccN08H/s320/Beauty+golf.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">On that same April 1, Olamma for Autism Awareness Foundation
had a walk for autism in Lagos. The walk held at Ifako, Gbagada. They shared
fliers and spoke to people about autism as they walked. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">April 8 was for our Dance for Autism Awareness event (Read
details <a href="http://adelolaonautism.blogspot.com.ng/2017/04/dance-for-autism-awareness.html" target="_blank">here</a>)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">This week, the Autism Awareness Place visited some schools to
create autism awareness. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In Abuja, 2 different organizations had awareness events on
Saturday the 22<sup>nd</sup>; OLG Foundation/Autism Center held a seminar on
autism, and Dewdrops Community Center for Special Needs had an Autism Awareness
Family Funfair. I saw pictures from the Family Funfair, and it was quite
obvious that they had a lot of fun as they created autism awareness, while creating
an opportunity for inclusive interaction for neurotypical children and children
with autism and other special needs, and their families. <a href="http://lolasnap.blogspot.com.ng/2017/04/autism-awareness-family-funfair-by.html" target="_blank">Lola SNAP</a> gives detailed gist about the event.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH49SBSODelWRXO0hjSA6_kSxoQM_kurcW6_KBe4ocz5gxMDe_KDqK3gYiSsU3qeiaNh63zVAaMlTHx2TvRjNdJJFRdg8rQT1JSf4x2p3LH2A2dADYAjvQjBxBakiyYB7y_1HFv0J27y3K/s1600/Aneke.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH49SBSODelWRXO0hjSA6_kSxoQM_kurcW6_KBe4ocz5gxMDe_KDqK3gYiSsU3qeiaNh63zVAaMlTHx2TvRjNdJJFRdg8rQT1JSf4x2p3LH2A2dADYAjvQjBxBakiyYB7y_1HFv0J27y3K/s320/Aneke.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="http://adelolaonautism.blogspot.com.ng/2014/01/autism-hmmmnn.html" target="_blank">Autism</a> is a spectrum of disorders that affects behaviour,
social skill, and communication skill. Because autism awareness level in
Nigeria is relatively low, even though more families are being discovered to
have children on the spectrum, it is important that we find as many ways as
possible to raise the awareness and drive the message home. This will help with
early detection, diagnosis, and intervention. Awareness will also make room for
support and inclusion for people living with autism and their families.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The month is not yet over, so there is still more to come. In
Lagos alone, on April 29, there will be a walk for autism on the mainland, and
a ZUMBATHON Charity Event to support Autism Awareness on the Island.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Different organizations are coming together for the WALK AWAKE
AUTISM, and we will gather at the Ndubuisi Kanu Park at Alausa, Ikeja by 7am,
and we will start the walk latest by 8am. You can call 08129184050,
08031912759, and 08166218444 for details on how to register. I am aware that
there are shirts for sale, and they go for N2000.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">At 7.30am on the same day, at Lagos Preparatory School Ikoyi,
the Zumbathon Charity Event will kick off. Please join us at 36/40 Glover road,
Ikoyi to dance as we support autism awareness. Raffle tickets are available for
N1000. To purchase tickets or for details, you can call 08083799035 or
08023196690.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Until there is autism awareness and acceptance everywhere in
Nigeria, we will continue to do all that we can to create it. Be part of autism
awareness by being part of these programs and inviting others.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Will I see you on Saturday?<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 21.3333px;">Before I forget. have you supported <a href="http://adelolaonautism.blogspot.com.ng/2017/04/lean-on-me-call-to-support.html" target="_blank">PISON THERAPY CENTER</a>?</span></div>
Autism Gisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13336587015914807512noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173340304970437120.post-52149933235971374772017-04-22T10:17:00.004-07:002017-04-22T10:17:58.849-07:00RIGHTS: I AM DIFFERENT, NOT LESS<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt;">Sometime
ago, I resumed work in a mainstream school to support some children in SEN. I
had only their names, and had not had the opportunity to meet them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">There
was this young man I picked out from the crowd, I could see him fiddling his
hand, his body language, I just suspected that he was one of the SEN students.
Lo and behold, I saw him walk into the class, and yes he was my student.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Temple
Grandin wrote a book called “Different Not Less” in which she tells the story
of different people who have autism, but despite the challenges of the disorder
are doing well for themselves.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlcu4y6BZLGBpOpcMShbynoKlABCu7vb2bu7dDK9nQSW-7sKdkEPACidWGhRYCpCB8ajK23es5JGkeBAkwJVZY7jO1xBkKhuuYV-AFmZzjqC8Ju2m4SSr-yxFtu5ONCRGoBs3L8_g-ZBwx/s1600/Different+not+less.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlcu4y6BZLGBpOpcMShbynoKlABCu7vb2bu7dDK9nQSW-7sKdkEPACidWGhRYCpCB8ajK23es5JGkeBAkwJVZY7jO1xBkKhuuYV-AFmZzjqC8Ju2m4SSr-yxFtu5ONCRGoBs3L8_g-ZBwx/s1600/Different+not+less.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I
totally agree with the saying that when you meet one person on the spectrum,
you have met one person with autism. People on the autism spectrum are different
from one another, how much more from neurotypicals. In all my years of working
with people on the spectrum, I have not met 2 people that are exactly alike;
they may have similar behaviours or symptoms, but they are still different from
each other.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Well,
it’s a spectrum. Isn’t it?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">It
is therefore important to appreciate their difference. Temple Grandin says that
her achievements are due to her ability to think in pictures. I have seen the
way some people on the spectrum pay attention to details, and how it helps them
do better at certain tasks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So
you meet someone on the spectrum who talks like a computer, and it bothers you?
Or he arranges things in a particular order all the time, and it disturbs you?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">People
with autism have a RIGHT TO BE DIFFERENT. In order to encourage an inclusive
society that accommodates people on the spectrum, we need to appreciate that
people with autism are different. This does not mean that they should be left
to themselves, but by understanding their differences we can harness their
strengths and help their weaknesses.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">For
example I mentioned in a previous post an adult in Patrick </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Speech and Languages Centre that is very good with
dates, even though he has other limitations. He has been taught filing and
other office skills in which he has been doing very well. Last year at the
Talent in Autism Show (a concert where people on the spectrum show their gifts
and talents), he had a presentation where he said what days of the week different
dates in history and in the future fall on. If he was left to himself, he most
likely would not have been able to achieve what he has achieved so far.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">That
young man is different, but he is definitely NOT LESS.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<o:p></o:p>Autism Gisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13336587015914807512noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173340304970437120.post-43729177987362594752017-04-18T13:57:00.003-07:002017-04-18T14:09:08.340-07:00RIGHTS: I WANT TO BE LOVED TOO<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">I read a quote online, credited to an American bassist called
Bill Laswell, which I couldn’t help but agree with. He said that “people are
afraid of things they don’t understand. They don’t know how to relate…”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Often times because people do not understand special needs,
they define it in their own way, then become scared of not just the condition,
but of people that have special needs. Especially in a superstitious community
like Nigeria, people assume that by coming close to a child with special needs,
they will attract the condition to themselves. And unfortunately, they express
these fears in their actions towards individuals with special needs and their
families. This is one of the causes of stigmatization of individuals with
special needs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Special needs is exactly as it is called, children with
special needs have needs that are more than our regular needs. So a child with
cerebral palsy may need a motorized wheel chair to help with mobility, apart
from therapy; a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder or Down syndrome or any
related disorder may need support in class, apart from therapy, or may need a
special diet. The disorders are usually accompanied by different limitations,
but they do not make these people less humans. They are as human as neurotypical
people.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Why am I saying this? I remember being afraid of a DS boy in
my neighbourhood when I was much younger, because I did not understand what was
wrong with him. If I knew better, I would have responded better, and most
likely been his friend.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">It is therefore okay that you do not fully understand what
autism is about, but I am here to tell you that children with autism and other
special needs, just like you, want to feel loved as well. I expect that knowing
that they have feelings like you will help you respond better. Loving them will
help you support in any way you can, will help you feel some empathy for them
and their families, help you raise your child to be more accepting towards
people with special needs, help you create and participate in a more inclusive
society.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix7x2f5Tyd62bL-xZduG2Tsoq-8D_tmNYsfm-kRTro8dIh9-B8DQZZIbudUI3QQVhq0Oh1nG5eEVE0Ee7mESPq6pMF7UAs2-Kn2EaL-Hckiep-fqC0WGgrFCYfHy-Fmzvio_CBqAGvsx6Y/s1600/Love.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix7x2f5Tyd62bL-xZduG2Tsoq-8D_tmNYsfm-kRTro8dIh9-B8DQZZIbudUI3QQVhq0Oh1nG5eEVE0Ee7mESPq6pMF7UAs2-Kn2EaL-Hckiep-fqC0WGgrFCYfHy-Fmzvio_CBqAGvsx6Y/s1600/Love.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Many parents of children with special needs can testify that
they have been stigmatized in schools, malls, and in religious houses. Knowing
that having a child with special needs should help you empathize with them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">All my long speech is to say that people with autism and
other special needs have a RIGHT TO LOVE.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">They have a right to be loved by their parents, to be loved
by siblings and relatives, to be loved by YOU. I have an old article on the
blog that talks about ways you can support families that have children with autism,
whether you know them personally or not. Please click <a href="http://adelolaonautism.blogspot.com.ng/2014/03/how-can-others-be-involved.html?m=1" target="_blank">here</a> t</span><span style="font-size: 16pt;">o read.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I hope that as you become more autism aware, you will be part
of the inclusive society that we are working towards; a society that
accommodates the needs of people with special needs. To do this, you must
realize that they have rights, and actively be part of ensuring that their
rights are respected.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Before I forget, Happy Easter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Autism Gisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13336587015914807512noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173340304970437120.post-76987723273374745012017-04-17T18:54:00.000-07:002017-04-19T02:47:33.790-07:00THERAPY OUTREACH: Free consultation<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Sometime last year, while chatting with a father in the UK,
who has a child on the spectrum, he asked me “what are you doing about families
in Nigeria that cannot afford therapy?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I talked about special centers like Patrick Speech and
Languages Center and Pison Therapy Center who were doing what they could in
supporting some families (as many as they could), but off course that was just
a drop in the ocean, considering that there are quite a number of families that
have undiagnosed children with autism, there are a number that know that their
child is on the autism spectrum but do not know how to get help, and
considering the fact that these centers cannot meet the needs of all families
that bring their children through their doors.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">To solve this problem (in their own way), Patrick Speech is
partnering with Pure Souls Learning Foundation (an NGO) to organize a 3-days
FREE CONSULTATION program for families that have children with developmental
disorders. The event is called a THERAPY OUTREACH, and it will hold from
Thursday April 20 till Saturday April 22 at Patrick Speech and Languages
Centre, 13B Remi Fani-Kayode Street, Ikeja GRA. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1AnzPJUwAnPOpHgXB0FWSesU1L7mBdluf3d3jlAu-s6oX8_J7hMH8geXeXAUy5qOxo8InPM-S71Kz1aecQ_i2kwYpfUXQt9kUj8NydfEXk3wh7w0ZTtmturVNu6y2sWrZ9SREq1VA-WDc/s1600/Consultation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1AnzPJUwAnPOpHgXB0FWSesU1L7mBdluf3d3jlAu-s6oX8_J7hMH8geXeXAUy5qOxo8InPM-S71Kz1aecQ_i2kwYpfUXQt9kUj8NydfEXk3wh7w0ZTtmturVNu6y2sWrZ9SREq1VA-WDc/s320/Consultation.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The THERAPY OUTREACH will have professionals in the fields of
Behaviour therapy, Speech and Language therapy, Occupational therapy, Physiotherapists,
including special needs teachers. These professionals will help to assess and
make recommendations on how family members or caregivers can support each child
that is brought for this consultation. They are also partnering with doctors
from Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) and Lagos State University
Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), for necessary assessment and recommendations.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The target participants for this outreach are families that
have children with autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, and other related
disorders, that cannot afford therapy. The event is designed for indigent
families.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So do you know any family that falls in this category? Please
encourage them to come. Let’s stop hiding children with special needs, hoping
that the disorder will just disappear. Especially if the family cannot afford
the necessary help for their child, this CONSULTATION is designed for them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKeIdtcCu1DvVHWYQV-tPLc-l4NEyMyTHKG8_xgCvzr40RJKcnMB5wBGFAgaFIdBK2H_6RQNdB28M5zi_PpeP36zavQbxis4rDYgnkHsuNrJeuSaII4XKx5say-QvR1zvcJOJvBR3EK6Un/s1600/series.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKeIdtcCu1DvVHWYQV-tPLc-l4NEyMyTHKG8_xgCvzr40RJKcnMB5wBGFAgaFIdBK2H_6RQNdB28M5zi_PpeP36zavQbxis4rDYgnkHsuNrJeuSaII4XKx5say-QvR1zvcJOJvBR3EK6Un/s320/series.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Also, that same weekend, Patrick Speech is organizing a
training on communication skill development, teaching parents, siblings,
teachers, therapists, and caregivers how to help build communication skill in
children with autism. The facilitator of the training is a Speech and Language
Therapist, Eniola Lahanmi.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Eniola Lahanmi has a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the
Rochester Institute of Technology, and she has a Masters in Speech and Language
Therapy from the University of Reading in the UK. Eniola currently consults for
special schools in Lagos, providing therapy for children with language delays
and other communication difficulties. Eniola spoke at the 2016 GTBank’s Annual
Autism Awareness Seminar on Improving Communication in Autism Spectrum
Disorder. Many of the participants said that she was their favourite
facilitator, as she brought the training home (proper Naija).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So if you know a parent, a therapist and others that need
this training, tell them about it. It holds on April 22 at Saint Paul’s Nursery
and Primary School, 73B Oduduwa Crescent, Ikeja GRA. The training will cost 10,000 Naira, but for parents, it is subsidized so they are to pay 5000 Naira.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 21.3333px;">For Autism therapists that want to become IBCCES Certified Autism Specialists, this training will add up as a Continuing Education (CE) point for you.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 21.3333px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 21.3333px;">For details about the 2 programs, you can call 08038957022 or 09053552959.</span></div>
Autism Gisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13336587015914807512noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173340304970437120.post-43222812610081598092017-04-14T16:35:00.001-07:002017-04-16T09:40:01.357-07:00LEAN ON ME: A CALL TO SUPPORT<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">In 2015 I met a family that has 2 children with cerebral
palsy; the children had not been in school for years, the mother had been a
full time mom for a few years to take care of her daughters, putting the burden
of the financial care of the home on the father, whose business had suffered some
setbacks. It was not a nice experience, but I was limited in what I could do,
so I called a friend who runs a special school in Ikorodu, and asked for her
help.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">My friend’s name is Joke Joshua, she is the proprietress of Pison
Therapy Center in Ikorodu, a center that caters for the needs of children with
neurodevelopmental disorders; autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome,
hydrocephaly, and other related disorders including learning disability.
Ikorodu is what I will call a suburb in Lagos State, Nigeria, although
Wikipedia calls it a city in Lagos State.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Mrs. JJ as she is fondly called by the pupils, staff, and
parents could not take the 2 children on scholarship as the small center she
runs had put other children on scholarship, not to mention the children that
were not on scholarship but whose parents could not pay the fees, and so were
owing the school.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfalO3N5AJMXIvucIrnQhFe-60AiDyGw8ygDiohu5NWZxQf3IEdgjtzWgjamZlk_vdbvwGE9U8a8b0-7T7TkmcyuROWjGxro1rLB5elx4yMBhfOjk3JjoMDm78cMZ7e0XOK-B7MaiNtfKY/s1600/Pison+Logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfalO3N5AJMXIvucIrnQhFe-60AiDyGw8ygDiohu5NWZxQf3IEdgjtzWgjamZlk_vdbvwGE9U8a8b0-7T7TkmcyuROWjGxro1rLB5elx4yMBhfOjk3JjoMDm78cMZ7e0XOK-B7MaiNtfKY/s320/Pison+Logo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">You should remember Pison Therapy Centre! I joined them last
year for an awareness walk at Ikorodu, and I posted about it here on the blog
(click <a href="http://adelolaonautism.blogspot.com.ng/2016/05/creating-awareness-in-ikorodu.html" target="_blank">here</a> to read). Pison also organized a free training for parents of
children with special needs in Ikorodu, you can also read about it <a href="http://adelolaonautism.blogspot.com.ng/2016/09/special-needs-training.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Eventually, Mrs. JJ took in both children into her centre, on
part scholarship. She presently has 8 children at the centre, with 2 on full
scholarship, and the little girls and 2 other children on part scholarship.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5WA18Ox2hmcm1rg8L2ZiNzG-oo-X_HEVqMsyfZ8KnwDUERJsYR4IT6qoTLGvdLKVDN0PDqzxFbg-7_WH5ZMVs6XI05VecCWD7YkDbsgPs_Pr2MK0Y60jhvFQY4B1JYfvyEGBVJ8KWQUgg/s1600/DSC_2384.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5WA18Ox2hmcm1rg8L2ZiNzG-oo-X_HEVqMsyfZ8KnwDUERJsYR4IT6qoTLGvdLKVDN0PDqzxFbg-7_WH5ZMVs6XI05VecCWD7YkDbsgPs_Pr2MK0Y60jhvFQY4B1JYfvyEGBVJ8KWQUgg/s320/DSC_2384.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pison Staff and Children working in a group setting</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">With Pison’s activities in creating awareness about special
needs and informing parents that there’s hope for their children with special
needs, awareness in Ikorodu has grown. And with the increase in awareness came
great responsibility, so many people are seeking for a place for their
children. Presently, they have 4 children on the waiting list whose parents can
afford full or part payment on the fees, and 20 children on the list whose
parents cannot afford the fees.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">According to Mrs. JJ, many families in Ikorodu cannot afford the fees, and for that reason they keep their children at home, with no support or therapy, especially as most of them are not admitted into mainstream schools.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">They want to meet the needs of more children, but the space
that they presently occupy is too small, and they would love to move to a
bigger space. They found a bigger location that is up for rent, but they cannot
afford it. The centre has been running on the fees paid by parents and the
goodwill of family members and friends. This cannot help them get another
space.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">This month being Autism Awareness Month, I am lending my VOICE
to Pison Therapy Centre’s to ask that YOU SUPPORT them as they raise 1.5
Million Naira to get a space that will afford them the opportunity to help more
families in Ikorodu that have children with SPECIAL NEEDS.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">With a bigger space, they will also be able to train more
people that are willing to work with children with autism and related
disorders.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">How do you support?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 16pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">1. You can make a one time payment towards the new space that they want to get, and send whatever you can afford to:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">PISON CENTER<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">6220096558</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Fidelity Bank.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">They say “little drops make an ocean”, so please give what
you have. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">2. You can speak with Pison Therapy about fully sponsoring a child with special needs or part scholarship</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt;">3. You can volunteer to support them in renovations
after they get the new location<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt;"><br />
4. You can donate materials that they may need as they move to a bigger space<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">5. Also SUPPORT by sharing this
post on your Facebook, Twitter, </span><span style="font-size: 21.3333px;">LinkedIn</span><span style="font-size: 16pt;">, all over social media. Let’s show
some love to people with special needs, by supporting people that support them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">
<o:p></o:p>
</span><br />
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<br /></div>
</div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">THANK YOU!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">You can check out Pison Therepy Centre by visiting the centre
at <span style="background: white; color: #222222;">Block 6, Flat 8, Jubilee
Estate, Ikorodu</span>. You can also visit their website <a href="http://www.pisoncentre.com/">www.pisoncentre.com</a> to learn more about
them. They are on Facebook as Pison Therapi. You can speak with Joke Joshua on
+234-8026802565 or send an email to pisontherapy@yahoo.com.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Thank you and God bless.</span><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Autism Gisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13336587015914807512noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173340304970437120.post-6043290550570304862017-04-12T17:39:00.003-07:002017-04-12T17:57:50.859-07:00RIGHTS: I HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY!<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">Limitations in communication skill is a common sign of
autism; some people on the spectrum are nonverbal, some have speech but do not
communicate their needs, some just have challenges expressing their thoughts in
words, limiting their ability to hold a conversation. For this reason,
families, friends, caregivers train themselves to think for their loved ones on
the spectrum.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt;"><br /></span>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW0v4OuchgJG4fcZZ_Ilqtqkfqb241OpyqgT3FWsV2OUeTO2A4NZAR-hGEl6krEWCs2UOIpRHrxSub8lS1b7rIaP6hCua9gsogUvlSsErdHu-tQV_DclxMGKdwVz1BARHzXbpaUXz2e809/s1600/quotes-about-autism-1+andnextcomesl.com.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW0v4OuchgJG4fcZZ_Ilqtqkfqb241OpyqgT3FWsV2OUeTO2A4NZAR-hGEl6krEWCs2UOIpRHrxSub8lS1b7rIaP6hCua9gsogUvlSsErdHu-tQV_DclxMGKdwVz1BARHzXbpaUXz2e809/s320/quotes-about-autism-1+andnextcomesl.com.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">PHOTO CREDIT: andnextcomesl.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: 16pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As wonderful as that is, it is important to know that in
order to raise an independent adult living with autism, recognize that they
have a right to be heard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzbMfCR008eRS8EJxB5a4dG83PzCyMvY0OFCSYiQDCCnO8Sr0M3lgBo76lN_3chc_vD8gjdoadILIsln7qNOXsxmdboe1bSJw7rB-BMme04CXagUINW_hwYTZO2tuEIqs9xmM5kMfT0G4h/s1600/Autism_puzzle_image_NOT_BEING_ABLE_TO_SPEAK.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzbMfCR008eRS8EJxB5a4dG83PzCyMvY0OFCSYiQDCCnO8Sr0M3lgBo76lN_3chc_vD8gjdoadILIsln7qNOXsxmdboe1bSJw7rB-BMme04CXagUINW_hwYTZO2tuEIqs9xmM5kMfT0G4h/s1600/Autism_puzzle_image_NOT_BEING_ABLE_TO_SPEAK.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I always tell the story a young chap on the autism spectrum I
worked with a few years ago, who was very aggressive towards me, and showed self-injurious
behaviour. He would bite his wrist often, and he would attack me by jumping on
me and squeezing me with his strong bones (somehow children with autism have
very strong bones and plenty strength). Everybody would ask me if he wanted to
kill me, but I would insist that he had something to say. It turned out that he
was trying to say that he was hungry. By observing the behaviour, we recognized
what he was trying to say. We taught him to ask for food through sign language,
and because he was echolalic, he picked up on saying “I want to eat”. His
behaviour definitely improved, and his speech improved as well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Another little girl I worked with had always thrown a tantrum
in school, and the teacher had no clue how to stop the behaviour. When I started
working with her in school, I introduced pictures and Makaton sign language to
her, and she picked up the sign language faster than the pictures. One day,
while her teacher drank tea at her desk during break time, this little girl
walked up to her and signed “drink”. What a joy to behold.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Different children respond differently in communication skill
development, but one thing is sure, they all have something to say. They have a
RIGHT TO BE HEARD.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCf3sqLvp5UONlFCvMmDu0YQjEtnCL8tocw_G3LwmJeJN1gNAb65ZnYqpCMMoT3YwuB4hBcH6J-78Uk61o2lAgcgeKyBo1SmGDMQYG0xLlmqH_u6lXMu_EAPlao-2U0r9ksMlXhCfMfUbX/s1600/Temple-Grandin-Quote-04032014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCf3sqLvp5UONlFCvMmDu0YQjEtnCL8tocw_G3LwmJeJN1gNAb65ZnYqpCMMoT3YwuB4hBcH6J-78Uk61o2lAgcgeKyBo1SmGDMQYG0xLlmqH_u6lXMu_EAPlao-2U0r9ksMlXhCfMfUbX/s320/Temple-Grandin-Quote-04032014.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Temple Grandin quote courtesy pioneeringautism.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Being on the autism spectrum can be hard for some people, and
on the parents, but it is our duty as parents and professionals working with
them to empower them by giving them an avenue to be heard. Behaviour they say
is communication, but we cannot always assume what the behaviour is saying. It is
therefore important to start as early as possible to give a voice to our
children on the autism spectrum.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB7B-6ozH5v-w6k4iSEEhKswHoOcOBSh9gA5z7mRmB49soUk4L3eZ9nyTF1YU0VGQlQyMV6bSR8CxjpN4kxZnYbNAFIGcKzSuzuLH-uInNcwNx7Cntg1YoMMwoJakvVCLpT1f3xvn7pHTF/s1600/quotes-about-autism-8+andnextcomesl.com.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB7B-6ozH5v-w6k4iSEEhKswHoOcOBSh9gA5z7mRmB49soUk4L3eZ9nyTF1YU0VGQlQyMV6bSR8CxjpN4kxZnYbNAFIGcKzSuzuLH-uInNcwNx7Cntg1YoMMwoJakvVCLpT1f3xvn7pHTF/s320/quotes-about-autism-8+andnextcomesl.com.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo credit: here</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Many parents discourage the use of Augmentative and
Alternative Communication (AAC) for their children who are nonverbal or not yet
verbal, because they are afraid that the child may then not find a need to “talk”
(read about AAC <a href="http://adelolaonautism.blogspot.com.ng/2015/02/how-shall-i-communicate-with-you.html" target="_blank">here</a>). But in my experience, I have seen more children develop
speech after starting with AAC, and I have seen the nonverbal children being
empowered because they have been given an opportunity to express themselves.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">One communication aid may work for one child, and may not
work for another, but as parents and therapists, we should not give up till we
find what works. I usually advice to try different methods, so I use pictures
and sign language, while definitely encouraging speech. I have also used speech
apps on my phone before, although mostly for encouraging language. I find the
children picking what works for them, and I build on it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">If I did not know when I started my autism journey that
children with autism have something to say, in the last 7 years I have
experienced it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Having something to say may not just be “I want…”, it might
be I don’t like this, I don’t want to go, I want to go out, the noise here is
too much for me, this dress is disturbing my skin, the crowd is too much for me
to handle, I don’t like my teacher. It could simply be “I love you”, this one
is always a pleasure to hear or to read, or to infer based on the child’s
behaviour. Whatever the child is trying to say, it is important to empower them
as early as we can.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In achieving self-determination and autonomy in individuals
living with autism, remember people on the autism spectrum have a RIGHT TO BE
HEARD.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Autism Gisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13336587015914807512noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173340304970437120.post-24677025477782763092017-04-09T12:17:00.000-07:002017-04-12T17:49:59.973-07:00DANCE FOR AUTISM AWARENESS<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">How I spent my day yesterday…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I joined Patrick Speech and Languages Centre, TLP Centre,
Children Development Centre, and Autism Parents Association International, as
they chose to dance for autism.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvpjHr6kzH0nNMC6VkhpwQHKG_HMQ1bUfvewXiV6CwhNQTrfa5kBnTrXto-U98PZLlIOZNynaa1B4lS-svRqyTE0vqzigl2IWMAQvpkFmoFRSwPyqmRkogANVhiDHaqM5L3RYu57hWfPgD/s1600/FB_IMG_1491763173511.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvpjHr6kzH0nNMC6VkhpwQHKG_HMQ1bUfvewXiV6CwhNQTrfa5kBnTrXto-U98PZLlIOZNynaa1B4lS-svRqyTE0vqzigl2IWMAQvpkFmoFRSwPyqmRkogANVhiDHaqM5L3RYu57hWfPgD/s320/FB_IMG_1491763173511.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With Toyin Ala and Toke Olowo</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">It’s autism awareness month, and we will do whatever it takes
to create autism awareness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHN9t_Dsz5v7mzUkquK3x2AOQFDoMAdCI9CGRFDwujTxk6WJDwAhmw9LkvtFoU_rBVjflwqGynN3E4UL73Lyb491neMt2rJeMKxfOKwP1tYzJwnnbdqrQUks6zLKVJ_WMEjAbetg0yzSgy/s1600/FB_IMG_1491763165888.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHN9t_Dsz5v7mzUkquK3x2AOQFDoMAdCI9CGRFDwujTxk6WJDwAhmw9LkvtFoU_rBVjflwqGynN3E4UL73Lyb491neMt2rJeMKxfOKwP1tYzJwnnbdqrQUks6zLKVJ_WMEjAbetg0yzSgy/s320/FB_IMG_1491763165888.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With Toke Olowo of the Autism Awareness Place</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I particularly liked that they had stands where participants
could ask questions ranging from behaviour modification to speech therapy, to
diet and nutrition, to occupational therapy. Parents could speak to
professionals about challenges that they have with their children. People could
also learn more about autism by speaking to the professionals.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I had such an amazing time, and I would like to share clips
of it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Enjoy…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxGS7bltIJytLu5Q1qaJcn5Jpp1Idg06rkZ4t9fFgVcBm5fOx5KGtC8-Dj-_j_fzXn-yueKU8lvpabn7KH-cA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br />
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<br />Autism Gisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13336587015914807512noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173340304970437120.post-61452417029592645222017-04-06T10:08:00.002-07:002017-04-12T18:21:32.710-07:00RIGHTS: CAN A CHILD WITH AUTISM GO TO SCHOOL?<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">Autism is a lifelong disorder, so what that means is that a
child that has autism does not outgrow it. You cannot waaaaaait, and after some
years, there will be no trace of autism in the child.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So if you don’t wait, what will you do?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The theme for this year’s World Autism Awareness Day was
Towards Self-Determination and Autonomy. To achieve this, it’s important to
know and enforce the right of our children on the autism spectrum.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Did I say children? I actually mean people on the spectrum;
children, adolescents, young adults and adults on the autism spectrum. As
established, although autism starts at childhood, it continues throughout the
lifetime of the individual.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I digress… We are talking about RIGHTS of people on the
spectrum. And throughout this autism month, I’ll be sharing the different
rights that they have, that should be enforced for them to achieve
self-determination and autonomy. And we are starting with RIGHT TO EDUCATION.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi51ZA4ZsAlEsvWtMDUnGWfU-QYeudZRLzeW-xOUrfysNduPGYHfhNLmrF2SIdoToYZty07dFr_NlTGBjFAwA6wJpkiQ4pnlVWC9zwyaadjEjqZfyCssLwiSW6G0FL7rXZT5k4Jgl48opxP/s1600/education-is-the-most-powerful-weapon-which-you-can-use-to-change-the-world-quote-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi51ZA4ZsAlEsvWtMDUnGWfU-QYeudZRLzeW-xOUrfysNduPGYHfhNLmrF2SIdoToYZty07dFr_NlTGBjFAwA6wJpkiQ4pnlVWC9zwyaadjEjqZfyCssLwiSW6G0FL7rXZT5k4Jgl48opxP/s320/education-is-the-most-powerful-weapon-which-you-can-use-to-change-the-world-quote-1.jpg" width="242" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Well, as an educator, this had to be the first topic.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">All children have a right to education, at least that’s what
the Nigerian Constitution and the Child’s Right Act say. In fact, do you know that
the constitution clearly states that children with special needs have a right
to education? Well, yes it does.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">It’s one thing to have it on paper, it’s another thing to
enforce it. So what are we going to do about it?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">First of all, we need to acknowledge that children living
with autism in Nigeria have a right to be educated, to go to school.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">There are special schools dedicated to teaching and providing
therapy for children with autism and related disorders across the country. We
don’t have enough, but we celebrate the few people that have committed
themselves to the work, providing therapy for these dear ones. There are different
types of therapy; behaviour therapy, speech and language therapy, occupational
therapy, music therapy, and physical therapy are the basic therapies provided
at most centers. The academics of the children are not ignored, so based on
each child’s developmental level, they are taught in a way that they will
understand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">For centers that have teenagers and adults on the spectrum,
vocational skill training is very important. This is important for building an
independent adult. I know 2 young adults that have been exposed to training in
office skills, including filing, photocopying, printing, to mention a few. I
have seen people on the spectrum take interest in carpentry, leather works, art
works, and basket weaving.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Activities for daily living (ADL) is part of the training
from children to adults, taught at each pupil’s level. While a child may be on
the level of pulling down his shorts in the bathroom, an adult may need to
learn to clean the bathroom. While a child’s need is to feed independently, an
adult may need to learn to cook without supervision. ADL is tailored to meet
the needs of each individual.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Apart from special schools, there are mainstream schools that
support children with special needs, including autism. The school is expected
to have a Special Educational Needs (SEN) Department, designed to meet the
needs of each child with special needs in the school. Some children with autism
have facilitators that stay with them in class. This is referred to as
Inclusive Education or Inclusion.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Recently, I met a school owner who did not know that children
with autism could go to a mainstream school. And I know that there are many
other school owners or directors that do not know that children with autism can
go to mainstream schools.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">One major reason I advocate for inclusion in schools is
because it encourages an inclusive society, by teaching neurotypical children
that children with special needs are not less than them, and so they have
rights just like them. When neurotypical children think that children with
special needs have to be segregated, how do we convince them as adults that it
is okay to work in the same company as, or employ an individual with autism?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Working in an inclusive classroom, I have seen children and
teenagers support their classmates that are on the autism spectrum. Without having
a sibling with autism, they have learnt to love and accommodate other children
that are different from them, but desire love and support just like them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Another important reason I encourage schools to practice inclusive
education is that, having worked in special schools for children with autism, I
have actively been involved in preparing children on the spectrum for mainstream
education. When we realize that a child can transit to mainstream, some parents
have had challenges finding mainstream schools for their children. Some schools
would admit the child without providing any form of support for the child,
causing the child to regress.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">It is important to note that special schools are not dumping
grounds for children with autism; at special schools they are taught and
groomed, and often times prepared for mainstream education. It is therefore
important that we encourage mainstream schools to learn what it takes to
provide special education for children with autism, and provide quality
education for these children.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Why should they bother, you ask?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Because children with autism have a RIGHT TO EDUCATION, not
just any education, but QUALITY EDUCATION.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I have an old article on the blog (ninety-nine or one) about
the need for inclusive education. Click <a href="http://adelolaonautism.blogspot.com.ng/2014/06/" target="_blank">here</a> to read it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Thank you.</span></div>
Autism Gisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13336587015914807512noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173340304970437120.post-3532150694961716782017-04-02T09:19:00.005-07:002017-04-02T09:19:49.791-07:00TOWARDS SELF-DETERMINATION AND AUTONOMY<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">It’s April 2, and it’s World Autism Awareness Day (WAAD) and
I am lighting it up BLUE!!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrjPoWO5BVFeFdBW1JvJarBrNpm5CLvZLDVZSA7xra3gZCmFfDPHFn5WMYDyjc_JLb2XppwmxwXR5Osm-BIT4ERaX8oKfrgCvFIoOlS8FdSSRiJYWVLNNPdhaB8lXLa85rYbG-lZjv6uLN/s1600/IMG-20170402-WA0021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrjPoWO5BVFeFdBW1JvJarBrNpm5CLvZLDVZSA7xra3gZCmFfDPHFn5WMYDyjc_JLb2XppwmxwXR5Osm-BIT4ERaX8oKfrgCvFIoOlS8FdSSRiJYWVLNNPdhaB8lXLa85rYbG-lZjv6uLN/s320/IMG-20170402-WA0021.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The theme for this year’s WAAD is “Towards Self-Determination
and Autonomy”. To achieve autonomy for a person on the spectrum, independence and
an inclusive society are very important. People with autism need your love and
care. Although they are different, they are not less than us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAyu8uD4Lm0gZtRfnpgis3XIaVPAE71x91I0v1FS_h3ixKRLXUJccRQpWKOvt3WgLMZ4z_PVPcpee2g-lQwCaGJAYB_VwdlINXJxtS1lV-2tIqKoboaxVp5CQNslEzMuD5qpMHbcwa1luM/s1600/Love.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAyu8uD4Lm0gZtRfnpgis3XIaVPAE71x91I0v1FS_h3ixKRLXUJccRQpWKOvt3WgLMZ4z_PVPcpee2g-lQwCaGJAYB_VwdlINXJxtS1lV-2tIqKoboaxVp5CQNslEzMuD5qpMHbcwa1luM/s1600/Love.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Make a decision today to love and support people with autism
around you. Support their families as well. This way, we can create an
inclusive society for them; a society that accommodates their difference, that accommodates
and meets their needs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In raising an independent adult on the spectrum, there is
need for therapy (behaviour, speech and language, and occupational therapy
among others) and parental support. Parents need to encourage their children on
the autism spectrum daily, as they learn basic skills that are important for
daily living.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">To encourage Self-Determination and Autonomy for individuals
with autism, we need to understand their rights and encourage them. This month
on the blog, we will be learning about those rights and what part we ought to
play.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj97Ef9MRWiC_EsJrm33f_qDFbyiDL5-FDR1hNJrI5Zb4jdtZi0gH9_CX94XEwuhhuso2CBR7BockyKokCdOVTD1hXj8aJHnaoD59xbjxgc1nKVH_Df6CMUjLbp4FtgzjRjsCUUVK3qOx_j/s1600/IMG-20170402-WA0018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj97Ef9MRWiC_EsJrm33f_qDFbyiDL5-FDR1hNJrI5Zb4jdtZi0gH9_CX94XEwuhhuso2CBR7BockyKokCdOVTD1hXj8aJHnaoD59xbjxgc1nKVH_Df6CMUjLbp4FtgzjRjsCUUVK3qOx_j/s320/IMG-20170402-WA0018.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Also on the blog this month, we will be celebrating certain
organizations that support people on the autism spectrum, especially children.
You don’t want to miss that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">More than that, for people that do not have children on the
autism spectrum, we will be learning ways that we can support children with
autism and other related disorders. What parts can we play? How can we help? You
need to stay tune to know these.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">This blog will be active, and I hope you will available to
read and share on social media. You don’t know who you will be helping by
sharing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">OTHER GISTS!<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The month of April is dedicated to autism awareness around
the world, and there are so many activities across the country towards this
purpose.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">On April 8, Autism Gist with Adelola will be joining Patrick
Speech and Languages Centre and other autism stakeholders and supporters to
dance for Autism awareness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB6a2tXfxoVkxekN1_Gu1q1AL24_sxo8hfM1oPa_Sp_EgyhqsJtkk8-KfV_Y9R44V8WRSyhByxAku0o7CyTzS4vFhtD9eDDqbluCbW2W2PaDh4MRV5XuXF_GefbsehS_BMU9GQPLyWm6eL/s1600/Dance+for+Autism.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB6a2tXfxoVkxekN1_Gu1q1AL24_sxo8hfM1oPa_Sp_EgyhqsJtkk8-KfV_Y9R44V8WRSyhByxAku0o7CyTzS4vFhtD9eDDqbluCbW2W2PaDh4MRV5XuXF_GefbsehS_BMU9GQPLyWm6eL/s320/Dance+for+Autism.jpg" width="214" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Apart from that, Thursday April 20 to Saturday the 22nd, I
will be at the Pure Soul’s Learning Foundation’s FREE THERAPY OUTREACH. It is a
free consultation program for families in Lagos and its environs who cannot
afford therapy for their children with autism and related disorders.
Paediatricians, psychiatrists, psychologists, speech and language therapists,
occupational therapists, behaviour analysts/therapists, nutritionists, among
others will be present to assess and proffer solutions for parents and siblings
on how to meet the needs of these individuals on the spectrum.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6iFSV1-7PDNJPImX9Ase0PWg0hMe-GObi7-kxmMjQHx1RB5rhxBPZ83VtX5-8JJom0kHxtMrCGAjOyOodqFjt31mJg_eMxlc-DFXaTEk2Bn4WMfK-57NTw32uQHUJrk-_11iL_aWETQo4/s1600/Consultation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6iFSV1-7PDNJPImX9Ase0PWg0hMe-GObi7-kxmMjQHx1RB5rhxBPZ83VtX5-8JJom0kHxtMrCGAjOyOodqFjt31mJg_eMxlc-DFXaTEk2Bn4WMfK-57NTw32uQHUJrk-_11iL_aWETQo4/s320/Consultation.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Please spread the word. You may never know who you will be
helping by spreading awareness. Thank you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Before I forget, HAPPY WORLD AUTISM AWARENESS DAY!!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Autism Gisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13336587015914807512noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173340304970437120.post-37507865310757216662017-03-24T14:09:00.000-07:002017-03-29T16:58:33.860-07:00In Other News: Let's Talk Cerebral Palsy<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Growing up, my first information about cerebral palsy was
from Nollywood comedies. Nigerian movies would have one character who was
regarded an “imbecile”, that would have no control of his limbs and mouth, and
would drool. These characters would walk funny and talk funny.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">When I grew older, and I volunteered at an autism centre, and
then met a child who had cerebral palsy and autism, I became so angry with
those comedies. I was angry because rather than get educated about the disorder
and create positive awareness about it, these people were compounding the issue
and increasing stigmatization about cerebral palsy and other developmental
disorders.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So what exactly is <b>CEREBRAL
PALSY</b>?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Cerebral palsy (CP) is a disorder that affects body movement,
muscle tone, muscle coordination, muscle control, posture, balance, reflex, and
motor skills. It occurs when there is a damage to the brain before birth,
during birth, or during the first 3 years of life; at these times, the brain is
still developing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">There are different types of CP; spastic CP causes stiffness
and movement difficulties, athetoid CP leads to involuntary and uncontrolled
movements, while ataxic CP causes a problem with balance and depth perception.
Some people with CP have a mixture of 2 types, and this is called Mixed CP
(simple, right?)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrytDn6i4xyzk5qpb1epk0trIcvnuKVAAizmTW_HRoMBXugndRpZwbjm95SCwSjyUOr_fpWLidwN2kLKw3gCm2B8sHW83LLjFnaM3G9kKkSp68Oas1t3gxxSaajAQz1PVrQBvfqWIEM3gR/s1600/Nweke.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrytDn6i4xyzk5qpb1epk0trIcvnuKVAAizmTW_HRoMBXugndRpZwbjm95SCwSjyUOr_fpWLidwN2kLKw3gCm2B8sHW83LLjFnaM3G9kKkSp68Oas1t3gxxSaajAQz1PVrQBvfqWIEM3gR/s320/Nweke.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Founder Cerebral Palsy Center, Nonye Nweke and her daughter Zim<br />
photo credit: Mrs. Nonye Nweke</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Like autism, cerebral palsy ranges from mild to severe, so
some people with CP are more limited than others. I have worked directly with
at least 3 children with CP; 1 of them could walk without aid, one walked with
braces, and 1 had no control of his limbs. Cerebral palsy affects standing,
sitting, walking, talking, eating, and many other things depending on the
individual. For some people with CP, the condition may also cause hearing or
visual impairment, and speech limitations.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Although some children with CP may have learning
disabilities, many of them are able to successfully learn and build a career.
Like I said earlier, I have worked directly with 3, and 1 of them in particular
was very intelligent, even though he could not walk, use his hands, or control
his mouth muscles to talk.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKZSoJM5d2gaKId669mKNXMWu58-YxiJHMbMenuNRYOwUc3BR2bqNE5P9K1cq2fBfmzNylS8Xzrf8qbyJ07du57sHW9INz6VJzluaCOyz38lYCe7YI4qnG9boa3CQxlADeHE4-ZZ7raWuw/s1600/Farida-Bedwei-Under-40-CEOs-1-bellanaija.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKZSoJM5d2gaKId669mKNXMWu58-YxiJHMbMenuNRYOwUc3BR2bqNE5P9K1cq2fBfmzNylS8Xzrf8qbyJ07du57sHW9INz6VJzluaCOyz38lYCe7YI4qnG9boa3CQxlADeHE4-ZZ7raWuw/s320/Farida-Bedwei-Under-40-CEOs-1-bellanaija.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Farida Bedwei<br />
photo credit: www.bellanaija.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In 2015, at the International Conference on Disability in
Lagos, one of the speakers was Farida Bedwei, a Ghanaian who has CP and is
the owner of a major IT firm in Ghana. I have a friend who has CP, and is a
lawyer and a disability advocate; Tobiloba Ajayi is also a Mandela Washington
Fellow. Both Farida and Tobiloba attended mainstream schools, not special
schools.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2-d5-PePkWqP_s-h6ET-ULPaH-h0oRzTAvyxp5HGZR7AkOuI26Pxi7kzwqnqI4es0SS2ce68MAfgkO7FT3c8T5fS3QKF1WnQAgQMpfwljRF-ddaViKy8JFH15VRQzO40UhHzDCA-hsLm7/s1600/Tobiloba.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2-d5-PePkWqP_s-h6ET-ULPaH-h0oRzTAvyxp5HGZR7AkOuI26Pxi7kzwqnqI4es0SS2ce68MAfgkO7FT3c8T5fS3QKF1WnQAgQMpfwljRF-ddaViKy8JFH15VRQzO40UhHzDCA-hsLm7/s1600/Tobiloba.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tobiloba Ajayi<br />
photo credit: MWF2016 Impact Story</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And that is why I am angry with the image Nollywood gave of
CP, because Cerebral Palsy is not comedy. The stigmatization of CP kids is one
major reason schools do not know that these children can learn. Parents of
children that have cerebral palsy need to know that there’s help for their
child, even though he/she has special needs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">There is currently no cure for CP, but there are therapies
that can help the child achieve maximum potential in growth and development.
Physiotherapy and occupational therapy can help to improve motor skills,
sitting, and movement. Speech therapy is also known to help with speech
limitations. Like it is with autism, there are devices and apps that assist
individuals with CP with communication. And as is said, love is the biggest
form of therapy, because it is the foundation for all therapies. Stigmatization
of people with CP should be stopped, and we should love them instead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTmWXMnsvx3yZOWo6VHkbYF4XEjWiuC48EtkvPKVKCZFobVeAajCUUAuxT68f7-8omUgUcjXhWZYcRXdpNSS1h4YAYqLs_o-SLtoEwibPoiOA2O1TftRGsC4eLNHqf_DandNY15XOFs70U/s1600/Therapy+cont.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTmWXMnsvx3yZOWo6VHkbYF4XEjWiuC48EtkvPKVKCZFobVeAajCUUAuxT68f7-8omUgUcjXhWZYcRXdpNSS1h4YAYqLs_o-SLtoEwibPoiOA2O1TftRGsC4eLNHqf_DandNY15XOFs70U/s320/Therapy+cont.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Physical therapy for a child with CP<br />
photo credit: Cerebral Palsy Center</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Tomorrow (March 25) is Cerebral Palsy Awareness Day, and the Cerebral
Palsy Centre (CPC) in Lagos is organizing a walk for CP by 8 a.m from the National Stadium. My friend Tobiloba
Ajayi is also organizing a seminar (and launching her third book. Whoop!), with
the theme Inclusive Mainstream Education for children with CP at Ikeja by 11 a.m.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I have seen
children with CP learn, and I have seen adults with CP who are successful
because they were given a chance to be all that they can be, without focusing
on what they could not do.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The Cerebral Palsy Centre is doing an amazing work,
especially helping children with CP whose parents have abandoned.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Benola Cerebral Palsy Initiative is also doing an amazing work creating awareness,
encouraging an inclusive society, and providing support for individuals with
CP.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">You don’t need to have a child with CP to help children with
CP and their families. Support these people that have become a voice for
individuals with CP in Nigeria.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">You can reach Benola by visiting their website <a href="http://www.benola.org/">www.benola.org</a> and reach the Cerebral Palsy
Centre on their website <a href="http://www.cpcenter.com.ng/" target="_blank">www.cpcenter.com.ng</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Autism Gisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13336587015914807512noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173340304970437120.post-43182736614178088622017-03-09T04:31:00.002-08:002017-03-09T09:20:43.195-08:00Taking Advantage of Technology<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Sometime in 2013 or so, at the GTB Autism Awareness Seminar,
there was a man that spoke with us about how children with autism in the US
were doing well with iPad apps. A few Nigerians that could afford iPads bought
for their children, and schools also invested in iPads. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Unfortunately, quite a number of Nigerian families cannot afford an iPad, but at least
the middle class families can afford smart phones, android tablets, and the
likes. For a long time, these families did not know that their children on the
spectrum could benefit from these smart devices they possessed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Last year April, I attended the Autism Society West Africa
(ASWA) Conference, and a group called Autism Ambassadors of Ghana gave a talk
on how children with autism are responding well to technology. From their
talks, I appreciated that there are apps on smart phones that can be useful for
individuals on the spectrum. The group has an amazing app called Autism Aid App
on Google Play store (I use it in my work). It gives information on autism, so
you can use it for awareness; it has pictures, numbers, alphabets, which you
can use to teach or for PECs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC-q36AoZYWcZfnE3w_KmDCRLN9e4P_BEvdD-jE6KxP9kl962YnmcVdQQ_7vlHoolpDfRk-EY-A45Sqr9BRecgNlsnf0zMKESJ96ZsbOn7fFaFIQYMwbvS0HhDaYA6KyRjeyiOeeGRcJDU/s1600/autism+aid+app.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC-q36AoZYWcZfnE3w_KmDCRLN9e4P_BEvdD-jE6KxP9kl962YnmcVdQQ_7vlHoolpDfRk-EY-A45Sqr9BRecgNlsnf0zMKESJ96ZsbOn7fFaFIQYMwbvS0HhDaYA6KyRjeyiOeeGRcJDU/s1600/autism+aid+app.png" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Different apps serve different purposes for children on the
spectrum, and they respond differently to different apps. I was sharing with a
mom recently on how a child could respond well to a particular app, and may not
do well with another app that has a similar function. Although they respond
differently to different apps, I can say that working with apps with children
makes learning more fun. I use apps that they like as reinforcers when they do
well in tasks that they don’t like.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background: white; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Apps can be used to build communication
skills, cognitive skills, and attention skills in children. I am a huge fan of
puzzles, because the kids I work with pick up fast on puzzles, building their
cognitive skills. With puzzles I can teach about animals, object
identification, fruits, numbers, letter sounds, almost anything. I have seen
children improve in attention skills as we use apps on iPads and on my Android
phone (yea, I use my phone).<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="background: white; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Communication apps help the child to
communicate, so the child will be happier and tantrums will reduce. The most
popular communication app seems to be the Proloquo2Go, but there are others
that you can pay for and some that are free. The iCommunicate, iComm, My Talk
Tools, Look2Learn are examples of apps that serve as Augmentative and </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 21.3333px;">Alternative</span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 21.3333px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16pt;"> Communication (AAC) tools on the iPad. I mentioned in a previous
post that AACs help not only to give an alternative to speech, but many
children on the spectrum have built speech and language skills by using
alternative forms of communication (Read about that </span><a href="http://adelolaonautism.blogspot.com.ng/2015_02_01_archive.html" style="font-size: 16pt;" target="_blank">here</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16pt;">). On Android, there is
the Touch and Speak app that you download for free and upgrade by paying a fee.
LetMe Talk, Diego Says App, iToucan Talk, TalkinPictures are examples of AAC
apps that you can find on Android.</span></div>
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<br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 21.3333px;">Apps can also be used to teach self-help skills, literacy/reading, Maths skills, in fact almost anything you want.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 21.3333px;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The major way to know about apps that you
can use to meet a particular need is by referral (someone telling you) or
searching online. But one thing I do is search “autism” on iPad App store or the
Google Play store for my Android. I find so many options, and then I can pick
anyone, whether it’s free or I have to buy. You can try that too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDV46_ps8Rmkw3udZxtQ5WIXH5dJut-RgDHThJaXk13QpFw1o8NkOn1R7YEaLJwaOPc2jxtyFIXcoMOJ5_ygdxA7wI9bfeI6QVjqMQYC49k_FtoqOOC4j5MFTnzxjtgSSH1O9z5GILQinN/s1600/Apple+images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDV46_ps8Rmkw3udZxtQ5WIXH5dJut-RgDHThJaXk13QpFw1o8NkOn1R7YEaLJwaOPc2jxtyFIXcoMOJ5_ygdxA7wI9bfeI6QVjqMQYC49k_FtoqOOC4j5MFTnzxjtgSSH1O9z5GILQinN/s1600/Apple+images.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As good as using apps are, they can be abused. It is
important to know what exactly you want to address in your child before
downloading or buying an app. Apps are not a cure for autism, they are tools
that go hand in hand with therapy. Interact with your child’s therapist, decide
together on what apps you need for your child based on what you want to
achieve. Sometimes the use of a particular app is to engage your child while
you are busy, while some other apps are meant to build specific skills, as
mentioned earlier.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Another thing to watch out for is addiction. Apps are
predictable for our children on the spectrum, and can therefore be addictive.
It fits their lifestyle of stereotypes and routine. In my opinion, it is
important to put structure in how they use gadgets and devices, except it is
being used as an AAC tool. For example, you can tell your child that he can
get, let’s say the tab, or he can play a particular game when he is done with
another activity. Even when I reinforce with an app, I decide how long I want
the child to have it, and I insist that we change activity (off course, with a
promise that he/she will get the device back when we are done with the next
activity). Like I said earlier, the children I work with love puzzles, so I
have to decide how long we want to fix puzzles for.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Although gadgets, devices, apps are not miracle workers, I personally
have seen how well children on the autism spectrum respond to them, so I use
them and encourage others to do so too. If a child does not like a particular
activity, I try another one. I know I will eventually find one that the child
will like, and I can use to achieve the goal I have set.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I hope this helps. I wish you an "Appfull" day with your child
#BigSmile.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Autism Gisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13336587015914807512noreply@blogger.com0