DON’T CARRY THE HILL, CLIMB IT! By Remi Olutimayin (Co-founder, RobuReed Incorporated)

The Autistic Spectrum The range of disorders which could be categorised as types of autism usually by a group of three socially-related difficulties, communication, imagination and socialisation.

Autism: Some Facts And Fiction It is a biological disorder It is not confined to childhood It is a developmental disorder which lasts throughout life It is not always characterized by special, or “savant” skills It is found at all IQ levels, but is commonly accompanied by general learning difficulties It is not caused by “refrigerator parenting”.

Challenges Some parents have not come to terms with certain realities about their children Parents’ withdrawal from society for fear of stigmatization for them and their children Some go through denial or blame themselves for not doing some things right For poor families, costs for care and education for the child are high Religious bias Neglect leads to abandonment, rejection and illiteracy

What do autistic people want? The right support at the right time Choice and control Meaningful activity and employment Good health and emotional well-being Inclusion in local communities Acceptance and understanding

Spoken language tends to be abstract, transient and temporal. People with autism are able to process information easier when it is visual and spatial. Spoken language tends to be abstract, transient and temporal. Written language can be abstract but is less transient.

Visual strategies help students: learn more quickly reduce aggressive or self-injurious behavior decrease frustration and anxiety learn to adjust to changes complete tasks by themselves gain independence Visual strategies can benefit all students by enhancing student understanding.

Assisted technology is designed to help students who have learning disabilities and help them function in a classroom. These tools include any type of equipment or device (ipads, computerized learning aids and apps) that helps students compensate for their learning disabilities. To help them capitalize on their strengths and minimize their weaknesses. The following 5 are the most popular:

Electronic worksheets Phonetic spelling software and apps (for those having difficulty with reading and writing) Talking calculators Variable speed recorders Videotaped social skills (to help figure out normal social interactions)

Students may have difficulty with: Auditory processing Comprehending/remembering auditory information Filtering out what information is important. They may have a delay when processing oral information. They tend to be very literal and concrete and have difficulty with sarcasm, innuendoes, jokes and double or hidden meanings.

These may be called “augmentative” or alternative communication - ACC. Communication strategies may be needed to address deficits in receptive and/or expressive language skills. These may be called “augmentative” or alternative communication - ACC. Some types of ACC are: Communication Boards -using objects, photos, pictures, symbols, words etc. PECS - Picture Exchange Communication System Voice Output Devices Sign Language/Gestures

What needs to change? Better autism awareness within communities More specialists involved in diagnosis Better mental health support Advocacy Coaching and mentoring in support groups Education of parent/caretakers in care of autistic child Learning and Employment support for children