Learning Happens Everywhere

17 October 2012

Bought an flat-packed office chair. Decided to use it as an opportunity to assess some progress in A - muscle tone, muscle strength, mental resilience (it's easy to give up when you have muscle issues).

It's also a good chance to check on his problem-solving skills - "What do I do next?" and planning out his body movement and positions, like leaning into the Allen wrench with his body weight. 

He still needs a lot of coaching and scaffolding, yet it's encouraging to see how far he's come in these areas.

I. M.
-Facebook post, 17 October 2012

Stocking Up Games for 2016!

New games to add to our Games collection, for clients on the autism spectrum.

Games are one way to strengthen relationships, build language and social competencies, and enhance motor development...

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"Travelling by Airplane with a Young Child on the Autism Spectrum": Presentation

Audience Feedback: 

I really liked that you broke down every step from that time that you leave your house to the actual in flight travel.  I think a lot of times, one doesn't really realize how many steps it takes to travel by air (especially over seas travelling) with children, but especially with  children who do take every step very literally.  I've had the topic of travelling by plane come up a few times from a couple of different families;  as a person who works closely with the autism community and doesn't travel by plane often,  it can be difficult to remember all the steps you have to go through to even get on board.

Your presentation was very insightful --
I think you were exactly right when you said that being prepared before you even leave the house is the best advice to give anyone who is travelling with a child with Autism.


- H.F., Senior Therapist, De Pere, Wisconsin

Originally, this talk was presented in the USA at the ASW Conference in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin in April 2013. 

Due to interest locally, ANDI Initiative will be giving this presentation again, this time here in Malaysia. Kindly register your interest in the comments or email us at ANDI.Initiative@gmail.com.

Have HOPE

Shared with express permission of the parent

Client confidentiality is VERY important to ANDI Initiative, that's why you won't typically see videos or photos of children we work with. Nor do we ever share out personal communication and information. However, occasionally, a parent gives express permission to share. For that, we thank them, because this is very valuable. These glimpses give other struggling parents MOTIVATION and HOPE, for their own children.

A few days ago, this parent sent me this and gave express permission to share the SMS as well as permission to leave her son's name is the SMS. Dharman's mother always downplays her effort and dedication. However, in the last 2 years, she has been a good student herself, learning everything she could, asking a lot of questions, and then taking the advice and implementing tirelessly with her son after work and on the weekends, and coming back to me with problems to troubleshoot. She also learned to take my advice about relaxing :-)

Parents, does this sound familiar? If so, can you see that you are not alone? Keep up your good work.



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JH Rocks!

Client confidentiality is of utmost importance to ANDI Initiative, that's why you don't typically see videos or photos of children we work with. However, occasionally, a parent gives express permission to share. This is very valuable, as these glimpses give other struggling parents MOTIVATION and HOPE, for their own children.

Here, JH's mother has allowed me to share a video she sent me. Both she and I know that with good guidance on appropriate programmes, good implementation from therapist and mother, and the tenacious everyday effort of JH's mother, JH has come out from the depths of autism and can learn, and participate in the world. He is seen here learning to play the guitar.

May JH continue to reach for the stars!

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Sensory-Friendly Kidzania Trip, July 9, 2012

Less than 2 weeks more to the Sensory-Friendly Trip to Kidzania, Kota Damansara for children on the Autism Spectrum!

Urgent: Parent Volunteers Needed for Research June 9-11

8 tickets left @RM12 each for Autism-Friendly Showing of Madagascar 3

For details, contact us at 012-538 6134. Hurry, the show is on Saturday, June 9, 1:40pm :-)


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Take a Break

Parenting is hard work, so try to take a break ever so often. Try the puzzle below :-)

What a Child Can Learn at Home and in the Community (repost)

This is the OTHER time of year when many parents express their concerns about educational/therapeutic options in Malaysia for their child with autism. The dearth of high-quality, affordable options worries us all.

While you research and ponder your options,

1. consider LEARNING MORE, and BECOME the expert on your child. Too radical? I don't think so.

2. enjoy this video.

Feel free to leave a comment!

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"Introduction to RDI" and "Communication Strategies for Children on the Autism Spectrum"

“Does your child talk but not connect?” “ Does he have rigid expectations or poor peer relationships?” “ Does she struggle with problem solving when things change?”

"Introduction to Relationship Development Intervention" &

"Communication Strategies for Children on the Autism Spectrum"

by Susan Hollar, MS CCC

Pediatric Speech/Language Pathologist, Certified RDI Consultant

Date & Time:

Saturday, 24th April 2010, 9:00am until 5:00pm. Lunch and tea breaks will be provided.

Venue:

SWAN Convention Centre, Sunway Medical Centre, 5 Jalan Lagoon Selatan, Bandar Sunway, 46150 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.

MODULE 1:

RELATIONSHIP DEVELOPMENT INTERVENTION – WHAT IS RDI?

Often called “the missing link” in autism treatment, Relationship Development Intervention (RDI) is a treatment program aimed at quality of life issues such as independent living, jobs, and friendships. Parents function as the primary interventionists with their children under the direction of the RDI Program Consultant. Learn about this cutting edge intervention through an interactive presentation with video examples.

• Discover the role of parents as mentor and guide
• Explore dynamic vs. static intelligence
• Understand what co-regulation means for development
• Consider ways to introduce perspective-taking
• Learn the difference between Floortime, ABA and RDI

MODULE 2:

COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES FOR CHILDREN WITH AUTISM

Communication skills in children with autism are of deep concern to therapists and parents alike. Often children can’t utilise the words they have available to them, or they struggle in social conversation. Learn what the latest research says about effective strategies for communication development in this population. In this module we will practice strategies to utilise at home or in the office.

• Discover the different modalities of communication
• Learn the number one parent tactic to enhance communication
• Explore “expansions” and “reversals” for communication development
• Understand the critical component repair strategy plays in social communication

About the Speaker

A licensed pediatric speech/language pathologist and certified RDI consultant, Susan Hollar is the owner of Hollar Pediatric Speech and Language. She teaches at the Department of Communication Disorders and Sciences, California State University, Northridge. Mrs. Hollar is the 2009 recipient of the Outstanding Achievement Award of the California Speech and Language Association. Her background includes specialised fellowship training in Clinical Intervention for children with Autism at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles UAP USC.

She currently holds Supervisor level certification in the Relationship Development Intervention by Steven Gutstein, Ph.D. for children with Autism where she trains other professionals in RDI. Ms. Hollar is a frequent presenter at such conferences as the Back to School Autism Conference (2008), Autism Society of America and California Speech and Language Association 2009 as well as interviews on NPR Radio. Recent publications include Communication deficits in Children with Oposconus-Ataxia Due to Childhood Neuroblastoma (Journal of Pediatrics) and Adequacy of Care for Children with Developmental Disabilities in the Los Angeles Area. Mrs. Hollar is the proud parent of a teenager with the diagnosis of Autism.

To register for this series of talks, please contact ANDI Initiative at 012 538 6134 (new number) or at ANDI.Initiative@gmail.com.

This event is organised by ANDI Initiative.

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Join us for the Autism Walk organised by Interact Club Sri Aman

Find this event listed on Facebook by clicking here.

Date: Saturday, 17 April, 2010

Time 8:00am until 1:00pm

Venue: SMK (P) Sri Aman, Jalan 14/49, Petaling Jaya, Selangor.

Full Sponsorship Offer for Workshop on 13 March 2010

ANDI Initiative is offering the following 'boost' to parents of children with autism, who would not be attending this event otherwise, due to financial reasons:

• 100% sponsorship for one seat for a workshop in Petaling Jaya on Enhancing Visual Processing Skills (13 March 2010).

Contact 016 913 6134 or ANDI.Initiative@gmail.com for further info. Confidentiality will be maintained. Note that this is not an ANDI Initiative-organised event.

Partial and Full Sponsorship to Attend ASD-Related Workshops/Talks

ANDI Initiative is offering the following 'boost' to parents of children with autism, who would not be attending these events otherwise:

• 50% sponsorship for one seat for a 12-hour behaviour management workshop (13 and 21 March 2010)
• 100% sponsorship for one seat for a talk on biomedical intervention (9 February 2010).

Contact 016 913 6134 or ANDI.Initiative@gmail.com for further info. Confidentiality will be maintained.

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What Can a Child Learn at Home and in the Community?

Inspired by, and dedicated to, the parents who, at some point or another, have struggled to find appropriate school placement for their differently-abled child.

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or click here for the video.

Feel free to leave a comment!

Hotel Soap Project

Do you have a drawer full of hotel soaps brought home from holidays or business trips? Would you like to give them away to a good cause? Free up some drawer space?

If so, contact us at intanmiranti@yahoo.com.sg to arrange to drop off your items here in Petaling Jaya, Selangor. We have passed these items on to orphanages, children's homes and centres for children with special needs. We will continue to give away the donated soaps to any establishments that want them.

Here are some guidelines:

- Only bars of soap are accepted (no liquid soaps or shampoos). We will also accept toothbrushes and disposable razors.

- each item MUST be unopened (completely sealed in its original packaging).

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What Can a Child Learn in the Home and in the Community?

Maybe he can learn to face some fears...

...or learn to tolerate new restaurants...

...or learn how long he can hold his breath underwater...

...or whether hot air from a hair dryer can make a home-made hot-air balloon rise...

...or learning to trust a grown-up when he says...

...air pressure can make a home-made rocket fly!

A child can also learn to bowl...

...or to calculate the scores...

...or to jump, run and slide...

...or to bake and decorate cookies.

Maybe a child can learn to enjoy bookstores and self-directed learning...

....learn to enjoy a brother's companionship...

...or a dad's moment during 'bedtime stories' (for the record, this is the child's choice of book, not the dad's choice!)

A child can learn to tolerate a cousin's hug! (at least, before it becomes 'uncool' for 'big boys' to hug :-))

Dedicated to all kids who find something to learn at home and in the community!

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PC Art

Introduction: What We Do

ANDI Initiative (Autism Network for Direct Instruction) hopes to increase options for Malaysian children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Efforts that ANDI Initiative are primarily interested in supporting are those that provide education or therapy to individuals with an ASD. A secondary area of interest are projects that benefit children whose families are in the lower-income bracket, regardless of medical diagnosis.

Current Projects / Activities

1. For parents looking for therapeutic or educational options for their children, ANDI Initiative assists in locating available service providers. ANDI Initiative does not charge parents for this referral service, nor do we accept payment from the associated service providers.

2. ANDI Initiative provides a therapy/training facility in Section 17, Petaling Jaya for therapists to teach children with autism. Although the therapists and parents contribute a nominal hourly fee to use the facility, ANDI Initiative mananges the facility and funds the bulk of the associated ongoing costs.

Some of the autism therapy teams have used the facility to hold team meetings.

Trainings for parents and therapists are also periodically held here.

The facility has been the venue of several group skills classes.

The facility has been used by consultants to provide assessments and progress reviews to children under their care. It has also been used for support group meetings for parents of children with autism.

3. ANDI Initiative is also working to increase the number of autism consultants and therapists available locally. The hope is that in doing so, the next generation of Malaysian children with autism will be able to access quality autism programmes.

4. ANDI Initiative organises trainings/workshops for parents and individuals interested in autism-related trainings. It is our firm belief that knowledge is power.

5. ANDI Initiative also supports pro bono educational talks on selected autism-related topics to organisations in the Klang Valley.

6. ANDI Initiative makes available to parents a lending library of books on autism and a Learning Materials Library.

7. ANDI Initiative continues to collaborate with other parties to offer options for children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder.

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Life Is Good