Apps for AUTISM - community-networks.ca€¦ · The analysis also uncovered a link between autism...

Apps for AUTISM

Professional Background

Overview of Today

#1 Apps for Communication

#2 Apps for Scheduling & Rewarding

#3 Apps to help Anxiety

#4 Apps for Increasing Spoken Language

#5 Apps for Teaching Specific Academic Skills

-Reading

-Written Language

-Math

#6 GPS Technology

1st – WHY are special supports Needed???

Children and Adults with ASD face many unique challenges

Our understanding of the physiological CAUSES of these

challenges is rapidly growing.

Genetic Family Research

Chromosomal Genetics

Autism Genome Project - Global 5 yr collaboration

*130 scientists in 50 institutions in 19 countries, $20 million

*DNA samples from 1,600 families

*Estimates 100 genes could be involved

The analysis also uncovered a link between autism and the deletion in part

of a gene known as neurexin 1, one of a family of genes important in

communication between neurons in the brain.

Genetic Screening ???

Genetic finding paves way for controversial autism testing CAROLY N ABRAHAM

Toronto— From Thursday's Globe and Mail

Published Wednesday, Jun. 09, 2010 1:08PM

Triggers

Genetics put one at “risk” but often further triggers needed:

Environmental

Metabolic

Viral Infections

In Utero Complications

Neurological Impact

Plasticity & Myelinization

Neurological Impact

Neurological Connections

Overview of Today

#1 Apps for Communication

#2 Apps for Scheduling & Rewarding

#3 Apps to help Anxiety

#4 Apps for Teaching Specific Skills

-Language

-Reading

-Spelling

-Math

#5 GPS Technology

APPS 4 Communication

APPS 4 Communication

APPS 4 Communication

Proloquo2Go by AssistiveWare ($199) -Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). -Vocabulary organized for beginning communicators on up to those who need a more complex core vocabulary. -Customizable Display from Pics to Text -Transition to literacy with word prediction in typing view -Over 30 voices ranging in age and accent

APPS 4 Communication

APPS 4 Communication

APPS 4 Communication

Apps 4 YOU

- How could this App be of use to you? - What might be challenging about making

use of this App?

- What steps will you need to take to start using this App?

APPS 4 Communication - Autismate

AutisMate ($149) -Scene based communication. -Pictures have embedded hotspots that open up to relevant vocabulary or video clips.

APPS 4 Communication

APPS 4 Communication

APPS 4 Communication

Apps 4 YOU

- How could this App be of use to you? - What might be challenging about making

use of this App?

- What steps will you need to take to start using this App?

APPS 4 Scheduling & Rewarding

APPS 4 Scheduling & Rewarding

Time Timer $2.99 -Can be used many ways *Waiting * Counting Down *Tracking Duration *Teaching Endurance *Building Tolerance

Apps 4 YOU

- How could this App be of use to you? - What might be challenging about making

use of this App?

- What steps will you need to take to start using this App?

APPS 4 Scheduling & Rewarding

The Choiceworks app by BeeVisual ($6.99)

- Schedule Board allows up to eight steps and when an item is done you slide the finished task to the all done column.

- The Waiting board has a timer that counts down.

- The Feelings board helps to identify emotions and create strategies to cope in a positive way- such as when they are feeling angry or frustrated.

- Over 150 images are included or you may use your own

symbols or photos. You may also record audio.

Choiceworks Schedule Board

Choiceworks Feelings Board

Choiceworks Waiting Board

Apps 4 YOU

- How could this App be of use to you? - What might be challenging about making

use of this App?

- What steps will you need to take to start using this App?

APPS 4 ANXIETY

Anxiety = The

Missing Piece of

the Puzzle?

ANXIETY Overview

• Understanding Anxiety

*Supporting Children with Anxiety

- Apps for Self Monitoring

- Apps for Self Calming

- Social Story Apps

Anxiety - Biology

When is Anxiety Good?

When is Anxiety Good?

Types of Anxiety

There are several recognized types of anxiety disorders,

including:

Panic disorder

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Social Anxiety Disorder

Specific Phobias

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

ASD & Anxiety Symptoms

Feelings of panic, fear, and uneasiness

Uncontrollable, obsessive thoughts

Ritualistic behaviors

Problems sleeping

An inability to be still and calm

MELTDOWNS

CBT – Self Monitoring

*

5 Point Scale & Anxiety Curve

- The RAGE Cycle

- Teachable Moments - The Rumbling Stage - Rage Stage - Recovery Stage - Teachable Moments - NOTE: ONLY teachable times are well

before or after meltdowns

APPS 4 Self Monitoring

Anger Thermometer $1.99 -Helps ID & regulate feelings. -Can be used as a preventative tool, a situational tool, or a debriefing tool after-the-fact. The Anger Thermometer also provides calming strategies that are both simple and effective.

Apps 4 YOU

- How could this App be of use to you? - What might be challenging about making

use of this App?

- What steps will you need to take to start using this App?

Behavioral Self Calming

Supporting Children with Anxiety

-Relaxation Tools for Home and School

– Diaphragmatic Breathing

– Progressive Muscle Relaxation

– Visualization

– Mindfulness Meditation

APPS 4 Breathing

Breathe 2 Relax – FREE -Tutorials -Customizable -Track Stress

APPS 4 Breathing

Pranayama– FREE/$1.99 -Tutorials -Customizable -Track Progress

Apps 4 YOU

- How could this App be of use to you? - What might be challenging about making

use of this App?

- What steps will you need to take to start using this App?

APPS 4 Visualization & Relaxation

Autogenic Training - $2.99 -Teaches 5 ways to relax *Autogenics *Progressive Muscle Relaxation *Deep Breathing *Visualization *”Special Place”

APPS 4 Mindfulness & Meditation

Smiling Minds - FREE -Takes listeners through guided meditations, beginning with a "body scan" session and moving on to sounds, thoughts, and emotions. -4 Age level Settings -Tracks mood -Earn badges & unlock levels -National Research in Australia

Apps 4 YOU

- How could this App be of use to you? - What might be challenging about making

use of this App?

- What steps will you need to take to start using this App?

Supporting Children with Anxiety

- Anxiety and Coping Tools for Home

– The Relaxation and Stress Reduction Workbook

For Kids – Shapiro

– I Bet I Won't Fret – Sisemore

– Anxiety Workbook for Teens - Schab

Supporting Children with Anxiety

-Professional Intervention Services

– How do you know when they are needed?

– Who should you see?

• Psychologist for Diagnosis & Therapy

– Self Refer

• Pediatrician or Psychiatrist for Medication

– Referral through family doctor

Supporting Children with Anxiety

– Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

• 1:1 with a Psychologist

• Group Therapy

SOCAIL STORIES

*Excellent tools for teaching and encouraging appropriate behaviors & overcoming fears *Written in positive format as if behaviors already happening

SOCIAL STORY EXAMPLES

Captain Jack and the Peaceful Parrot Smart Scientist

Social Story Resources

www.thegraycenter.org http://www.polyxo.com/socialstories http://www.beyondplay.com/ITEMS/V703.HTM

APPS 4 Social Stories

Stories About Me - $5.99 Blending photos, text, and voice recordings into a talking picture book, children can playback rich media stories of their own personal experiences. Swiping advances the pages and tapping plays the audio; simple as that! Creating, editing, and ordering stories is easy and simple. Sharing stories with others who have the app and backing them up is made possible with Dropbox integration. Parental lock feature prevents accidental edits or deletions.

APPS 4 Building Spoken Language

Speech Journal $3.99 Mobile Education Store -Creates books that allow you to pair recorded voices with an image. -Create social stories, talking photo albums, illustrated multi-step tasks for job skills.

Apps 4 YOU

- How could this App be of use to you? - What might be challenging about making

use of this App?

- What steps will you need to take to start using this App?

APPS 4 Building Spoken Language

- Language Builder - Sentence Builder - Question Builder - Conversation Builder - Story Builder

APPS 4 Building Language

APPS 4 Building Spoken Language

Language Builder$9.99 1) Improve sentence

ideation 2) Improve sentence

formation; and 3) Improve receptive

and expressive language.

-3 levels of hints -250 picture cards

APPS 4 Building Spoken Language

Sentence Builder$4.99 -Learn to create grammatically correct sentences. - Multiple levels of practices using various sentence structures. -Over 225 built in sentences -Fully customizable 'create your own' section,

APPS 4 Building Spoken Language

Questions Builder$5.99 -Why, What, Where, How and Random question formats -1200 audio clips of questions and answers -3 levels of abstraction -Optional text and audio reinforcement -Statistics to track student progress

APPS 4 Building Spoken Language

Conversation Builder$19.99 -Learn how to have multi-exchange conversations with their peers in a variety of social settings. -Visual format to help master the flow of conversation. -Students will learn when it is appropriate to introduce themselves, ask questions, make observations and change the

subject of the conversation.

APPS 4 Building Spoken Language

Story Builder$7.99 1) Improve paragraph

formation 2) Improve integration of

ideas; and 3) Improve higher level

abstractions by inference.

*Stiches answers together into a story narative

Apps 4 YOU

- How could this App be of use to you? - What might be challenging about making

use of this App?

- What steps will you need to take to start using this App?

APPS 4 Teaching Specific Academic Skills

APPS 4 Reading – Phonics

$59.99 or $.99 per book

APPS 4 Reading – Sight Words

Step #1 – Match Picture to Picture with word Step #2 – Match Picture to Word Step #3 – Match Word to Picture Step #4 – Orally label word (read cards outloud)

Apps 4 YOU

- How could this App be of use to you? - What might be challenging about making

use of this App?

- What steps will you need to take to start using this App?

APPS 4 Written Language

Practice Book Alphabet - $.99 -Unlimited personalize words and phrases to trace -Musical and animation rewards -Tracks all progress with copies of practice sheets ***TIP – use a stylus & encourage proper tripod grip

APPS 4 Written Language

Kidspiration Maps - $9.99 -Grades K-5 learn to organize and classify information, gain sight word knowledge and expand their ideas into written and verbal expression.

Apps 4 YOU

- How could this App be of use to you? - What might be challenging about making

use of this App?

- What steps will you need to take to start using this App?

APPS 4 Math

Touch Math $.99/unit Adventures: ▪ Touching/Counting ▪ Jungle Addition ▪ Ocean Subtraction ▪ Cosmic Multiplication ▪ Desert Division

Apps 4 YOU

- How could this App be of use to you? - What might be challenging about making

use of this App?

- What steps will you need to take to start using this App?

-Simon Baron Cohen RESEARCH

-

Biological sex affects the neurobiology of autism

This study seeks to answer two questions about how autism is modulated by biological sex at the level of the brain: (i)is the neuroanatomy of autism different in males and females? (ii)(ii) does the neuroanatomy of autism fit predictions from the „extreme male brain‟ theory of autism, in males and/or in females?

Biological sex affects the neurobiology of autism – WEB Links

http://brain.oxfordjournals.org/content/136/9/2799.short http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2388624/Girls-autistic-masculine-brains-scientists-claim.html#ixzz2fFbxy0Of

Biological sex affects the neurobiology of autism – VIDEO

Simon Baron Cohen Interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crmDSDeCEp4

-New DSM-V Diagnostic Criteria & Categories

*Separate diagnostic categories of Autism, PDD-NOS, and Asperger‟s Removed *1 Single Autism Spectrum Disorder Category *Pros and Cons

Defining Autism (cont.‟d)

Two core symptom categories:

#1 Deficits in social communication & Social Interaction

#2 Restricted, repetitive patterns of behaviour, interests, or

activities

Severity Levels

DSM-V

*Please turn to handout resource