Review: Uniquely Human by Barry M. Prizant, PHD with Tom Fields-Meyer

Uniquely Human
by Barry M. Prizant, PHD with Tom Fields-Meyer

$24.95
Simon & Schuster
Hardcover also available as an ebook, 256 pages

ISBN: 9781476776231

Uniquely Human deftly describes how a person with autism responds to people and events around them.  The clear message about respect for the person with autism, parents, teachers and other members of the team of people involved with supporting and educating the person with autism makes this book a powerful tool for parents, teachers and others who work with autistic youth.

A key idea presented in the book is about trust and how a lack of trust in the world or people can result in anxiety and in some of the bewildering or surprising behaviors that a person with autism uses to control his world or to communicate fear or discomfort with what is happening.

An important topic covered in this book is emotional memory and how a seemly unimportant action or sight can trigger an out of proportion response in a person with autism.  The response is because that sight or sound or action has thrown the person back to an event that was traumatic for him and he is feeling again all the emotions he felt freshly at the time of the original traumatic event.  Prizant discusses how it is more helpful to ask why and respond with respect, comfort and kindness than to assume that the person with autism is being resistant, non-compliant or purposefully aggressive.

As a parent of a person with autism, I recognized many of the situations and the actions that resulted.  As a member of the Special Education Community Advisory Committee for my local Special Education Local Plan Area I recognized the different viewpoints that various school staff, teachers, principals, therapists, and community members can have about students with autism.  This book is an excellent approach to encouraging teamwork and support for the student with autism. 

The Guide to Resources includes an excellent list of books, websites and autism support organizations for professionals, parents and family members, and for people with autism.  While I was reading the book for review, a stranger noticed the title and asked me if she could take down the information on the book for her friend who has a son with autism.  Many parents, teachers and aides are hungry for helpful information and this book will satisfy the need.  I wish this book had been available when my son was still in school, but much of the information is still valuable as he makes his way to independence as an adult with autism.

Kathy Johnson is a reviewer for BookPleasures.com

Book Review: The Science of Making Friends

The Science of Making Friends: Helping Socially Challenged Teens and Young Adults

By Elizabeth A. Laugeson, PSY.D.

$25.95 US/ $29.95 CAN
JOSSEY-BASS
Trade Paperback also available as an ebook, 358 pages

ISBN-13: 978-1118127216

Do you know someone who has trouble making friends?  A lot of self-help books give bland advice that doesn’t help in the long run, but this book is not a self help book. It is the first educational book on making friends I have seen that not only talks about the issues but gives instructions in an easy to follow format.  This book is a genuine resource for parents, aides, and teachers who want to make a true difference for someone with social skills deficits.  The book is based on PEERS (Program for the Educational Enrichment of Relational Skills) from UCLA.

The Chapters are arranged in a natural order for developing relational or friend making skills.  Each part of the book addressing skills contains an introductory explanation of the purpose of the skill, the rules for applying the skill, example role plays both in the book and the accompanying dvd, and then practice tasks, a summary, and some exercises to practice the new skill. Each skill area is broken down into basic sub-skills.    

The topics covered include why we should teach social skills to teens and young adults, how to find and choose good friends, the basics of good conversations, how to start or enter a conversation, how to exit a conversation, how to manage electronic communications, how to show good sportsmanship, how to enjoy a successful get together, and how to handle peer conflict or rejection.

The sections on handling peer conflict or rejection are especially important for teens or young adults because it addresses such topics as arguments, teasing, cyber bullying, rumors and gossip, avoiding physical bullying, changing a bad reputation. 

The dvd shows examples of both successful social interactions and errors in social interaction that can affect whether the other person will want to continue interacting in future.  For example, one of the role plays shows a person standing too closely during a conversation and how the other person reacts uncomfortably.

After reading the book, I discussed some of the ideas presented with my son who has autism.  He was intrigued and encouraged to try the steps for himself.    This book is useful for helping anyone who is struggling with how to make and keep friends.  It is also an excellent resource for parents or teachers who are struggling to know how to help a youth who really wants to learn how to have and be a friend.

Kathy Johnson is a reviewer for BookPleasures.com.  This review also appears on the BookPleasures site.

IEPs and Go-Bags

Sometimes an IEP will include a plan to remove all the students in case of a student dis-regulation and the need to keep the dis-regulating student in place while quietly and orderly change of setting happens for the rest of the class.

Many times, a teacher resists doing this even if that is the recommended action by a school counselor, a psychologist and the IEP team.  If the team has a workable plan in place, the teacher is more likely to feel comfortable following through with the plan when needed.  If a  teacher has a Go-Bag containing appropriate activities/supplies that fit with the educational goal of the particular class, he/she can feel more in control and give the students the feeling of planned, safe, organized educational activity.

For example a Go-Bag for a math class, might contain math activities that work well in an outdoor setting on blacktop or under a tree.  String, pencils, protractors, scratch paper or other measuring or circle making tools might work for some activities.  For a social studies class, the Go-Bag might contain an assignment to look at various parts of the school as if you were a future historian trying to learn what the building was used for by clues in the area.

These are just examples, each teacher may have their own ideas about what will work for their class and to meet the educational goals of their subject matter.

In fact the teacher may want to have a test run through of the plan with all the students (even the student who may stay in place in crisis) just to make it an expected intermittent part of the class activities.

Also, for a one-on-one aide who is expected to accompany a student to a safe quiet space for re-regulation, a go-bag containing tactile balls or a puzzle or other activity that her particular student finds calming or distracting can be a big help in a crisis.  Keep in mind that when a student is disregulating, they may be non-verbal or may need a physical activity to burn some adrenalin so not all go-bag activities should be passive.

Detention at Recess

Do your schools use detention at recess for students who are having trouble sitting still in class?  It may be time to take a look at some alternatives that allow these students to burn off some energy or to step back from whatever conflict or frustration they are locked into with the teacher or fellow students to regroup or regulate themselves. 

Many times, classroom teachers fall back on detention when the IEP team has not give the teacher guidance about what methods of redirecting or disengaging work with a particular student and allow the teacher to teach all the students in class.

When you are assessing, modifying or designing an IEP, keep in mind what the classroom teacher needs to know about this student in order for both of them to successfully work together to provide FAPE.

Preparing Special Education students for emergencies

Some students with disabilities have anxiety about changes.  Emergencies like fire, flood, earthquake can be very stressful for students with disabilities both because of the sudden changes to routine, and because of the dangers, and because teachers and aides can be in a hurry to get students moved from one setting to another. 

Plan ahead and use tools like role-play and social stories to help students prepare before an emergency happens.  A plan can help students know what steps to take and feel safer during a scary situation.  You can work with your child's teacher, but whatever you work out, the plan should be documented in your child's IEP in case staff change or a substitute is working with your child when an emergency arrives.

Make sure that you empower your student with knowledge and skills not just frighten your child by making them anxious about an event that may not happen.

Back to School

It's that time of year again.  Schools are starting up and for the student with disabilities it can be an abrupt change of routine.  The whole experience of getting up early, getting or being dressed, then transported by car or bus to school.  It can be overwhelming.   Take some time to prepare your child for the changes.  Check with the school to find out what schedule changes or rule changes have been decided on for the new year.  Even if you think you already know how things will go, sometimes teachers move or enrollment numbers change the way a school is planning to assign classes.  The more you know, the better you can advocate for your child's needs.

Summer school?

Is your IEP student taking summer classes?  Is his/her IEP still being followed?  Is your student included in field trips or other general education opportunities?  Remember, if you don't ask, your child might be missing some opportunities for inclusion and skill building.

Also keep in mind that most times actions are due to ignorance not malice so if you go in armed with information about your child's rights by law and what modification or support is best practice to include your student in the least restrictive environment, most school staff are happy to do what helps make it easier for your child to participate and will make their tasks easier too.