Autism Awareness

• Identify signs of overload

• Identify potential problematic situations

• Strategies (effectiveness) child uses to manage stress

• Modify environment and adult response

• Try soothing music

• Exerise

• Technology

• Create cue cards or visual list of what to do when angry/stressed (this should be pre-taught)

• When child shows card, direct to "quiet spot"

• Use social story to teach quiet spot

• When in quiet spot, direct to visual to show how to calm (take a deep breath, count to 100, recite Star Wars characters, listen to music)

• Use stress ball, notebook to write in/drawing, etc.

• When calm, return to activity

• Use everday routine with (e.g., Goal-Plan-Do-Review)

• Support working memory with "visual copy" of routine

• Teach child how to formulate a plan, review their performance

• Teach to monitor their behavior

• Teach to become a self-advocate

• Highlight texts, study guides, notes

• Completed model of what is expected

• List of criteria for grading

• Decrease writing-verbal responses, computer, multiple-choice tests

• Priming (here's what we're going to talk about)

• Teaching outlining skills, how to pick out important details

• Graphic Organizers

• Provide enrichment activities in areas of strength

• Cue cards and scripts for interacting with friends

• List of reminders/rules for behaviors

• Never assume, always teach skill

• Use Social Stories

• Comic Strip Conversations

• List of activities, list of free-time options

• Know which kids to avoid

• Do not pick your nose in any class

• Use a nice tone of voice when talking to teachers - they like it. Also, try to smile sometimes.

• Rules change from teacher to teacher. Do not focus on the fact that it might bot be fair.

• If you do something funny, it is usually funny once. If you do it repeatedly, it makes you look silly and people might make fun.

Do not:

• Laugh when someone else is crying/angry

• Correct someone else's grammar when he/she is angry.

• Do what actors do on television, actors are not the same as real life