Everyday activities to help your young child with autism live life to the full : simple exercises to boost functional skills, sensory processing, coordination, and self-care

146 Pages·2012·1.97 MB·English

by  Debra S Jacobs

Ever yday Activities to Help
Your Young Child with Autism
Live Life to the Full
by the same author
Yoga for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders
A Step-by-Step Guide for Parents and Caregivers
Dion E. Betts and Stacey W. Betts
Forewords by Louise Goldberg, Registered Yoga Teacher, and Joshua S. Betts
ISBN 978 1 84310 817 7
Hints and Tips for Helping Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders
Useful Strategies for Home, School, and the Community
Dion E. Betts and Nancy J. Patrick
ISBN 978 1 84310 896 2
Asperger Syndrome in the Inclusive Classroom
Advice and Strategies for Teachers
Stacey W. Betts, Dion E. Betts and Lisa N. Gerber-Eckard
Foreword by Peter Riffle
ISBN 978 1 84310 840 5
of related interest
Speech in Action
Interactive Activities Combining Speech Language Pathology and Adaptive
Physical Education
America X Gonzalez, Lois Jean Brady and Jim Elliott
ISBN 978 1 84905 846 9
Social Communication Cues for Young Children with Autism Spectrum
Disorders and Related Conditions
How to Give Great Greetings, Pay Cool Compliments and Have Fun with
Friends
Tarin Varughese
ISBN 978 1 84905 870 4
Motivate to Communicate
300 Games and Activities for Your Child with Autism
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ISBN 978 1 84905 041 8
Get out, Explore, and Have Fun!
How Families of Children with Autism or Asperger Syndrome Can Get the
Most out of Community Activities
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ISBN 978 1 84905 809 4
Ever yday Activities to Help
Your Young Child with Autism
Live Life to the Full
Simple Exercises to Boost
Functional Skills, Sensory
Processing, Coordination
and Self-Care
Debra S. Jacobs
and Dion E. Betts
Foreword by
Carol A. Just, OTD, OTR/L
Jessica Kingsley Publishers
London and Philadelphia
Front cover image source: iStockphoto®. The cover image is for illustrative purposes only,
and any person featuring is a model.
First published in 2012
by Jessica Kingsley Publishers
116 Pentonville Road
London N1 9JB, UK
and
400 Market Street, Suite 400
Philadelphia, PA 19106, USA
www.jkp.com
Copyright © Debra S. Jacobs and Dion E. Betts 2012
Foreword copyright © Carol A. Just 2012
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form
(including photocopying or storing it in any medium by electronic means and whether or
not transiently or incidentally to some other use of this publication) without the written
permission of the copyright owner except in accordance with the provisions of the
Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 or under the terms of a licence issued by the
Copyright Licensing Agency Ltd, Saffron House, 6–10 Kirby Street, London EC1N 8TS.
Applications for the copyright owner’s written permission to reproduce any part of this
publication should be addressed to the publisher.
Warning: The doing of an unauthorized act in relation to a copyright work may result in
both a civil claim for damages and criminal prosecution.
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Jacobs, Debra S. (Debra Sue), 1959-
Everyday activities to help your young child with autism live life to the
full : simple exercises to boost functional skills, sensory processing,
coordination, and self-care / Debra S. Jacobs and Dion E. Betts ; foreword by
Carol A. Just.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-84905-238-2 (alk. paper)
1. Autism in children--Popular works. 2. Occupational therapy for children-
-Popular works. I. Betts, Dion E. (Dion Emile), 1963- II. Title.
RJ506.A9J328 2012
618.92’85882--dc23
2011031922
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN 978 1 84905 238 2
eISBN 978 0 85700 482 6
Printed and bound in Great Britain
Contents
Foreword by Carol A. Just OTD, OTR/L 9
ACknOwLeDgmenTs 13
A nOTe AbOuT This bOOk 15
introduction 17
what are Autism spectrum Disorders? 17
what is occupational therapy? 18
Functional assessment 18
Skill assessment 18
Sensory processing 18
Visual/motor skills 19
Self-care skills 19
how to use this book 19
Chapter 1. body Awareness 21
Let’s make a paper me 28
Right/left discrimination and self and others in the
environment 30
My right hand 31
Mom’s right hand 32
The bed has a right and left side 32
balance 33
Building bicycle skills 34
Pillow walk 36
Target practice 36
Up on your knees please 37
mobility 38
Chapter 2. increasing Coordination 39
eye–hand coordination 39
Infants: Birth to two years of age 40
Toddlers: Ages two to five 40
Children: Elementary school age 41
bilateral coordination 44
Infants 44
Toddlers 44
Children 45
Chapter 3. Fine motor skills 49
Foundation skills 53
The pinch 55
Wrist position 58
Make it noticeable 60
Right or left handed? 60
Progressing hand skills and tool use 64
Scissors 65
Coloring in shapes and spaces 67
Writing legibly on the line 67
Turning the page 68
Following the reading 69
A word about hand strength 70
Nail face picture 71
Hole punch activities 71
Let’s find the good stuff 72
Chapter 4. understanding the world through the
senses 73
Position in space 74
Swing 74
Knee riding 75
Exercise balls 76
movement 76
Under leg ball toss 77
Touch 77
Compression shirts 78
Burrito time 78
Gentle touch 79
Neutral warmth 79
Heavy blanket 79
sound 80
Turn down the noise 80
Taste 81
smell 82
Vision 84
Attention 85
Chapter 5. Daily Living skills 87
mealtimes 88
Dressing 90
What’s the weather? 91
Let’s pick 91
Getting into clothes 92
What about style? 92
grooming 93
Bathroom 93
Hand washing 94
Nail care 95
Bath time 95
Taking care of belongings 97
Daily schedules 98
Visual schedules 99
Keeping organized 100
sleep 100
Chores 101
Chapter 6. Activities in the home, school, and
Community 103
Play 103
Playing alone 103
Parallel play 104
Playing together 104
breaks at school 107
Computer use, television, and videogames 108
Technology 108
worship 109
holidays 111
Restaurants 111
Running errands with the family 112
Leisure 113
Going to the movies 113
Bicycle riding 114
Bowling and arcades 114
Chapter 7. Calming Techniques 117
staying calm at home 118
Opportunities for self-expression 118
Self-calming materials and furniture 118
staying calm in school 119
Visual schedules 121
Children learn using many senses 122
staying calm in the community 122
The night before 123
Snacks 124
Backpack/bag 124
Clothing 124
Chapter 8. building Capacity: Optimizing Care and
Treatment 125
support for parents, carers, and professionals 125
The grief process 125
Networking and a team approach 127
Types of professionals and services 128
Assessment and goal planning 132
Celebration 133
ReFeRenCes 135
inDex 137