Autism Resources for Northern Utah

There is a growing need for autism resources in Northern Utah. Here is a compiled list of helpful organizations and online links. Let us know what you think and feel free to add to the list!

Families of Super Kids

Autism Resources

Families of Super Kids

www.familiesofsuperkids.blogspot.com

Click on Northern Utah Summer Programs or

Click on Year Round Programs

Primary Children’s Rehab Ogden

801-387-2080

Occupational Therapy

Diane Peake

charterschoolot@gmail.com

801-644-4212

Home consultations available in Layton to Ogden area

Clearfield Aquatic Center

Special Needs Swimming Lessons

801.525.4640

http://www.reconline.org/Activities/Activities.asp?sectionId=2

 

Facebook Pages:

Big MAK’S

Utah Kids

Utah Medical Supply Exchange

Northern Utah Autism Program (NUAP): 801-394-5936

Early Intervention Specialized for Autism, ABA Program

Children with Special Health Care Needs: Ogden 801-626-3645

Utah Center for Asistive Technology (UCAT)

Helping people with disabilities identify and obtain assistive technology that will enhance the quality of their lives.

801-887-9380

888-866-5550

1595 West 500 S

SLC, Utah 84104

Service Dogs:

Canine Companions for Independence (CCI)

Wasatch Champions

http://wasatchchampions.blogspot.com/

Inquiries and requests: mailto:wasatchchampions77@yahoo.com

Utah Parent Center

230 West 200 South, Suite 1101
Salt Lake City, UT 84101
Phone: 801.272.1051
Toll-Free in Utah: 1.800.468.1160
Email: info@utahparentcenter.org

Easter Seals

http://www.easterseals.com/esgw/

Easter Seals-Goodwill Northern Rocky Mountain is a private, nonprofit organization serving children and adults with autism and other disabilities, along with disadvantaged families in Idaho, Montana, Utah and Wyoming.

PCMC Neurobehavioral Clinic
Northern Utah
801-292-8665


PCMC provides diagnostic evaluations, neuropsychological assessment, home programs, behavior management, and medication consultations

- See more at: http://www.utahparentcenter.org/autism-diagnostic-evaluations/#sthash.pIJbhDtO.dpuf

Disability Law Center

www.disabilitylawcenter.org

Free consultations

Autism Speaks

www.autismspeas.org

http://www.autismspeaks.org/family-services/tool-kits/100-day-kit

Behavioral Modification:

Behavior Stories

http://www.thewatsoninstitute.org/teacher-resources2.jsp?pageId=2161392240601226415747290

 

 

Eagle Eyes Aids Nonverbal Children

Op-Ed Article by Jeanette Pascoe
Family Partner, Northern Utah Pediatrics
Medical Home Project


EagleEyes, offered by The Opportunity Foundation of America, is an eye controlled technology and program that acts as a mouse for adults and children with disabilities. By taping electrodes to the user's temples and connecting the electrodes to the technology box, an individual can control their computer screen.


Wow. So many times, I have thought, "I know my kid is in there. She just can't control her hands or speak." One of the only things in her environment she controls is when she finds a string and plays with it. I want more for her.


I have not had my daughter try EagleEyes, yet I intend to do so very soon. Just imagine my daughter, a twelve year old who is non-verbal and has limited motor function, playing a game on a computer screen with her eyes. She would be able to look at a small area of the screen for a moment which results in a mouse click. My daughter would not even need to hold her head still. Awesome feature, especially since she sways back and forth. She could even use her head movement to control the device to play with many computer programs or the internet.


Through a grant, EagleEyes is available for only $800 during 2014. The Opportunity Foundation of America, a non-profit, only asks for a donation to cover the cost of the system and training. That is pretty amazing considering that it is normally $1200, considering the start up cost for the company as well as the development of the technology. There is even a possibility that Utah DSPD through Medicaid could cover the cost. Let's hope. I am convinced that the makers, INOVAR, Inc. want to help people improve their quality of life.


To obtain EagleEyes, schedule a free evaluation.
Phone: 385.215.9605
Email: info@ofoa.net
Online: www.ofoa.net

Parenting Children with ADHD

Notes from presenter Melanie Hatch

Coordinator, CHADD of Utah

Navigating life with ADHD can be complex and emotional. Thankfully, there are some great tools that will help children and families with ADHD function happily.

Have your children help make the rules, make the consequences, and post the rules in multiple places throughout the house if you want them to remember.  Help your children go at their pace. Don't rush them.

Children with ADHD need to develop problem solving skills. Sometimes children get stuck, so give them options on how to do the task. There are always different routes.

Give your child immediate feedback. Review strategies on how to manage ADHD, so that it's not just about a misbehavior. Help them see when they are doing something right. Every time your child is doing something right, reinforce that. Whether it is a sticker sheet, a reward at the end of a period of multiple tasks, or a compliment, help them build confidence in the things they do right.

When you wonder why your child is not doing what you want them to do, it may be that they didn't hear you. They may have been distracted for a moment. Talk to your child face to face. Observe if they are absorbing what you are saying and if they seem distracted, have them repeat it back to you. When you need to correct them, do it quietly with a gentle touch on the arm or a pep talk in private. Be sure to not embarrass them.

Your instruction should be clear with individual steps. For example, take a picture of what their room needs to look like when they clean it. Your child may need a picture for each step. When your child with ADHD is working, let them do it in short segments. They can come back to their tasks. Sometimes we need to praise them for partial finishing, for the little things. Reward them for improvement, not perfection. Children with ADHD are consistently inconsistent.  They may not remember the rules and may need help navigating the same task multiple times, even if they did it right a few times before. Always help them see the positive.

ADHD is a physiological condition. When deciding if a child needs medication, realize that it is the choice of the parent and the child. Talk with your doctor and research medications. A teacher should not say the a child must be medicated. Usually, a medication could help a child calm down enough to learn.

There can be several issues for parents of children with ADHD. Parents may have the same condition.  Parents have to deal with multiple issues like work, sports, schools, other children, and keeping a clean home. Parents may get negative messages from neighbors or schools that the parenting needs to improve, however, this may not be the case. If a parent struggles with their child's issues, try to not be at odds with your child. Show unconditional love. Mothers may often get depressed because they want to fix the problems, but celebrating one's own strengths is important as a parent.

There is hope for your child with ADHD.  Solutions for the child include consistency from both parents and follow through with consequences.  Make sure consequences are for the non - negotiable rules such as if a behavior hurts others or self. Clarify your expectations. Use enforceable statements without anger. Try not to use a consequence like, "If you don't clean your room, you are grounded for a month." Statements like that end up grounding the parent. Delay consequences if you or the child are emotional. Wait for five minutes to calm down.

Maintain a sense of humor! Ignore the small behaviors that don't make a big difference. Ask yourself if it really matters. Learn to laugh through difficult situations. Keep a disability perspective because a child with ADHD may look normal, yet needs the extra tools. They may have a 30 percent emotional and developmental delay. Learn where your child levels exist. Remember that parenting is not easy and simultaneously be grateful for the small victories your child makes.

Improving Brain Placicity

Notes from presenter Dr. Judy Gooch
judith.gooch@imail.org



Many individuals with disabilities, individuals with brain injury, or people with mental illness can benefit from activities which improve brain placicity. Activity improves brain placicity. This applies to cognitive function, emotional function, and motor function.



The most effective way to learn a task is to practice it on a daily basis in the home and in a community setting. The individual needs to practice a lot, yet with rest periods. Start with simple tasks that are variable. For instance, if a child is learning to walk, using a walker is good as long as that is not the constant. The child needs to practice a sitting position to standing position, practice walking fast, and practice walking slowly.



Use positive reinforcement. Brain placicity changes when using objects that stimulate.  When a child is learning motor function in feeding themselves, they will most likely perform at a higher level if they are eating a bowl of ice cream! Find some motivators that your child loves, for example - toys, TV, or hugs. Motivators work the best when there is a highly desired object reserved for a specific task. For instance, if a child needs to learn to have eye contact and wants to work for obtaining a favorite toy car, the toy car is rewarded only in that situation, rather than at random requests throughout the day. This way, the child will learn that if they want their favorite toy car, they must have good eye contact.



Daily interactions are the most important therapy to improving brain placicity. A parent doesn't have to spend three hours doing therapy for their child. Two minutes can make a significant difference. Have them put dishes in the dishwasher, listen to music, or throw a bunch of balls in the backyard and have your child pick them up. Take your child for a jog in a specialized stroller, read to them, or have them help you cook. Any stimulation helps. Use what you normally do as daily activities in your home.



Sometimes the goal is about maintaining function, depending on the abilities of the child. Choose your battles. Pick realistic goals and realize that although variation is important to build brain placicity, it is also important to have some constants so that the child can remember what they have learned. Come back to learned motor skills in order to master them.



Look to resources in your area. Swimming is an excellent way to improve motor function and brain placicity, especially if the exercises change. Have your child try adaptive skiing or adaptive bicycling. Check with your school, state services, or medicaid to see if your child qualifies for occupational therapy. Keep your child engaged and moving on a schedule each day.



Resources:
Wasatch Adaptive Sports
http://wasatchadaptivesports.org/
National Ability Center
http://www.discovernac.org/

Dual Diagnosis

Dual diagnosis can be very complex and overwhelming. Look at the big picture from birth through the child's life. Use your child's entire team to help make decisions.  This team can consist of doctors, parents, support coordinators, teachers, family, friends, behavioralists, pharmasists, and more. Your input as a parent is critical because you provide the constant care and environment for your child. Ask questions on why your team members would like to make decisions from prescriptions to tests to goals at school.  The team approach is fundamental.



The one thing you can count on with individuals with dual diagnosis is that there will be constant change. When a change in health or behavior happens, be thorough.  The new issue may be due to an underlying issue.  It could be a stressor from school, a UTI, a change in thyroid levels, an ear infection, sensory processing difficulties, etc. Look at the antecedents to what is happening. Often the issues are due to a change in routine or a change to their environment. Did your family move a month before it started? Did the child's diet recently change?



The next step is to look at changing behavior by working with a social worker or behavioralist. Look at motivators, preferably non food motivators. Take one behavior at a time. One method is to give the child a sticker on a chart for doing the behavior correctly. Once the child gets a certain number of stickers, they can receive a reward or positive reinforcement. Try to filter stimulants that distract the child.



If caregivers are working with medications, try one at a time and take brief notes of how they react. Give each med at least two weeks. "Start low, go slow." Sometimes a child on multiple meds even needs to peel back meds with help from their doctor. Some children do not need the meds they are taking if the symptom being treated is not being manifested anymore. Pay attention to side effects. Notice if the meds effect the child's mood, gate, energy level, or awareness. Be sure you are going to the right doctor and that they know how all of the medications interact.



In the end, communication with your team matters. Remember that you are the expert on your child.