Ten Days Until We Bounce for Autism!

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Bounce for Autism coverThis is our second year to Bounce for Autism at Premier Tumble and Cheer! We are overjoyed at this special time to let the kids be kids, adults mingle, and be in a relaxed environment. Tickets are $10 per child and the Bounce for Autism will be Sat. April 30 from 10 am to 12 pm. Light refreshments will be available for sale.

While you are at PTC, check out the variety of classes they offer INCLUDING a class for kids with special needs! This is a new class that began this spring and is doing amazing things!

Purchase tickets in advance here.

Never Taking For Granted Those Tiny Little Moments

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This is an oldie, but a goodie…last spring I had the joy and honor of telling the story about why I opened and run Jackson Autism Center. I love that I’m able to work with a variety of ages, stages, and abilities. I love offering hope when it may seem futile. And I love “never taking for granted those moments…whether they be small or large”

Recently, Dr. Rebecca Mullican along with one of her clients, had the joy to share their stories with the Aha Moment presented by Mutual of Omaha. Dr. Mullican shared about opening Jackson Autism Center while her client, Sabrina, shared about her daughter with autism and finding Jackson Autism Center.

Dr. Mullican’s Aha Moment

Dr. Mullican’s AHA moment- the object Dr. Mullican is holding in her hand at the beginning is a flying pig. This flying pig is special to her because a few of her students’ parents gave it to her as an end of the year present to symbolize that she helped teach their child things that they didn’t think would happen “until pigs fly.” Guess what? Pigs fly every day at Jackson Autism Center!

This is Sabrina, whose daughter attends JAC. She is making progress every day and it’s so exciting to see what she will say or do next! Even on a hard day, she can push through to show her potential

“It’s Potty Time!”

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Toilet training for a child with autism can be challenging! Here are a few tips to help this be a smooth transition.

#5 Allow your child to stay naked while focusing on toilet training at home. This makes it easier to get to the toilet and eliminate in it. As your child becomes more proficient, begin adding clothes back. Staying near the toilet is also a good idea in case an accident starts to happen, you can quickly move to the toilet.

#4 Have the child help change clothes. Part of learning to use the toilet is undressing and dressing oneself. When a child has an accident, it is a natural consequence to have to take off wet clothes, use a washcloth or baby wipe to clean up, and put fresh, dry clothes on. While some children may be in different places of learning how to dress or undress themselves, you as the parent or teacher can always choose one clothes item at a time to focus on the child putting on and taking off. Once they are more comfortable with that item, add another item.

#3 Have the child help clean up accidents. This is important because it helps the child become more independent and also take responsibility for making a mess. This doesn’t mean that you have to fuss at the child about the accident- it just means letting the child know they are wet/dirty and need to help clean up.

#2 Ditch the pull-up! Pull-ups do not teach anything about the sensation of being wet or wetting yourself. I think it sends a very confusing message to kids- why would you want to stop what you are doing to go to the bathroom if you don’t have to. Having an accident and feeling all wet and yucky may help a child make that connection and not want to feel that way again.

#1 You don’t have to wait until your child can acknowledge the need to use the bathroom…in that case, some of us may be waiting a very long time. Acknowledging the need to use the bathroom is important, but it shouldn’t stop a parent and/or teacher from beginning the toilet training process. For some, it may take a very long time to request going to the bathroom and for others, they might not ever request. Is it always necessary to request to use the bathroom? I don’t think so- when we are at work, we don’t have to ask permission to use the bathroom. At home, we don’t ask permission to go; we just go to the bathroom. For some individuals, they may just GO to the bathroom when they need to go. If a child learns to go into a bathroom to use it, we can always work on requesting permission as they become more fluent in going when they need to or we can accommodate the child in the fact that they may not ask when they go to the bathroom.

My favorite toilet training app is Potty Time. This app uses American Sign Language and a catchy little tune to teach about using the bathroom. And your child might just get addicted to “calling Rachel” when he or she has a success!

If you are getting frustrated or not having much luck on your own, it may be time to get some help. Jackson Autism Center works with children on toilet training privately. We have found the greatest successes with individuals we work with on a regular basis because there is an established relationship with the child, but we work with anyone needing help. Complete a contact form to find out about the next toilet training opportunities.

A Sentence Can be a Labor of Love

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One of the most exciting moments for me as well as a family I work with recently was a journal that included a picture and a sentence. What may you ask is so special about a sentence a first grade child wrote? Because this sentence, my friends, was composed completely independently and written quickly and fluently, with requests to spell a word when needed by a child who has written very few independent thoughts/sentences. So, this was a day we rejoiced!

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“The whale is whooshing.”

Autism in Love Documentary

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Excited to see this new documentary is available on netflix. David and Lindsey are among the couples focused on in this documentary that gives insight to what it is like to be in a relationship with someone with an autism spectrum disorder.

I had the great honor to interview David a few years ago while he lived in the Jackson area and it was interesting to know what his career was like as well as his personal history.

Friday Five: Local Resources for Families affected by Autism

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As the director of Jackson Autism Center, I speak with countless families looking for resources for their child with autism, regardless of the age of the child. Here are 5 local resources that I find myself mentioning frequently to parents:

  • Camp Hope Hollow– Day camps for individuals with disabilities take place Mondays-Thursdays in the summer with a variety of mini-camps throughout the school year. A few other overnight camps may be available as well. A variety of ages are worked with so this is a great resource from approximately 3-4 years up.
  • Challenger League- What I love about the challenger league baseball is you will see kids 5+ learning a multitude of skills about baseball, turn taking, responsibility, the list goes on…the spirit of these teams amazes me and I love watching how kids grow and change through participation in the baseball season!
  • Eudora Welty Library- Eudora Welty Library has an Autism Resource Center located in the children’s section with books and materials that can be checked out as well as providing monthly support group meetings.
  • Jackson Autism Center- JAC not only supports its current clients, but also provides opportunities for families in the community through monthly support group meetings, sensory-friendly movie showings, mini-day camps, and more coming soon!
  • Little Giants- Little Giants is a developmental play center that works with children birth-5 years old. Classes are inclusive and allow children with special needs to be around their peers and learn through play and repetition.

Children with Autism Are More Likely to Elope/Wander

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Staying true to some of the challenges faced with autism, one of the biggest concerns is elopement. Elopement is when a child with autism wanders or runs away. It is one of the most terrifying moments for a parent, to realize your child is not within your sight.

There are many new devices and trackers that assist families in keeping track of their child, regardless of where they may wander from, whether it is a grocery store, home, school, etc.

Last year, we shared a story with a local TV station about a child who elopes very frequently and has recently gotten a service dog to assist in his safety. Thankfully, since this time last year, their fundraising goals have been met, but I am sure there are others that need this type of support.

AngelSense has made a GPS tracker to help keep kids safe. You can find out more here. There is also a bluetooth bracelet made in Birmingham, AL by Kulture City. More information about Kulture City’s program lifeBOKS is available here. Other low tech products families use include bracelets with family contact information, temporary tattoes, and shoe laces with contact information. Behavioral therapy can be instrumental in these situations to help understand what the purpose of wandering is and then, how to change this behavior.

Bounce for Autism 2016

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We are excited to have an event for autism families and especially the kids this April. Premier Tumble and Cheer is hosting our second Bounce for Autism. This event is scheduled for Saturday, April 30 from 10:00 am-12:00 pm. This event allows families and kids with autism to come and play and be themselves while parents can mingle and feel comfortable in a relaxed environment.

Tickets are $10 per child and water and snacks will be available for purchase in the front room. Please come and help support families in the area who have a child with autism.

You can purchase tickets in advance here.

Autism Society of America’s Yearly Conference in NOLA 2016

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Exciting news about ASA’s yearly conference- it’s closer than ever to the Jackson, MS area this year, 2016! The yearly conference will be in New Orleans, LA July 13-16, 2016. They have extended the early bird rate through April 30, 2016. Discounted rates for individuals with autism, groups (2+), and speakers. Don’t let this wonderful opportunity pass you and your family by! Register today!

The Prism Project

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For Autism Awareness Month I’d like to highlight an exciting arts program that I learned about last summer at the Mississippi Summer Arts Institute. For the past three years, Madison Avenue Elementary K-2 has participated in an arts grant created to bring arts integrated instruction to children in special education classes in Mississippi schools. Through my involvement in this program, I learned about a project called the Prism Project, led by Ryan Hourigan and Amy Hourigan. Ryan and Amy are husband and wife professors of music at Ball State University in Indiana. They have two personal children on the autism spectrum. Prism Project is a dramatic arts program offered on Saturdays and as summer day camp to children with disabilities who live in the Ball State area. University students interested in the arts and/or special education assist children as needed with their participation in the arts. Recently, the Prism Project has expanded to New Orleans. Please follow the Prism Project link to read about this exciting and innovative program. There’s something for children of all ability levels, including children who are non-verbal and/or need assistance with mobility or attention to task. I especially enjoyed reading about the impact of arts participation on social competence for this population of children.

Check out the videos of student performances for a parent audience. Two of my personal favorites are The Very Hungry Caterpillar and The Very Snowy Day. Wouldn’t it be awesome if we could have a program like this in the Jackson area?!

*This post has been written by a guest author, Lisa Gerard. Lisa Gerard has been a special education teacher at Madison Avenue Elementary in Madison, MS for the past nine years. During this time she has been awarded Madison Avenue Teacher of the Year (2011), Jackson Metro Area Teacher of the Year (2015) and the Arts Advocacy Award from the Mississippi Alliance for Arts Education (2015) for her efforts at integrating the arts into the special education curriculum at Madison Avenue. Lisa is currently finishing her Master’s degree in Special Education with a focus in Autism. She has done contract work in the past for Jackson Autism Center.