Sorry! Here are the 36 autism facebook pages

Bloggers,

The friendship circle blog has listed 36 different facebook pages packed with resources for children with autism.  The facebook pages vary based on gender, concentration, location and focus topic.  I hope you enjoy checking out these pages and learning as much new information as I did!

According to Ipsos Open Thinking Exchange (OTX), Americans spend over 3 hours on social media everyday. Most of this time is used catching up with friends, sharing funny videos, and reading up on current events. However, social media can also provide a great support community, especially for parents of individuals with special needs and the individuals themselves. Imagine a safe place where you can share personal stories, get advice for behavioral issues, and maybe find a bit of inspiration or a glimmer of hope when you are having a rough day. Who better to talk to than someone going through the same struggles and triumphs as yourself.
We have compiled a list of some great Facebook pages that deal directly with ASD. From support to news to encouraging messages, these pages will provide you with the latest topics in the Autism community. Please share your favorite ASD Facebook pages in the comments below.

1. Asperger Experts 

Danny & Hayden, both diagnosed with Aspergers, help people affected by Aspergers to understand themselves & the top success strategies in the world, so that they can change their behavior, thinking, and ultimately live the life they want to, not the life that they are limited to.

2. Asperger’s Support Network 

Asperger’s Support Network provides a platform for those living with Aspergers to share their experiences. Awareness is needed. Awareness breeds better understanding. Join in the discussions, post questions, and share your stories.

3. Asperger Women’sAssociation 

AWA’s mission is to offer Education and support to Autistic and Asperger Women, children, and Seniors, and parents/caregivers across the globe. “The greatest source of support and guidance for women who have Asperger’s syndrome or an Autism Spectrum Disorder is not from clinicians or the research literature, but from each other.”

4. Asperger’s Awareness Community

The main purpose of the page is for those who live with Aspergers to share their experiences and offer answers, advice and support to those who need it.   The main source of information comes from the wonderful members of this page. However, it is very important to remember that every single person is different. Individuality is greatly respected here.

5. Asperger’s Syndrome Awareness Worldwide

Autism is a serious, lifelong and disabling condition. Without the right support it can have a profound, sometimes devastating, effect on individuals and families. This site aims to provide a link to all people with Asperger’s around the world.

6. Autism Alliance of Michigan 

Autism Alliance of Michigan is a source for comprehensive information about autism events, news, research, and much more in Michigan. The facebook page focuses on current events all over the world, news stories, and personal triumphs.

7. Autism and Special Needs Resources

This page discusses ‘autism’ the good, the bad and the ugly; revealing truths that autism presents. Bright Tots’ postings are uplifting in general but this page is not just on glorifying autism. There are people who are going to have problems & be closed minded, when in actuality, demonstrating true respect for individuals with autism requires one to be conscious & aware of the entire autism spectrum. The perception, confusion, & ignorance surrounding autism are equal to, if not more problematic than, autism itself.

8. Autism Awareness 

The Autism Awareness page is here to do 1 thing: Spread Autism Awareness! Through the sharing of information, news & resources, we hope to empower our fans with more knowledge and the ability to help spread Autism Awareness to their friends and families. Together, we can solve the Autism Puzzle!

9. Autism Beacon 

A one-stop source for parents, caregivers, service providers, professionals, advocates and family members of people with Autism to learn, share and access vital resources around the corner and around the world.

10 Autism Daddy

All people are welcome on this page regardless of their backgrounds or beliefs. And you are welcome here if your kid is low functioning, high functioning, aspergers, etc. But always remember the place where I am coming from. Severe, low functioning, non-verbal autism. Just remember this. I have an 8 year old son whose receptive & expressive language are at an 18 month old level and they have been for years. So that’s the autism that I am writing about.

11. Autism Discussion Page

This page was developed by Bill Nason, MS, LLP to discuss tools that help children on the spectrum feel safe, accepted and competent. Although each child is different, with their unique strengths and challenges, there are some common strategies that can strengthen the social, emotion, and cognitive security for most children on the spectrum.

12. Autism Internet Modules (AIM)

The Autism Internet Modules were developed with one aim in mind: to make comprehensive, up-to-date, and usable information on autism accessible and applicable to educators, other professionals, and families who support individuals with ASD.

13. Autism Makes Me Laugh

When you have a child with autism life can be stressful, isolating, scary, last-straw x1000, I’m-running-away-from-home difficult. It can also be hilarious, rewarding, never-a-dull-moment, joyous, intriguing, laugh-out-loud-funny. And THAT is what this website is all about.

14. Autism Mothers 

A safe space for mothers of children with Autism to share their stories, ask for advice, and provide inspiration for each other. By finding common ground here, it can help provide strength and hope for the future.

15. Autism on the Seas 

Autism on the Seas organizes and staffs cruises for families with special needs. They are dedicated to serving the vacation needs of families and individuals with Autism, Asperger’s syndrome, and all cognitive, intellectual and developmental disabilities, as well as (but not limited to) Cerebral Palsy and Down’s syndrome.

16. Autism Research Institute 

ARI has convened meetings since 1995, for physicians, researchers, and parents committed to finding effective treatments for autism (formerly known as Defeat Autism Now! Conferences). Parents and clinicians who do not regard psychotropic drugs as the best or only means of treating autism welcome this chance to learn effective strategies from informed professionals, for addressing the health issues often associated with autism.

17. Autism Shines 

Upload your photo of someone you love with autism, or yourself, and caption it with something great about them. Help us show the world all the positive attributes of autism! Please be aware that this is a public page.

18. The Autism Society of America

 
The Autism Society is the leading voice and resource of the entire autism community in education, advocacy, services, research and support. The Autism Society is committed to meaningful participation and self-determination in all aspects of life for individuals on the autism spectrum and their families

19. Autism Sparks 

Autism Sparks offers information, ideas and resources to help you connect with your child using a discussion forum moderated by Autism professionals. Every month there is a different focus topic.

20. Autism Speaks 

Autism Speaks aims to bring the autism community together as one strong voice to urge the government and private sector to listen to our concerns and take action to address this urgent global health crisis. It is our firm belief that, working together, we will find the missing pieces of the puzzle.

21. Autism Spectrum Disorder: Through My Eyes 

If Autism has touched your life in any way, shape or form then this is a site for you. It will provide you with daily inspiration, relatable stories, and maybe even a laugh or two.

22. Autism: Spectrum Support 

Welcome to CafeMom’s support community for parents of kids on the Autism Spectrum. Here you will mainly find recent news topics relating to Autism and people sharing their thoughts and stories.

23. Autism Support Network 

Autism Support Network provides a free peer-to-peer global network of people helping people with autism. Our support community, which is free for anyone to join, is intended to further reduce the need to “reinvent the wheel” and collectively pool global knowledge and support from all those touched by ASD wherever they might live.

24. Autism Understanding and Acceptance

To upgrade Autism Awareness to a more complete Understanding and Acceptance. To ensure that people aren’t just aware of Autism, but that they know what it really is.

25. Autism United 

Autism United is dedicated to raising Autism Awareness world wide. They work to help educate and bring information, research and specialist studies to one location giving you a highly researched, resourceful website for your Autism Awareness needs.

26. Autism Women’s Network 

Autism Women’s Network is dedicated to building a community of Autistic women of all ages, their families, friends, and supporters. It offers a place where all can share their experiences among a diverse, inclusive supportive and productive environment.

27. Autism: Different Not Less 

A page dedicated to sharing love with those who are affected by Autism. It is a place to share stories, show support, and express joy in the Autism community. It is a space where everyone can understand and learn from each other.

28. Birdhouse for Autism 

Birdhouse for Autism is a safe and secure care management platform for families raising children with Autism. Their Facebook page provides advice, support, and inspiration.

29. Dogs for Autism 

Dogs for Autism provides great news articles, especially relevant to pet therapy and other animals. It is an excellent place to find support for general Autism and support animals.

30. Girls and Autism: Parenting Girls on the Autism Spectrum

Connected with a book of the same name, this page explores a topic of concern, offering encouragement and guidance on common issues such as school, friendships, meltdowns, special gifts, family relationships, therapies and interventions. Having daughters on the spectrum presents unique and rewarding challenges and this book is packed with friendly advice and real life examples from a mother who has experienced it all first hand.

31. My Autism Network 

My Autism Network is a group of individuals dedicated to increasing the awareness of Autism and Asperger Syndrome. The goal is to inspire those impacted by Autism spectrum disorders to have a network to share common stories, ideas and information.

32. National Autism Association 

The mission of the National Autism Association is to respond to the most urgent needs of the autism community, providing real help and hope so that all affected can reach their full potential.

33. Parenting with Asperger’s Syndrome

This page is run by parents with an Autism Spectrum Disorder parenting children with and without ASD. No topic is off limits for this page and all questions, stories, news articles are welcomed by the community. This page will hit on every age group and deal with issues faced by both males and females. All have something to learn from this page.

34. Schrader Autism Foundation 

This page run by an International Non-Profit  aims to provide financial subsidy to public/private institutions that provide autism services and programs to children/adults having Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASDs); To more effectively prepare ASD Children for independent life in today’s society through education. This Facebook page contributes by providing news stories, information, and some inspiration.

35. World Autism Awareness Day 

By bringing together autism organizations all around the world, we will give a voice to the millions of individuals worldwide who are undiagnosed, misunderstood and looking for help. Please join us in our effort to make this possible.

36. And of Course Friendship Circle of Michigan

The Friendship Circle provides assistance and support to the families of children with special needs as well as to individuals and  families struggling with addiction, isolation, and other crises. The Facebook page provides inspirational photos from programs, pertinent news articles, and trending posts from the Friendship Circle Resource Blog.

25 Suggestions of toys for children that don't play with toys

Dear bloggers,

If you're trying to figure out some toys your child may like who shows no interest in the typical toys here are some good suggestions.  Kim, a parent on Friendship Circle blog has listed these 25 recommendations and they definitely work!  I've tried them in speech therapy with my clients!

Does your child play with toys?  If so, this article isn’t for you. You should probably Google “hottest toys of 2012.”

• Is your child scared of blinking, beeping toys?
• Is your child unable to understand the rules of most games?
• Does your child lack interest in typical toys?
• Is your child delayed when it comes to basic play skills?

If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then keep reading.
All human beings learn through play.  A delay in play skills means a delay in other skills.  Toys are not necessary for play, of course.  All that’s needed are two people interacting in a fun way.  But children’s toys can be useful for engaging the attention of a child with special needs, and even more useful for expanding circles of communication and teaching other developmental skills along the way.
If you’re looking for gifts for a child who doesn’t play with toys, then here’s a list of what’s been most successful with my son and his buddies over the years.

Everyday items

1. Flashlight

My son was frightened by toys with blinking lights when he was little, but he has always enjoyed playing with flashlights.  Turning the flashlight on and off exercises fine motor skills, and provides an opportunity to practice simple words like “on” and “off.”  It also helped my son overcome his phobia of bright lights. The Mini Maglite is the right size for little hands, and it has a blink mode if you need to work on desensitizing to blinking lights.

2. Shark Sweeper

I know a few kids who don’t like toys, but they love vacuums.  The Shark Cordless Sweeper  is motorized but much quieter than a typical vacuum, plus it’s light and easy to maneuver.  There’s a clear plastic cover in front of the bristles, so curious kids can watch it spinning.  We had many hours of fun with this sweeper, and it sure got some good conversations started.  Plus our carpets were super clean.

3. Handheld Massager

Occupational therapists often recommend vibrating toys for children with special needs, and the Ribbit massager by Homedics is great for all ages.

4. Real Tools

Play often starts with imitating adult activities.  A set of garden tools with garden gloves or a real tool kit with a small hammer, screwdriver and file, along with a wood board, are a good way to teach a child to slow down and focus on fine motor activities.  Of course, adult supervision is required at all times with these tools.

A Big Box of Cool Stuff

5. Raw materials

Let’s face it – most kids would rather play with a box than the toy that came inside it anyway. Collect your empty oatmeal canisters, cereal boxes and paper towel tubes.  Help your child tape the pieces together and create something new out of cardboard and Styrofoam.  Here’s a video that shows what happened when a teacher got rid of all of the toys in his classroom and replaced them with raw materials.

6. Box of toiletries

Since kids like to imitate their parents, collect some safe toiletries and allow some messy sensory play in the bathroom: scented lotion, aloe vera gel, baby powder, bandages and gauze, a bar of soap, shaving cream and an old towel to wipe it up when playtime is finished.

7. Box of office supplies

One year, my sister-in-law gave my older son a box of office supplies, all with the logo of his favorite office store.  It took more than a year for him to work through the index cards, tape, pencils, highlighters, sticky notes, a ruler and much, much more.

Sensory Play

8. Disco Ball

Anyone who has visited the Friendship Circle’s Snoezelen knows that the lights and disco balls can be relaxing and entertaining for kids with special needs.  So a small, rotating, multi-color disco ball is a fun addition to the sensory environment at home.

9. Body Sox

A body sock is made of stretchy fabric and has an opening so that a person can step inside. Its purpose is to encourage body awareness and creative movement. For my family, it has been successful on both counts.

10. Exercise Machine

If I had a nickel for every time I had to drag my children away from the exercise machines at the rec center, I’d be able to buy my own elliptical trainer.  A mini-trampoline, child-size treadmill or air walker can get a child’s attention while working toward physical therapy goals.

11. Musical wand

My son had a phobia of bells when he was a toddler, so toys like the musical wand helped him explore metallic sounds while feeling safe and secure in my arms.  The musical wand can be a tool for pretend play as well, especially when paired with a book like “Alice the Fairy” by David Shannon.

12. Punching bag

Instead of trying to stop aggressive behavior cold turkey, which is usually impossible anyway, a punching bag  redirects the aggression in an appropriate manner.

13. IKEA egg seat

This egg-shaped seat was designed for vestibular and proprioceptive sensory needs, plus it’s perfect for playing peek-a-boo.

14. Stomp Rocket

The Stomp Rocket helps work out aggressive energy while teaching a simple science lesson.  My kids never get tired of it.  Sometimes they make their own paper rockets, too.

15. Kazoo

The box said, “If you can hum, you can kazoo.”  So I bought it for $2.  It opens the door to oral-motor skills.

16. Bean bag toss

I have a child who has the urge to throw things ALL THE TIME.  Most toys are not safe for him because of this.  I decided that he may as well improve his aim if he’s going to throw things, and a bean bag toss is safer than a baseball at this point.  The bean bag target can be varied – for example, he can throw the bean bags at cards with sight words or letters of the alphabet.

Attention-grabbing quiet toys

17. Marble run

I’ve never met a kid who didn’t love a marble run.  These toys help with visual tracking, and the best part is the building process with kids.  But they’re not safe for any child who puts toys in his or her mouth.

18. Folk toys

I remember playing with traditional wooden folk toys at my grandparents’ house when I was little.  When I was brainstorming to find toys that would get my son’s attention, I went back to my roots.  Toys like the Jacob’s Ladder and Falling Boy  engaged my son and really made him think about how they work.

19. Magformers

The magnets in this building set are encased in plastic, so there are no small pieces.  The set encourages open-ended play, and it’s a good way to explore the sensory features of magnets.  It’s one of the “quiet toys” that travels with us.

20. Magnetic gyro wheel

Kids can’t take their eyes off this toy, and it’s great for long road trips or kids who just want to watch something spin.

21. Whoopee cushion

Yes, it’s crude and vulgar.  It’s also a quick way to get a speech-delayed kid to talk.  You’ll probably get quite a bit of eye contact, too.  At $1.75, it’s a lot less expensive than an hour of speech therapy!

22. Globe

If your child loves to spin things, get a globe.   It will help with pre-literacy skills and open up new conversations about the world.

23. Hoberman sphere

I used the Hoberman sphere to teach my son the names for the colors and some simple opposite terms like “big” and “small,” “in” and “out.”  It can be hung from the ceiling as a mobile that expands and contracts, but my kids prefer to hold it on the ground.

Introducing Pretend Play

24. Play silks or old scarves

Even children who don’t want to play dress-up like the texture of scarves and play silks.  These are a good way to introduce open-ended play to kids who prefer to stick with a script.

25. Box of hats

Over the years I’ve collected all sorts of hats  for my kids.  Trying on different identities is the first step to pretend play.

36 Autism facebook pages!

Hello bloggers,

I found a great website with suggestions of different toys for children with special needs as well as the skills that they will help to enhance (ex. problem solving, parallel play, emotional and social development).  The website is www.ableplay.org .


Also, as a Speech-Pathologist I like to give parents as many recommendations as possible to help carry over activities at home.  Here is an excellent blog (playing with words 365-blog page) I found from Katie Yeh, a Speech-Pathologist who gives 10 tips for choosing toys for a speech-delayed child.

10 Tips for choosing toys for a speech-delayed child.

1. Ditch the Batteries

My first recommendation, is to skip the batteries. If the toy requires batteries, you probably don’t want it. OR…if it takes batteries, you can take them out. One good example is a the really cute farm set from a very popular toy maker. The toy set itself is great! But the barn has batteries so that it can make noises. You don’t need the barn to make noises. You want your CHILD to make the noises! So…do like I do and just take them out.
There are a few exceptions to this, of course. My kids have a couple toys that use batteries that I have allowed them to keep (with batteries in). They have a couple toy cameras that take real pictures, a toy lap top (I could take the batteries out, but I’ve left them in), a toy vacuum (again, I could remove the batteries here too), a microphone that you can record your voice (so cool), and a “karaoke” type toy. Their toy drill also requires batteries and it is such a cool toy-it actually works! So again…there definitely are exceptions but I would try to have most of your toys battery free.

2. Pick Open Ended Toys

What are open ended toys? They are toys that have no beginning, middle or end. They can be used in a variety of ways and allow your child creative freedom in how to manipulate and use them. These toys tend to be the more basic and traditional toys. Which is NEXT on my list!

3. Go Back to the Basics: Pick Traditional Toys

As mentioned above, the more traditional toys also tend to be more open ended in nature. Here are some examples of open ended, basic traditional toys:

• Wooden blocks
• Legos
• Cars, trucks, transportation toys (they do NOT need to make noise! That is what your child is for. Take the batteries out!)
• Simple train tracks and trains (we have  wooden set with NO batteries. However, I do have a plastic set WITH and without  batteries to use with clients. Let’s be honest..it *is* fun to watch the trains go around the track sometimes!)
• Play kitchen and play food
• Farm Set (no noisy ones!) or other animal sets that suit your child’s interests (dinosaurs for example)
• Doll House
• Mr. Potato Head
• Play Dough
• Dress up clothes
• Tool Set
• Tea Set
• Baby doll/baby blanket

4. Don’t Worry About Gender

I just talked about this in my recent post The Importance of PLAY for Speech and Language Development. When picking toys for your child, don’t stick to gender specific toys. Let your girls play with trucks and trains and your boys play with toy kitchens and baby dolls. Here is some research on The Impact of Specific Toys on Play from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

“What set the highest-scoring toys apart was that they prompted problem solving, social interaction, and creative expression in both boys and girls. Interestingly, toys that have traditionally been viewed as male oriented—construction toys and toy vehicles, for example—elicited the highest quality play among girls. So, try to set aside previous conceptions about what inspires male and female play and objectively observe toy effects to be sure boys and girls equally benefit from play materials.”

I contributed to a great post all about why all children (even boys) should have a baby doll. You can read it at Mama OT.

 5. Skip The “ABCs and 123′s”

On the subject of going back to basics…Go take a walk through Target or any big chain store’s toy department. There is this aisle (ok, several sometimes) with shelves stacked high with toys that say things like “Teaches the ABCs!” “Educational!” “Teaches Colors and Numbers!” and on and on.
Kim from Little Stories talks about these and calls them SCLANS and why our children don’t need them to learn their ABCs and 123′s. In  fact, your children don’t need these types of toys. they tend to do ALL the “doing” with their lights and music and flashing lights. If your child has a speech and language delay, as a speech-language pathologist those skills are not at the top of my list of skills we need to target. I talk more about this in my post What your Toddler REALLY Needs to Learn }Hint: You Don’t Need Any of Those “Educational Toys”}.

6. Use Toys That get Them Moving

It is so important to get your kids moving! Even when indoors. Making forts and tunnels are great ways to keep them moving indoors, without actually having to *buy* specific “toys” for that purpose. We also have some ride-on toys that we allow in the house (we have tile/hardwood floors) that keep our children moving as well as balls (yes, even inside).

7. Don’t Forget to Get Outside

You don’t have to *buy* outdoor toys. Heading to the park is great and FREE! But sometimes you don’t have a park near by or it is difficult to get you and the kids there…so here are some of my favorite outdoor toys:

• Water table (A big bucket will do, or a small pool)
• Buckets, cups, spoons (again, these can just be from your kitchen…tupperware works well!)
• Small shovel/hoe for digging
• Ride on toys
• Play house- This one is a bigger purchase. We have one and it can provide HOURS of independent, creative play!

8. Less is More

So here I have just listed some toy recommendations for you. But, the truth is that less is more. Your child does NOT need toys upon toys! In fact, too many toys can actually be a big negative. Believe it or not, children can get overwhelmed with too many toys and can end up moving quickly from one toy to another which can actually limit their play (and language) opportunities overall. But, sometimes we just have a lot of toys from holidays and birthdays. So how can you keep all these toys but still provide your child with ample opportunities for solid and meaningful play with each? (see below)

9. Consider a Toy Rotation

One solution to having a plethora of toys is to do a toy rotation. We used a toy rotation in our last home for a while and it was GREAT. Wondering how these work? Check out Little Stories (a fellow speech-language pathologist) for a ton of information on rotating toys.

10. Sometimes the BEST Toys are not “Toys” at All!

You probably noticed that a few times I mentioned using things that aren’t traditional “toys” as toys (like making forts or using buckets for water play). This is because sometimes the BEST toys are not *real* toys at all! Pots, pans, wooden spoons, cardboard boxes, homemade forts with blankets and pillows…these can be the BEST toys for your child. Be creative. Think outside (or inside) the box.
And sometimes YOU are the best toy for your child. Sing with him. Play patty-cake. Talk in a funny voice. Tell him stories. Be silly. Play hide and seek. Teach him finger plays. Play lap games.
Looking for more information on toys? You can check out my four part series on toys HERE.

Welcome back to a semester of wonderful discussions! (new topic)

Hello Bloggers,

It is a pleasure to be communicating with you all again.  I look forward to exchanging vital information and having insightful conversations with you.  Please feel free to share your comments, suggestions and post your questions to my blog.

The general topic for my blog  will be  “Children with Varying Disabilities” and my focus topic will be “Autism Spectrum Disorders.”

According to the American Speech Language Hearing Association (ASHA). Autism is a disability characterized by challenges with social skills and communication.  Every child with autism presents with varying forms of the disability.  Some children exhibit severe delays while other children exhibit more mild delays.  Autism presents in varying forms and the treatment techniques for different children vary as well (ASHA, 1997-2013). 

The definition of autism will be changing with the Diasnostic’s Manual.  The description of autism previously included the following as Spectrum Disorders; Childhood Disintegrative disorder, Pervasive Developmental disorder-Not otherwise specificed, Asperger’s, Autism and Rett’s syndrome.  However, as of May 2013 the definition will be altered to include all of the spectrum disorders being placed under one umbrella of “Autism” with varying degrees (Autism Speaks, 2013).

I have personally chosen the challenge of Autism because I treat  many clients with Autism Spectrum disorders.  I also see a lot of families that always have questions about resources, what else  they can do to help their child and simply what support they can receive.  I have seen how significantly a diagnosis of autism can change family dynamics as well as what late diagnosis can do.  However, I would like to find more research to back up my observations.  I would like to see what statistics are discussed that focus on the effects of a child diagnosed with Autism on the family dynamic.  I would also like to explore if certain families wait for their child to get diagnosed later based on culture/religion and if their treatment techniques change as well. 

In my class we recently read a book about a young lady from the Hmong culture who suffered with multiple seizures.  Her parents and the doctors clashed on treatment techniques, medications, and methods to help her with the debilitating seizures.  The battle lasted for a long time and it wasn’t until she had one large seizure and multiple hospital visits and treatments that the parents and doctors began to understand how much their opposing views may have endangered her health.  Sadly, I do not want that to be the case with parents of children diagnosed with Autism as well.  I don’t want the parents to fight the doctors diagnosis and ignore the challenges they see in their child.  I want both sides to be able to understand that individuals may have varying opinions but different methods should be taken to try to compromise for the good of the child  (Fadiman, 2012).  It is a struggle but personal opinions and biases can significantly affect the decisions that we make, our children and our family lives as well.   I want to educate parents and families of children with autism as well as to continue to learn and educate myself as a professional.

Initially, I believed I was biased as a professional and viewed parents who waited to get their child diagnosed in a different light.  I couldn’t believe that parents who had some concerns would truly wait to get their child diagnosed.  I believe that I was looking at it from the perspective of a professional and not a parent with certain cultural or ethnic beliefs.  Since I have been in this class I have learned that my personal views and opinions on different topics are based off of my past experiences and history (Laureate Education, 2013).  I have a biased view even though I may be trying to be open-minded.  Therefore, I cannot judge parents or individuals who have had different experiences from me.  Everyone does different things for a reason.  My reasons may not be the same as the other person simply because of my culture and past experiences.  As a Speech-Pathologist and early childhood professional I must respect and honor the opinions of others and realize that everyone deals with challenges in different ways (Derman-Sparks  & Edwards, 2010). Therefore, I have also selected this challenge to further explore my own biases and how I can be more open-minded to the opinions and beliefs of parents born with children with varying disabilities. 

What are your initial reactions to parents when they ask you if you think something is wrong with their child?  Do you refer parents to outside sources or simply calm their nerves by telling them you believe everything is okay, when it really may not be okay?  Do you feel uncomfortable with approaching parents about specific concerns related to their child?  Why or why not?  How do you modify your teaching styles when working with children with Autism?  Do you have any biases or opinions about Autism?  Have your biases changed since you started collaborating with parents and children with autism?

 

Reference

American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA). (1997-2013). Autism (Autism Spectrum

Disorders).  Retrieved from www.asha.org/public/speech/disorders/Autism.htm

Autism Speaks. (2013). What is Autism?  Retrieved from www.autismspeaks.org/what-autism

Derman-Sparks, L., & Edwards, J. O. (2010). Anti-bias education for young children and ourselves.

Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children.

Fadiman, A. (2012). The spirit catches you and you fall down: A Hmong child, her American doctors,

 

            and the collision of two cultures. New York, NY: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux.

Laureate Education (Producer). (2013). Historical echoes [Video file]. Retrieved from

https://class.waldenu.edu

 

My top 9 early childhood blogs, websites, poems, videos and books that I recommend to you!

Dear blog viewers,

It has been a privilege to participate in scholarly discussions with each and every one of you.  Even though my class in ending I plan on continuing my blog.  Here are some suggestions of some resources that I find especially pertinent to the field of early childhood;

1.        Here is one video related to early childhood and poverty.  This video gives a view of poverty from a family in Malasia and it details exactly what the family has to go without as well as the situations of their school age children.

·         http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qm0kiujnUNc

 

2.       This second video details the views on poverty from the perspective of Marian Wright Edelman, the founder of the Children’s Defense Fund.  Marian Edelman gives a very thought provoking speech on the present status of our impoverished children as well as what we in the US must do to change their present situation.

·         http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vx760Wv2oS4&feature=player_detailpage

 

3.       This third video is from 60 minutes.  The video discusses the present status of childhood poverty in the US and how the percentages of child poverty are getting closer and closer to the numbers during the Great Depression

·         http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpS_eJkkAxc

 

4.       I would also recommend purchasing the book, Talk on the Go for parents that may want additional suggestions of things they can do to stimulate the language skills of their children at

home, on the road, at the store and outside

·         Dougherty, D.P. & Paul, D. R. (2007). Talking on the go. American Speech Language Hearing Association, www.asha..org

 

5.       I would also recommend the Anti-Defamation League as an organization  that will provide articles on multicultural books and books that are anti-bias for children

·         www.adl.org

 

6.       I would also recommend visiting the Alliance for Childhood (Crisis in the Kindergarten; Why children need play in school site for the fact sheet on Kindergarten testing and some things that parents can start doing right now

·         www.allianceforchildhood.org

  

7.       I would also recommend the Friendship Circle blog as a marvelous blog to visit.  They give suggestions of toys to help children with special needs, ipad apps for children with special needs, how music helps children, resources for families and ways a Speech-Pathologist can help your child

·         Friendshipcircle.org

8.       Early childhood organizations that I would recommend for current research and information related to early child development/learning and development all over the world from birth and up would be; Zero to Three, Children’s Defense Fund, National Association for the Education of Young Children, Association for Childhood Education International and Harvard University’s Center on the Developing Child

·         www.zerotothree.org

·          www.naeyc.org

·         www.childrensdefense.org

·         www.acei.org

·         http://developingchild.harvard.edu

9.       Some of my favorite inspirational quotes are;

 

·         “If a child cannot learn in the way we teach, we must teach in a way the child can learn.”

 –unknown

·         “Every student can learn, just not on the same day, or the same way.” –George Evans

·         “Always walk through life as if you have something new to learn and you will.”

-Vernon Howard

 

References

ADL: Anti-Defamation League. (2009). Retrieved from www.adl.org

Alliance for Childhood. (n.d.).  Retrieved from www.allianceforchildhood.org

Association for Childhood Education International. (2012). Retrieved from www.acei.org

Dougherty, D.P. & Paul, D. R. (2007). Talking on the go. American Speech Language Hearing

Association, www.asha..org

Foratv. (2008). Child poverty in America-marian wright edelman. Retrieved from

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vx760Wv2oS4&feature=player_detailpage

 

Harvard University, Center on the Developing Child. (n.d.) Retrieved from

http://developingchild.harvard.edu/

                National Association for the Education of Young Children. (n.d.c.). Retrieved from www.naeyc.org

                National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families, Zero to Three. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.zerotothree.org/

 

Sixty Minutes. (2011).  Child poverty has risen to 60 million in the United States of America.

 

Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpS_eJkkAxc

 

                Super Simple Learning. (2013). Quotes. Retrieved from supoersimplelearning.com/quotes/

 

                Hunt, Jessica. (2013, June 4).  How music can help children with special needs[Blog post].

 

Retrieved from www.friendshipcircle.org

 

 

UNICEF Malaysia. (2011). Grit and hope:  A young girl strives to rise above hardship. Retrieved

 

from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qm0kiujnUNc