The Autism News | English

Tips To Keep Your Autistic Child Safe: MyFoxDC.com

WASHINGTON – Parents should always be prepared, especially if they may be raising a child with autism. Parents of children with special needs should know the best way to keep their child safe.

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The Autism News | English


Statistics show that the number of people diagnosed with autism has increased steadily over the past 30 years resulting in a surge in the number of adults with autism graduating from high school. However, preliminary employment studies indicate that this population may earn less and be employed at a lower rate compared to other people with disabilities. Now, an autism expert at the University of Missouri is identifying employment resources that are available for people with autism and steps employers can take to improve the workplace and hiring process for this population.

“Despite the increase in diagnoses of autism in children, we know very little about autism in adults,” said Scott Standifer, clinical associate professor in the School of Health Professions. “Often, people don’t consider how children with autism will grow up and function outside of school. It is important to find ways for this population to be successful in the work environment.”

Recently, Standifer released the “Fact Sheet on Autism Employment,” which includes information and statistics about the adult autism community, organizations addressing autism employment and resources on workplace accommodations for autism.

Although people with autism often have trouble finding employment, Standifer said there are a number of resources that are available. He provides the following recommendations and tips to assist job seekers and employers:

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Word to the Wise: Tips to Improve Speech

The Autism News | Special Guest

By Pamela Mari

When my mom had her stroke, everything she said was in “jargon”, gobble-dy-gook.    She thought what she made sense but it didn’t.  She would get so frustrated and angry at me.  The look on her face said “why don’t you understand me?”   This situation is not unlike that of many of our children on the autism spectrum, struggling to acquire speech to make their thoughts known.   When my son Joey was 2.5 years old his only word was blue.   I found a  technique called “recasting” though a late talking children’s group headed by  Dr. Stephen Camarata, of Vanderbilt University.   Recasting is a simple technique.  Think of yourself as a “parrot who likes to have the last word.”

If your child can say “ba” then you repeat “ball”. If they can say “ball” then you repeat “big ball”.  Add a sound to any word sound they can make.  Add a word to any word they can say.  So, eventually “ball” becomes, “blue ball” and “blue ball “becomes “big blue ball”.   I used this technique on my son and I truly believe it worked.    Recast or repeat to the child the sound or word they are able to make just add to it each time.  Joey used to say “pretzel”  “pretzel”.   I’d say “want pretzel”.   From time to time I would withhold (only for a short time) the object he wanted until he at least tried to repeat the proper word or phrase.  Finally one day his first full sentence “I want a pretzel” came out of my recasting the words to him and a little bit of withholding on my part.