Author: Administrator

Why you should never say someone with Autism looks “normal”

Posted on by Administrator
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Many times, you may find that if you tell an adult with Autism or a parent who has a child with Autism that their child looks normal, rather than appreciate your comment (because you mean well) you may get a cynical look. This is why:

  • Contrary to what you think, it is not a compliment. It depicts stereotyping, sounds derogatory and shows you are ready to judge people simply based on their looks.
  • Autism is an invisible disability therefore, you should not expect to see any physical deformity or worse still a human with a dinosaur head.
  • It trivialises the individual’s struggle- sort of like saying “Oh! It is just autism, it really doesn’t count”.
  • It shows ignorance. Now everyone is not expected to know everything but, as with any other subject, when you don’t know or understand, you ask for more clarity.
  • There are alternative things you can say such as:
    • What does it mean to have Autism?
    • Tell me a bit more about it

Don’t reduce people to how they look. Everyone is uniquely beautiful and deserve a fair chance at life regardless of any underlying medical condition or look.

#BeAware

Could that difficulty in writing be a sign of laziness or Dysgraphia?

Posted on by Administrator
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Dysgraphia is a neurological disorder characterised by a difficulty in handwriting. Having dysgraphia doesn’t make a child lazy. Writing involves a number of complex skills including visual and language processing, use of working memory, and fine motor skills- all properly coordinated. This means for a child to write, they need to first process what they have seen or heard, what they want to write, how they should write it and finally translate these into marks, letters, or characters. Sometimes you may find that this skill is poorly developed and this may not be due to any underlying issues except the time it takes for children to develop and perfect these skills. But, if there was an underlying issue how would you as a parent/carer or educator know? The answer is: there are indications that can be seen which may suggest the presence of an underlying problem. The final diagnosis of the presence of dysgraphia would only be made by educational psychologist after due assessment and fine motor assessment input from an occupational therapist.

Below are some indicative signs that a child might have dysgraphia:

  • Poor memory or ability to recall and retain age appropriate information. This could lead to incomplete letters or words and may be further evidenced by constantly saying words aloud while writing.
  • Poor visual spacing or overall spatial planning which may be further seen in the way the child writes. You might see letters that go in all directions, writing that is not in line or writing that is not spaced out.
  • Poor pencil grip- this should originally be the fisted grasp, then the palmer’s grip followed by the five finger pencil grasp and finally tripod or three finger grip. A 5 year old using the five finger grip for example could be a sign of poor grip.
  • Poor muscle strength and finger dexterity which may result in pains or constant tiredness. This can arise from fine motor difficulties so such child might experience other difficulties such as the use of a scissors or cutlery.
  • Other speech and language difficulties suggesting a child might not be processing auditory or visual information properly.

As in most cases of neurological difficulties, early intervention can be very helpful. There are also several activities which can be done both at home and in the school to support children with dysgraphia.

Remember, no concern is trivial. So, if you notice anything unusual or have concerns about a child, please consult a licensed professional or a pediatrician.

Teaching children empathy and acceptance of other children with disabilities

Posted on by Administrator
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Every now and then when we come across a child who is crying loudly, my son goes: “Look mummy he/she is crying like a baby”. I take my time to explain to him that saying that isn’t very nice first as the person in question can hear him, but more importantly because the child is crying because he/she is upset about something. Immediately he goes “awwww sorry” or “awww don’t cry”. I believe doing this consistently will help him realize that it is not nice to make fun of people who seem to be in a not so favourable position.

At other times, he might ask why someone is walking with a stick or limping and again, I take my time to explain to him the possible reasons. Each time though, I try to explain from the point of the hurt or discomfort the person may be feeling.

21st March was World Down Syndrome day and in order to celebrate, they were asked to come to school in colourful socks. When it was time to get dressed I told him he was getting a new pair of socks. Although he was excited but he still asked why (asking why comes with everything these days- even simple I love you!). So I told him it was to celebrate Down Syndrome day. Do you know what Down Syndrome is I asked. He said no. Hmmmnnn, how do you explain Down Syndrome to a 4.5 year old? So I decided to go the picture route. I turned to google and searched for images of Down Syndrome. Out of the several images, I picked out one which I believed would show clearly the physical features of a child with Down Syndrome. I then asked him: Look at this picture, what do you see? He replied the boy is smiling – awww he is so cute! For a moment I paused and looked at him and realised how so innocent a child’s mind is. He doesn’t see Down Syndrome, he only sees a child who is smiling and cute. I didn’t bother again with my explanation. We will save that for when he is slightly older and can understand science.

In the meantime my work continues. There is no stopping until I get him to see, understand and accept that people are much more than how they appear or how they don’t appear. Teaching a child empathy is our responsibility as parents and if you are not already doing so, it is not too late to start. The beautiful world we want for our children can only happen if we help them to become individuals with beautiful hearts.

Basirat R-Shuaib

 

Signs that your child might be dealing with Dyspraxia

Posted on by Administrator
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Dyspraxia also known as Developmental Coordination Disorder is a motor disorder which affects gross and fine motor skills in infancy and early childhood. It is not a disease and if properly managed the symptoms can improve over time. A child who has dyspraxia will need the services of an occupational therapist. They may also present with other challenges such as behavioural, emotional and social difficulties. This is mainly because the reflexes in the body associated with dyspraxia also control some other sensory reactions which together can cause a barrier to a child’s ability to learn or behave appropriately – hence why it is a form specific learning difficulty. Common conditions which may exist alongside dyspraxia include ADHD, ASD and dyslexia.

***Gross motor skills means knowing how to make use of the large body parts and muscles for movement and coordination e.g running, crawling, swimming, walking.
*** Fine motor skills involves knowing how to move and use the smaller body parts and muscles e.g writing, cutting with a scissors, using cutlery, buttoning a shirt/top.

Below are things to look out for in children which can possibly suggest the presence of Dyspraxia:

1. Consistent delay in reaching developmental milestones such as those relating to head/ body control and movement as well as hand/eye coordination.

2. Lack of core body strength e.g.
a. When a child can’t seem to hold themselves upright while standing (Floppy posture)
b. When a child can’t seem to stand by themselves without leaning on someone or something.
c. Where a child has difficulty walking even a short distance without needing to sit or rest because they don’t have the strength to support that action.

3. Poor Balance e.g.
a. When a slight nudge might result into a fall
b. Where small tasks requiring balance are proving difficult e.g. balancing on one leg in order to pull trousers off.

4. Poor Coordination e.g.
a. When a child seems to always bump into things even when they are obvious.
b. When a child has difficulty navigating corners or avoiding obstacles or has limited spatial awareness.

5. Poor concentration, hypersensitivity to touch and or sound, limited listening skills coupled with difficulty in following instructions.
Please note that this is not an exhaustive list and is by no way a diagnosis. Please discuss all child health issues with a paediatrician.

#BeAware