L is for Language

ByKori
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For the next part of the Autism A to Z series, L is for Language. Now, this could mean any number of things I know. It could mean the language of autism or the language of special education. But for purposes of this post, I want to use language in the sense of functional language and communication. In particular, I’ll talk about the language systems that Sweet B uses for her communication as she is non-verbal. I’ll also talk about language impairments. Above, Sweet B is using the tablet to watch Elmo. She does have a communication app on there as well, but the tablet is mostly for recreational purposes. At school, however, she does use an iPad as part of her communication. She is…

K is for Kinesthetic

ByKori
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Welcome back to another day in our Autism A to Z series! Today was another that I initially struggled with and then I finally had to go back to my daycare roots and what I had learned in Early Childhood Education classes. So for us, K is for Kinesthetic. Most of the time, you’ll associate kinesthetic with a learning style and it is one of many learning styles. While Sweet B has a mixture of learning styles, her main two are Visual and Kinesthetic. First, let’s start by defining Kinesthetic: Kinesthetic is the adjective form of the word kinesthia. And according to Miriam Webster, Kinesthia is as follows: a sense mediated by receptors located in muscles, tendons, and joints and stimulated by bodily movements and…

I is for Intervention

ByKori
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When it comes to autism, early intervention is key. That’s why, for our next part of the Autism A to Z series, I is for Intervention. I was debating if this should be about integration or intervention or IEP or IFSP, and I think that they’re all important to know.   So after we talk about intervention, we’ll also talk about integration in another post. IEP and IFSP will also be covered in another post though I’m not exactly sure when these posts will happen. But rest assured that they will happen. And if you’ve missed any part of this series so far, please be sure to check out Autism A to Z.     Our Early Intervention Journey   Sweet B was diagnosed with…

Going Gluten Free: Is it necessary?

ByKori
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Thank you for joining us for another day of Autism A to Z! This one had me stumped for a bit (though not quite as much as the letter Q will, I’m sure… already trying to think of something for that day) until I looked inward. Going gluten free has been one of those things that I’ve been debating for quite some time for Sweet B’s sake. And I’ve always had my doubts and hesitations about doing so. Partially because of the cost and partially because I didn’t know where to start. It’s still something that I’m considering so that leads me to wonder: is going gluten free necessary for autism? The other reason this question came up is after a brief discussion with Kyle….

Autism A to Z: E is for Education

ByKori
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As we begin a new week, and with Sweet B on vacation this week, so begins another day of the Autism A to Z series. Today’s letter is E and for us, that means: E is for Education. Now, I could mean educating the public and/or the uninformed about autism but I’m going to talk about special education and homeschooling. We already do an autism and afterschooling series here and I have talked about special education before as well. Both our own experience and a basic beginner’s guide. Autism and Educational Services When it comes to education, yes, an individual with autism is more than capable of participating. This can either be in a public or private school setting or you may want to pursue…

What is a developmental disability?

ByKori
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Welcome to another day of Autism A to Z. Today I want to talk about developmental disabilities because that’s what autism is. So what is a developmental disability? We’ll talk about the general definition as well as talk about a few developmental disabilities in addition to autism. When it comes to autism specifically, usually the terminology is lifelong developmental disability. That is also the case with other developmental disabilities. As defined by NIMH, a developmental disability is: Developmental disabilities are severe, long-term problems. They may be physical, such as blindness. They may affect mental ability, such as learning disorders. Or the problem can be both physical and mental, such as Down syndrome. The problems are usually life-long, and can affect everyday living. Often there is…