Activity Schedules for Children With Autism: Teaching Independent Behavior (Topics in Autism) (Topics in Autism)
by Lynn E., Ph.D. McClannahan
from Woodbine House
Activity schedules-simple, yet revolutionary teaching tools-enable children with autism to accomplish activities with greatly reduced adult supervision.
An activity schedule is a set of pictures or words that cues a child to follow a sequence of activities. When activity schedules are mastered, children are more self-directed and purposeful in their home, school, and leisure activities-doing puzzles, interacting with classmates, and preparing food with minimal assistance from adults. In Activity Schedules for Children with Autism, parents and professionals find detailed instructions and examples to help them: assess a child's readiness to use activity schedules; prepare an activity schedule; understand graduated guidance; monitor progress; expand social skills; and progress to written schedules.
Based on a decade of research conducted at the Princeton Child Development Institute, Activity Schedules for Children with Autism offers a proven teaching tool to help children with autism make effective use of unstructured time, handle changes in routine with more ease, and choose among an established set of activities independently. It can be used successfully with young children, adolescents, and adults, rewarding them with more control over their lives.
Functional Behavior Assessment for People With Autism: Making Sense of Seemingly Senseless Behavior (Topics in Autism)
by Beth A., Ph.D. Glasberg
from Woodbine House
It's not unusual for people with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) to exhibit challenging behaviors including noncompliance, aggression, and repetitive actions that interfere with daily life. These behaviors, which appear meaningless, unproductive, or even dangerous, can be changed or stopped.
This guide describes functional behavior assessment (FBA), a highly regarded strategy that parents and professionals can use to identify the factors contributing to the problem behavior. As the book explains, children and adults with ASDs are susceptible to unwanted behaviors due to difficulties with communication skills, social skills, and narrow interests. For example, a nonverbal adult engages in head-banging to obtain beads reserved for times when he needs calming; a child with social skills deficits inappropriately seeks attention by hitting classmates; or an adolescent hyperfocused on one tv program irritates everyone by constantly talking about it. An FBA helps to determine what purpose the behavior serves for the individual and the specific circumstances that led to learning the behavior in the first place. Later on, the assessment is used to develop an intervention plan to help the individual unlearn the behavior.
Anyone can learn the basics of FBA. The book's step-by-step explanations, forms, and case studies make it easy for parents and professionals to:
- Decide which challenging behavior to address
- Select members of an FBA team
- Measure behavior
- Gather information from other observers
- Establish a baseline
- Observe a problem behavior
- Test the hypothesis about the function of the behavior
- Begin to plan for an intervention
- Troubleshoot
Early Communication Skills for Children With Down Syndrome: A Guide for Parents and Professionals
by Libby Kumin
from Woodbine House
For children with Down syndrome, communicating is just as urgent and essential as it is for anyone else. In the newly updated and expanded edition of Communication Skills in Children with Down Syndrome, Libby Kumin offers comprehensive, authoritative, and practical advice based on her nearly 25 years of firsthand experience with kids with Down syndrome. She explains the role of a SLP, the stages of communication development, and how certain characteristics of Down syndrome, such as low muscle tone, hearing loss, and cognitive delays, can slow progression of those skills. Delays can lead to frustration and other problems for children who do not have intelligible speech until age 2 or later.
EARLY COMMUNICATION SKILLS FOR CHILDREN WITH DOWN SYNDROME focuses on speech and language development from birth through the stage of making 3-word phrases, which is often around kindergarten age, but can occur later. This book offers a wealth of information on intelligibility issues, hearing loss, apraxia (difficulty planning oral-motor movements), and other factors that affect communication for children with Down syndrome. It explains how to prepare for and understand the results of speech-language assessment, and goes on to describe what to expect in the years ahead when a child enters elementary school.
Throughout the new edition, the author incorporates the latest research on Down syndrome and communication development. She has added new chapters on high- and low-tech augmentative and alternative communication options, as well as articulation and literacy (how reading aids in the learning of language, speech, and auditory skills). New checklists on evaluating and treating speech problems, and numerous home activities designed to help children master each stage of communication development have also been added.
Fine Motor Skills for Children With Down Syndrome: A Guide for Parents And Professionals (Topics in Down Syndrome)
by Maryanne Bruni
from Woodbine House
The popular book, Fine Motor Skills for Children with Down Syndrome is now available in an expanded new edition. Written by an occupational therapist who has worked extensively with children with Down syndrome, and is also the mother a teenager with Down syndrome, this book explains the best practices and procedures for helping children master daily living skills for home, school, and an independent future. \n\nThe author presents a thorough overview of the building blocks of fine motor development and how the characteristics of Down syndrome can impact the acquisition and progression of fine motor skills. \n\nShe also explains the building blocks of fine motor development:\n\nStability \nBilateral coordination \nSensation \nDexterity \nEarly arm and hand control \nAnd important daily living skills for home and school:\nDressing & grooming \nEating & drinking \nCutting \nGrasping a pencil \nPreprinting skills \nDrawing \nPrinting \nCursive handwriting \nThere are instructions for dozens of easy home- and school-based activities, which help children gradually overcome delays and learn the fine motor skills mentioned above. The author suggests ways for parents to incorporate these exercises into as many day-to-day activities as possible, recognizing how impractical it is to constantly be in ?therapy? mode with a child. \nNew material includes a chapter on problems with sensory processing for those who are over- or under-responsive to touch, or have unexpected reactions to sound, pain, or other sensations. Being aware of these sensitivities can open pathways to better behavior and responsiveness to therapy. Also new is information about a critical developmental step--determining when a child is ready for preprinting activities. These and many other additions make this the most up-to-date, comprehensive resource on fine motor development for children with Down syndrome.
Visual Supports for People with Autism: A Guide for Parents and Professionals (Topics in Autism)
by Marlene J. Cohen
from Woodbine House
(2008 IPPY Awards: Bronze Medalist, Education/Academic/Testing)
Most of us use visual supports in our daily lives--for example, a shopping list, calendar, or a roadmap. Visual supports are particularly beneficial to people with autism because they help make abstract concepts concrete and capitalize on the user's inherent visual learning strengths.
VISUAL SUPPORTS FOR PEOPLE WITH AUTISM shows parents and educators how incorporating these aids while teaching can improve academic performance, behavior, interaction with others, and self-help skills. In a friendly, conversational-style, the authors, both certified behavior analysts, describe the deficits typical of autism--language, memory, temporal sequential skills, attention, motivation, and social skills--and present strategies to use visual supports to address those issues at school and home.
This guide presents an abundance of examples, illustrated by dozens of black & white and color photos, including: activity schedules; calendars; charts; checklists; color coding; flip books; graphic organizers; mnemonics; nametags; photo boards; Power Cards; scripts; Social Stories; to-do lists; and video modeling.
VISUAL SUPPORTS also explains considerations such as portability, durability, preferences, age appropriateness, and effectiveness. While visual supports can enhance learning, they should, however, eventually be eliminated to avoid over-dependence on them. An entire chapter describes different ways to fade visual supports.
With this book, there's no limit to what can be taught, from fostering social interaction by using a graphic organizer of conversational talking points to learning to put away toys from video modeling. Most of the visual supports presented in this book are low-tech and easy-to-use, making it simple for parents and professionals to create their own, suited to the needs of their students. Inspiring success stories will further motivate parents and professionals to get started.
A Picture's Worth: PECS and Other Visual Communication Strategies in Autism (Topics in Autism)
by Andy, Ph.D. Bondy
from Woodbine House
Most young children with autism have significant delays in acquiring communication skills, a hallmark characteristic of autism. But with intensive early intervention and Applied Behavior Analysis techniques, children can be taught how to communicate successfully, even before they acquire the ability to use speech.
A PICTURE'S WORTH examines the value of non-verbal communication strategies for children with autism, and presents the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) in detail. PECS is a communication system that allows a child to use a picture (or series of pictures) to express his needs and desires without a prompt or cue from another person. Authors Bondy and Frost co-developed PECS during many years of experience working with children with autism, and now share their expertise in this easy-to-understand guide for parents.
After a thorough review of verbal communication development, A PICTURE'S WORTH explains how autism affects the acquisition and progression of those skills. Without the ability to express themselves, children with autism experience a high level of frustration, which is the root cause of many undesirable behaviors. The book explores the relationship between behavior and communication, teaching parents how to recognize patterns in their own child's behavior and when to begin a visual communication program such as PECS.
The authors recommend that parents teach PECS in a succession of six phases. Each phase builds on the previous one, until a child is capable of constructing sentences with pictures to make requests and comments about his surroundings. The book provides many real-life case studies, along with a complete series of lessons, from beginner to more advanced PECS techniques.
There is no minimum age or cognitive level required for a child to begin learning PECS. While PECS is frequently used with children who are non-verbal, it has been used effectively with kids who speak, but do not initiate communication. And contrary to many parents' concerns, PECS does not inhibit a child's ability to acquire and use speech. A PICTURE'S WORTH promises the opportunity for most children with autism to acquire meaningful and effective communication skills.
Gross Motor Skills in Children With Down Syndrome: A Guide for Parents and Professionals (Topics in Down Syndrome)
by Patricia C. Winders
from Woodbine House
Children with Down syndrome master basic gross motor skills-everything from rolling over to running-just as their peers do, but may need additional help. This guide illustrates more than 100 activities for parents and professionals to practice with children from birth through age six. Checklists allow readers to plan and track a child's progress.
Self-Help Skills for People with Autism: A Systematic Teaching Approach (Topics in Autism)
by Stephen R. Anderson
from Woodbine House
(2008 IPPY Award: Bronze Medalist, Psychology/Mental Health)
Learning self-help skills (eating, dressing, toileting, and personal hygiene) can be challenging for people with autism, but is essential for independence. SELF-HELP SKILLS FOR PEOPLE WITH AUTISM thoroughly describes a systematic approach that parents and educators can use to teach basic self-care to children, ages 24 months to early teens, and even older individuals.
With an encouraging tone, the authors--behavior analysts and psychologists--emphasize that it's worthwhile to devote the extra time and effort now to teach skills rather than have your child be forever dependent on others. The many case studies throughout SELF-HELP SKILLS depict individuals with deficits in specific self-care tasks, and demonstrate how a coordinated and systematic approach is effective in teaching more complex skills. For example, a 12-year-old with the self-feeding skills of a toddler (who was excluded from the school cafeteria), is taught to stay at the table to eat a full meal using utensils.
The book's beginning chapters explain the teaching process in detail: Specify the target skill to be taught after prioritizing the self-care tasks that are most important and will likely have the greatest success rate; Use task analysis to break complex skills into a series of small steps that will later be linked together to form the more complex skill; Apply a systematic approach to instruction that consistently employs proven methods for teaching people with autism including verbal prompting, reinforcers/rewards, chaining, graduated guidance, shaping, modeling, visual supports, etc.; Monitor progress by collecting and analyzing data; Modify the approach as needed to achieve the target goal.
A chapter is devoted to each of the four skill areas (eating, dressing, toileting, personal hygiene) offering detailed insight and specific instruction strategies. Appendices contain forms to complete for task analyses, instructional plans, and data collection.
The Girlfriends' Guide to Pregnancy: Or everything your doctor won't tell you
by Vicki Iovine
from Pocket
Beginning with the "10 Greatest Lies About Pregnancy" (number 10: Lamaze works), and ending with postpartum dementia, Vicki Iovine's Girlfriends' Guide to Pregnancy has fast become the laywoman's mouthpiece for the American pregnancy experience. Iovine is irreverent, sassy, and incredibly reassuring as she exposes the "truths" of pregnancy and childbirth, from sex to cellulite to cesareans. Iovine birthed four kids in six years, none of them twins, which certainly qualifies her as an expert. The Girlfriends' Guide to Pregnancy does reveal Iovine's particular cultural biases (pregnant or not, most of us don't have record-producer husbands, hang out with supermodels, or wear size-four pants) and philosophical beliefs (she's not a particularly strong proponent of natural childbirth or nursing), but, taken with a grain or two of salt, she provides many hilarious moments, acres of advice, and honest reassurance readers will find nowhere else. --Ericka Lutz
When you need a reassuring voice or just a few good belly laughs, turn to...
The Girlfriends' Interactive Guide to Pregnancy
Month by Month...
- Based on your due date, this CD-ROM is customized to YOUR pregnancy!
Your Body...
- Visiting the doctor
- To exercise or not to exercise... Is it REALLY a good idea?
- Sex ?!?!?!?!
- The Dos and Don'ts of Maternity Dressing.
- Reality Check... what changes are temporary and which are permanent.
Your Mind...
- An honest, up-close look at Pregnancy Insanity.
- Partner Support... how to make sure you get what you need.
- Insight and opinions on dealing with life post-delivery.
Getting Prepared...
- What to pack for the hospital.
- Design your baby's nursery.
- Educate Dad-to-Be on how to prepare the nest for your return.
- Choosing your pediatrician.
Your Baby...
- Nine months of fetal development... sonograms and in-vitro photos.
- From labor to birth... what to really expect!
- Gene Genie... What could YOUR baby look like??
- Choose a name with meaning... or at least one that sounds good!
For Dads, too!
- Games, trivia, "honey-do" lists and all sorts of fatherhood information.
System Requirements for Windows®:
486/33 MHz PC processor or faster
Windows 3.1 or Windowsâ 95
4 MB of RAM or better
256 color VGA board or better
SoundBlaster® 16 or 100% compatible audio board
2X CD-Rom drive or faster
System Requirements for Macintosh:
Performa 550 or Power Macintosh
25MHz/6840 or faster
System 7.1 or better
8 MB of RAM or better
256 color VGA board or better
SoundBlaster® 16 or 100% compatible audio board
2X CD-Rom drive or faster
Right from the Start: Behavioral Intervention for Young Children with Autism, second edition (Topics in Autism)
by Ph.D. Sandra L. Harris
from Woodbine House
Parents of young children (ages 18 months to 5 years) with a diagnosis of autism, face the critical decision of which educational treatment program to choose for their child. To help guide them through this complex decision-making process, parents can turn to the revised and updated edition of RIGHT FROM THE START, which covers programs that use Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention, a highly effective treatment based on Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). New information includes the latest research on the benefits of Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention, the types of instruction used (naturalistic instruction and other teaching methods that complement ABA), home-based professionals and their credentials, school-based programs, and more. An Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention program consists of concentrated instruction (at least 40 hours a week) and can be based in the child's home, at a center (private or university), or more recently, in public schools. Besides the setting, there are many other variables to consider when evaluating a program, and RIGHT FROM THE START thoroughly explores those, including: age of the child; access to typically developing peers; curriculum; teaching strategies; team member credentials; time demands; family finances; home support services; supervision and accountability; behavior management; control over the child's education; visual and auditory distractions; availability of multidisciplinary team. Many preschoolers who receive Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention make good progress and may go on to be included with their typically developing peers in elementary school. Comprehensive in its coverage and full of personal insight, RIGHT FROM THE START is an essential primer to help families explore the options and select the educational treatment program that best suits them and their child's needs. The many professionals who work closely with these families can also benefit from reading
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