April is Autism Awareness Month
THE SURVIVAL GUIDE FOR KIDS WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS (AND THEIR PARENTS), by Elizabeth Verdick and Elizabeth Reeve, M.D.
More children’s books about AUTISM!
Books about mighty Autistic girls…
Well, what is Autism? Good question. “It is estimated that one in 68 children are now diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum disorder. And yet, this diagnosis remains as misunderstood as ever.” Autism is called a “spectrum disorder” because it “actually covers a wide scope of complex disorders in brain development.” No two people with autism spectrum disorder are alike. Think of it like an “original recipe” containing similar ingredients, each with different measurements and some ommissions. People with Autism may require different amounts of support, Level 1 up through Level 3 for their daily activities.
Kids with complex spectrum disorders are referred to as “neurodivergent” because their brains are different. Many famous folks have this difference. Being different can be a superpower if you figure out how to harness it.
DIFFERENT: A GREAT THING TO BE! by Heather Avis and Sarah Mensinga
There is a lot of resources and information about Autism. Here are a few:
https://iacc.hhs.gov/meetings/autism-awareness-month/2022/
https://www.pacer.org
https://ausm.org
https://islandsofbrilliance.org
Social Emotional Learning (SEL)
Laugh and Learn books (for all kids)
Most kids learn the social rules by playing and interacting with peers and adults. A lot of this is through “non-verbal” language. But if you can’t read the room, learning what to do and not to do out may not be straightforward.
Some people on the spectrum are unable to talk. While others can talk but may struggle with the certain aspects of holding a conversation.
HOW ARE YOU PEELING?: FOOD WITH MOODS, by Saxton Freeman and Joost Elffers. This book of photos delights in the unusual shapes our food comes in that remind us of people.
Humans are also wired to see faces and understand the emotion from that face by the expression. But for many kids on the spectrum it is harder to process “non-verbal” communication, such as:
Facial expressions
Body movement and posture. ...
Gestures. ...
Eye contact. ...
Touch. ...
Space. ...
Voice. ...
Pay attention to inconsistencies.
Humans don’t only communicate with speech, a lot of information is conveyed through the non-verbal cues listed above. Imagine two people having a conversation, in addition to the verbal language being shared the non-verbal (NV) cues travel back and forth on conveyor belts between them. However, for one individual the conveyor belt is moving faster than they can process the non-verbal (NV) information. The non-verbal communication falls off the belt into the abyss. This individual loses a large part of the conversation’s meaning.
DICTIONARY OF IDIOMS, by Marvin Terban
And finally, did you know idioms appear in every language? However, some people on the spectrum may be quite literal, making learning idioms a challenge. For someone who is very literal this can open a can of worms because the whole group of words taken together can often have little to do with the words taken one by one.
Another fun look at the minefield of the English language is the fiction series of Amelia Bedelia books.
This concludes this brief overview about Autism and SEL. You can find more information, products, and books here.