The Promise of a Pearl

Autism Centre Society of the South Shore

Newsletter

Each handmade piece of jewelry, ‘made for and by people living with autism’ creates invaluable opportunities. Your purchase will directly contribute to the creation of jobs; social and recreational programs; family support; autism education and awareness. Look for this beautiful handmade jewelry in Lawtons Drug Stores and for more information on the project, please visit:

www.promiseofapearl.com

S P R I N G 2 0 1 2

Message from the Board of Directors

Location: Portable Classroom Hebbville Academy

http://autismcentress.ednet.ns.ca

Spring is upon us and April is Autism Awareness Month! The Board of Directors would like to remind you that for families living with autism and their educators, caregivers and supporters, autism is every day of the year. Check out “Our Vision” statement… we all have an important role to play if this is to be achieved. We welcome your support!

Our Vision

That people with Autism Spectrum Disorder achieve their potential and that they and their

families have universal access to the resources they require.

The Autism Centre Society of the South Shore will be a centre of excellence that will advance the personal development, equal opportunity

and participation of people with Autism Spectrum Disorder within a safe,

respectful and supportive community.

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AUTISM CENTRE NEWSLETTER SPRING 2012

Dr. Tony Attwood via SKYPE

Parent Corner

A late September public education session was held at Hebbville Academy. The one and a half hour featured speaker was Dr. Tony Attwood via SKYPE from his Brisbane Australia. Dr Attwood spoke about Autism Spectrum Disorder specifically about anxiety, stress and behaviour issues. At the end of his lecture, audience members had an opportunity to address Dr. Attwood with their questions.

In January the Autism Centre Society hosted an after school art program pilot for students who are elementary school aged. Four students ages 8-11 participated in the program. Autism Nova Scotia provided the Occupational Therapist and the Autism Centre Society hired the art educator who facilitated the sessions with funds raised at last year’s WALK. Participants had the opportunity to explore a variety of art mediums and enjoy some social time together. Thanks to the volunteers who gave feely of their time to help make this possible!

After School Art I’m very lucky to be the mother of two beautiful boys that live with autism. Three years ago we got the diagnosis and our adventure began. To educate ourselves and the people around us was not an easy task with endless information out there; we had to find what worked for us, which is not always clear and trial and error (mostly error) and move on from there. In spite of the same diagnosis they have very different personalities; they complement each other very well and give great balance in our family dynamic. When I tell people that I have two children with ASD a look of sadness comes across their face and they say to me, “I don’t know how you do it.” Or “I’m sorry.” Please don’t feel bad for me. I love my life and my kids make it more special. They have taught me more than I could ever teach them. Grant you we do have our fair share of melt downs and question our decisions but as parents we are harder on ourselves than what we credit ourselves.

Jessica Whynot, Brooklyn, NS If you would like to submit your story or autism related community event, please forward to yrafuse@eastlink.ca for review by our Newsletter Team.

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AUTISM CENTRE NEWSLETTER SPRING 2012

WALK the

We are looking forward to the 2012 Walk the Walk for Autism on June 16. Last year we raised over $4,000 for

autism programs across the South Shore. We are grateful to our volunteers, participants, sponsors, and donors. Once again this June we can continue “Stepping in the right direction”!

Please look for more information and ways to make donations* on May 1st on the Walk the Walk for Autism website: http://www.walkthewalkforautism.ca/

*Donations can be made directly to individuals or teams participating in the WALK and this year credit cards will be accepted and tax receipts will be issued directly if you donate on-line starting on May 1st.

Bursary In an effort to support the continuing education of students living with autism the Autism Centre Society of the South Shore is pleased to offer a bursary to assist with post-secondary studies. South Shore Regional School Board students with a diagnosed Autism Spectrum Disorder who are graduating from grade 12, and planning to attend a recognized post-secondary institution may apply for the Autism Centre Society of the South Shore Bursary with a value of $400.00. Please see your school guidance office for an application.

The Autism Centre Society of the South Shore sponsored Yoga for students with autism

and their families

Yoga calms the nervous system leading to improved stress and anxiety management. A certified Yoga instructor was hired to facilitate classes for students with autism and their family members. The classes were held to explore an introduction to yoga breathing, balancing and calming techniques. Funds from the 2011 Walk the Walk for Autism covered the cost of this program.

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AUTISM CENTRE NEWSLETTER SPRING 2012

Resources are available for loan at the Autism Centre Located in the Portable Classroom, Hebbville Academy

By appointment only: Contact crahey@ssrsb.ca

New on our shelves…

Visual Support for Children with Autism, Gary Mesibov The Feelings Book, Todd Parr Art as an Early Intervention Tool for Children with Autism, Nicole Martin Building Sensory Friendly Classrooms, Rebecca Moyes Active Imagination Activity Book, Kelly Tilley Learning the Hidden Curriculum, the Odyssey of One Autistic Adult, Judy Endow Apps for Autismn, Lois Jean Brady Communication: What Does it Mean to Me, Catherine Faherty Autism the Acceptance Book, Ellen Sabin Special People, Special Ways, Arlene Maguire My Friend with Autism, Beverly Bishop What is a Thought (A Thought is a Lot), Jack Pransky & Amy Kahofer Different Like Me: My book if Autism Heroes, Jennifer Elder Developing Language Comprehension Using Multi-Sensory Activities, Marilyn M. Tooney The Guide to Dating for Teenagers with Asperger Syndrome, Jeannie Uhlenkamp Aspergers, What Does it Mean to Me?, Catherine Faherty From Anxiety to Meltdown, Deborah Lipsey The Kitchen Classroom, Gabrielle Kaplan-Mayer Too Smart for Bullies, Deputy Sheriff Robert Kahn & Sharon Chandler Teaching Math to People with Down Syndrome and Other Hands on Learners, Deanna Horstmeier With Open Arms, Creating School Communities of Support for Kids with Social Challenges Using Circle of Friends, Extracurricular Activities and Learning Teams, Mary Schlieder

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AUTISM CENTRE NEWSLETTER SPRING 2012

Make and Take Session Parents and teachers gathered at Bridgewater High School library in January to make visuals for their

students and family members. Thanks go out to Kelli Nauss for facilitating the session, Chuck

McLellan for allowing us to use the space, and ACSSS for providing the materials.

The Assistive Technology Centre SSRSB is thankful for the loan of 4 iPod Touch devices from the Autism Centre Society of the South Shore. These four devices were immediately distributed to 4 teams supporting students with autism in our board. We also provided the teams with appropriate training and iTunes gift cards to purchase Apps that we recommended specifically for these students following AT assessments. The iPod Touches are being utilized with 4 different students with different needs. One team is using the iPod Touch with Pictello to develop social stories and reduce anxiety precluding a particular event. Other students are using their devices for their visual schedule, taking advantage of the relaxation apps supporting sensory regulation and transitioning and others are utilizing language specific apps to enhance their expressive language skills. Thank-you so much for this loan. We have so many students diagnosed with autism and so few resources to support all their needs. We do everything we can to address all their needs, including fundraising through the ATC Society. Your loan of the iPod Touch 4G's to the Assistive Technology Centre Sociey is greatly appreciated and highly beneficial to these four students. Thank you again. Barbara Welsford AT Specialist SSRSB

Autism in the News The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in a new survey, estimates that 1 in 88 children in the US have an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and the prevalence of the condition has risen nearly 80 percent over the last decade, federal health officials reported on March 29th. CDC is committed to continuing to provide essential data on ASDs, search for risk factors and causes, and develop resources that help identify children with ASDs as early as possible. For Autism Canada’s response to this new study go to:

http://www.autismcanada.org/

IPod Touch Project

Autism Nova Scotia was founded as The Provincial Autism Centre in 2002 with one primary goal: to help parents, professionals, those on the spectrum, and others to find the information and services they need to support persons living with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). For more information, visit their website website: http://www.autismnovascotia.ca/ The website is an extension of Autism Nova Scotia's mission to facilitate an exchange of ideas and information about autism through our programs and resources. Members and visitors may browse their catalog, request materials, look through their digital library, do research, and check on events happening in Nova Scotia and around the world.