Guest guest Posted January 1, 2007 Report Share Posted January 1, 2007 great book on sean and his family.. "there is a boy in here"... by judy and sean barron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 1, 2007 Report Share Posted January 1, 2007 http://www.vindy.com/content/local_regional/321612210751029.php By SEAN BARRON VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT NILES — " What is that? " Marilyn McConnell enthusiastically asked her 6-year-old son, , as they stood in front of a child-size chalkboard in their kitchen writing the letter J with colored chalk. " A 'J', " her son replied softly. " J-A-R-E-D. " " Very good! " 's mother said, unable to contain her excitement and a hug or two. For a while, resisted coloring, drawing and other fine-motor activities, though his resistance was not the result of a refusal to try. Instead, such tasks were unusually difficult because of his having been diagnosed at age 2 with Pervasive Developmental Disorder- Not Otherwise Specified. PDD-NOS is one of several autism spectrum disorders in which the person has many symptoms of autism without full features of the disorder. It is marked by impaired social interactions and communication and often includes stereotypical behavior patterns or interests, though social skills and intellectual deficiencies are less common and limited than in classic autism, experts point out. Has made strides With a lot of help and determination, 's language and other abilities have come a long way in less than a year, said his father, McConnell, a seventh-grade world history teacher at Niles Middle School. 's vocabulary contains an estimated 200 words, up from about 75 last year, which his father attributes to 's age, routines at home and school, and 's 4-year-old brother, Dylan. A few months ago, started singing portions of songs from videos, and in one day he learned to say his full name and age, McConnell said. About two years ago, 's world included little room for playing with his brother or anyone else — and an abnormal desire to be alone. Things are a lot different now, both parents say. " I win most races. ... We both win, " said Dylan, referring to the brothers' game of chasing each other around their Crestmont Drive home. Within the last few months, other activities the boys engage in together are playing fetch with the family dog and making use of a swing set, McConnell said. Many people on the autism spectrum enjoy swinging and rocking largely because of the repetitive movement and predictability, many in the autism field say. Signs of autism When was talking little for his age, many people figured the boy might have had a speech delay, noted Marilyn McConnell, an accountant for Giant Eagle. Accompanying the delay, however, was a lack of eye contact and 's spending an unusual amount of time in solitary activities, she continued. Realizing something was amiss, 's grandmother Bonnie McConnell suspected her grandson might have autism, which was confirmed for the most part by a doctor at Tod Children's Hospital who gave him the PDD-NOS diagnosis. Like many youngsters affected by autism, has dealt with various sensory problems. For example, it was painful to get his hair cut, and he used to bite several toys, his parents recalled, adding that he still enjoys rocking back and forth and applying pressure to one of his eyes. To address the biting issue, 's parents got him a " chewy tube, " an oral motor rubber device that helps with biting and chewing. The item got him to stop biting inappropriate objects and helped in other ways, McConnell said. " He used it when he was frustrated, too, " McConnell added. The McConnells have adopted an all-inclusive approach to helping expand his world and experiences by taking him most places, including to gymnastics, occasional concerts, shopping and to sporting events. As a result, his father said, has improved at adapting to different environments, something that is unusually daunting for those on the spectrum. " He likes to be involved and do things, " his mother said. Potential Development Being involved is also part of 's day when he's at the Potential Development Center on Youngstown's South Side. He and four other pupils ages 2 to 6 on the spectrum make up Carol Arendas' class, which is set up to allow plenty of one-on-one time with the youngsters. Arendas and her two aides, Traci Kalafut and Greenwood, rely heavily on a method developed in North Carolina in the 1970s called Treatment and Education of Autistic and related Communication- handicapped CHildren, which combines a structured environment with visual aids to facilitate communication. TEACCH places an emphasis on structure and schedules, both of which make transitions easier for those on the spectrum. Typically, checks his schedule and work station, which includes colors, envelopes and pictures, Arendas explained. The children have their own color and know where they need to be by matching an envelope with a certain drawing (a stick figure behind a desk symbolizes work, for example). For the most part, however, Arendas' room looks like a typical classroom, with a computer in one corner and a few play areas in others. The room also is complemented with a sensory table. The children in her care have dramatic play, science, art and math, Arendas said, adding that they receive occupational and physical therapy once a week and speech two days each week. gets an additional hour of speech therapy each Wednesday at his home, with both sessions making use of flash cards containing colors and words. Parents involved One key element that makes the program at Potential successful is most parents' proactive approach. Staff and parents work well as team players for the youngsters, Arendas said. " I see a lot of interactive parents. It makes me love my job even more, the cooperation with parents, " she said. Lynn , Potential Development's program coordinator, said she's seen a higher number of children on the autism spectrum than in recent years. About one in 166 births in the U.S. result in a diagnosis on the spectrum, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. Potential has 32 special-needs children, some with speech problems and aggressive behavior, said. As for , he continues to make progress in several areas, his mother, father and teachers say. He's gotten better at associating words with objects, but the improvements extend beyond simple relationships. " His social skills have improved a lot, " McConnell said. " He's around people a lot and family. " Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 1, 2007 Report Share Posted January 1, 2007 Thanks for posting this! is a friend of mine, as is his girlfriend, Barbara, who also has Aspergers. Very nice couple and fun to be around! > > http://www.vindy.com/content/local_regional/321612210751029.php > > By SEAN BARRON > > VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT > > NILES — " What is that? " Marilyn McConnell enthusiastically asked her > 6-year-old son, , as they stood in front of a child-size > chalkboard in their kitchen writing the letter J with colored chalk. > > " A 'J', " her son replied softly. " J-A-R-E-D. " > > " Very good! " 's mother said, unable to contain her excitement > and a hug or two. > > For a while, resisted coloring, drawing and other fine-motor > activities, though his resistance was not the result of a refusal to > try. Instead, such tasks were unusually difficult because of his > having been diagnosed at age 2 with Pervasive Developmental Disorder- > Not Otherwise Specified. > > PDD-NOS is one of several autism spectrum disorders in which the > person has many symptoms of autism without full features of the > disorder. It is marked by impaired social interactions and > communication and often includes stereotypical behavior patterns or > interests, though social skills and intellectual deficiencies are > less common and limited than in classic autism, experts point out. > > Has made strides > > With a lot of help and determination, 's language and other > abilities have come a long way in less than a year, said his father, > McConnell, a seventh-grade world history teacher at Niles > Middle School. 's vocabulary contains an estimated 200 words, up > from about 75 last year, which his father attributes to 's age, > routines at home and school, and 's 4-year-old brother, Dylan. > > A few months ago, started singing portions of songs from > videos, and in one day he learned to say his full name and age, > McConnell said. > > > About two years ago, 's world included little room for playing > with his brother or anyone else — and an abnormal desire to be alone. > Things are a lot different now, both parents say. > > " I win most races. ... We both win, " said Dylan, referring to the > brothers' game of chasing each other around their Crestmont Drive > home. > > Within the last few months, other activities the boys engage in > together are playing fetch with the family dog and making use of a > swing set, McConnell said. Many people on the autism spectrum > enjoy swinging and rocking largely because of the repetitive movement > and predictability, many in the autism field say. > > Signs of autism > > When was talking little for his age, many people figured the > boy might have had a speech delay, noted Marilyn McConnell, an > accountant for Giant Eagle. Accompanying the delay, however, was a > lack of eye contact and 's spending an unusual amount of time in > solitary activities, she continued. Realizing something was amiss, > 's grandmother Bonnie McConnell suspected her grandson might > have autism, which was confirmed for the most part by a doctor at Tod > Children's Hospital who gave him the PDD-NOS diagnosis. > > Like many youngsters affected by autism, has dealt with various > sensory problems. For example, it was painful to get his hair cut, > and he used to bite several toys, his parents recalled, adding that > he still enjoys rocking back and forth and applying pressure to one > of his eyes. > > To address the biting issue, 's parents got him a " chewy tube, " > an oral motor rubber device that helps with biting and chewing. The > item got him to stop biting inappropriate objects and helped in other > ways, McConnell said. > > " He used it when he was frustrated, too, " McConnell added. > > The McConnells have adopted an all-inclusive approach to helping > expand his world and experiences by taking him most places, > including to gymnastics, occasional concerts, shopping and to > sporting events. As a result, his father said, has improved at > adapting to different environments, something that is unusually > daunting for those on the spectrum. > > " He likes to be involved and do things, " his mother said. > > Potential Development > > Being involved is also part of 's day when he's at the Potential > Development Center on Youngstown's South Side. He and four other > pupils ages 2 to 6 on the spectrum make up Carol Arendas' class, > which is set up to allow plenty of one-on-one time with the > youngsters. > > Arendas and her two aides, Traci Kalafut and Greenwood, rely > heavily on a method developed in North Carolina in the 1970s called > Treatment and Education of Autistic and related Communication- > handicapped CHildren, which combines a structured environment with > visual aids to facilitate communication. TEACCH places an emphasis on > structure and schedules, both of which make transitions easier for > those on the spectrum. > > Typically, checks his schedule and work station, which includes > colors, envelopes and pictures, Arendas explained. The children have > their own color and know where they need to be by matching an > envelope with a certain drawing (a stick figure behind a desk > symbolizes work, for example). > > For the most part, however, Arendas' room looks like a typical > classroom, with a computer in one corner and a few play areas in > others. The room also is complemented with a sensory table. > > The children in her care have dramatic play, science, art and math, > Arendas said, adding that they receive occupational and physical > therapy once a week and speech two days each week. gets an > additional hour of speech therapy each Wednesday at his home, with > both sessions making use of flash cards containing colors and words. > > Parents involved > > One key element that makes the program at Potential successful is > most parents' proactive approach. Staff and parents work well as team > players for the youngsters, Arendas said. > > " I see a lot of interactive parents. It makes me love my job even > more, the cooperation with parents, " she said. > > Lynn , Potential Development's program coordinator, said > she's seen a higher number of children on the autism spectrum than in > recent years. About one in 166 births in the U.S. result in a > diagnosis on the spectrum, according to the Centers for Disease > Control and Prevention in Atlanta. > > Potential has 32 special-needs children, some with speech problems > and aggressive behavior, said. > > As for , he continues to make progress in several areas, his > mother, father and teachers say. He's gotten better at associating > words with objects, but the improvements extend beyond simple > relationships. > > " His social skills have improved a lot, " McConnell said. " He's > around people a lot and family. " > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 2, 2007 Report Share Posted January 2, 2007 Sally I've never met , although I did enjoy reading his mother's book, " There's a Boy in here " . I' ve seen write other stories on autism locally. Do you know how feels about the causes/ contributing factors of autism? Treating autism biomedically etc??? I saw Temple Grandin sitting in on some biomedical speakers at Autism One two years ago and she seemed very open to all the information. I wonder what thinks being a HFA? Thanks, > > > > http://www.vindy.com/content/local_regional/321612210751029.php > > > > By SEAN BARRON > > > > VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT > > > > NILES — " What is that? " Marilyn McConnell enthusiastically asked > her > > 6-year-old son, , as they stood in front of a child-size > > chalkboard in their kitchen writing the letter J with colored > chalk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 2, 2007 Report Share Posted January 2, 2007 From what I can tell he is very open to anyone overcoming autism or aspergers, however it needs to be done. Both he and his girlfriend, speak to others with autism to encourage them to do what it takes to " blend in " and help themselves to what he says " not let the autism control " them. He works very hard at trying to appear " typical " . I've been around him in many different situations and you can actually see him trying and in my opinion he pulls it off beautifully. I know that he works out at a gym and he says this is a huge help to him overcoming anxieties, etc. Sally > > > > > > http://www.vindy.com/content/local_regional/321612210751029.php > > > > > > By SEAN BARRON > > > > > > VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT > > > > > > NILES — " What is that? " Marilyn McConnell enthusiastically asked > > her > > > 6-year-old son, , as they stood in front of a child-size > > > chalkboard in their kitchen writing the letter J with colored > > chalk. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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