Focusing on autism

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Focusing on autism

Tuesday, March 22, 2005

By BARBARA WILLIAMS

STAFF WRITER

Lunch was over, and it was time to tackle the next subject: playing

Trouble.

Not too difficult: push down on the plastic bubble and watch the die

tumble, then move the brightly colored pegs into round holes.

But for the three teen autistic students playing the board game at

the M.J. Ryerson Middle School, it was all about learning to sit

still while other players take their turns, remembering what color

they were using or whose turn it was and not wandering off to

another part of the classroom.

" These kids can't get together and play a board game with friends, "

said teacher Greta Westra. " We teach them how to do things other

kids and families take for granted. "

This school-run autistic program, called Teen Realm, is in its

second year and educates six students ages 11 to 15. It is a sister

program to the Children's Place in Pompton Lakes, which teaches

children from pre-kindergarten to 11 years old.

Both programs are at the forefront of public school programs for

autistic students. Irene Cook administers the two, and is now

working on a newly approved pre-K and kindergarten program in

Ringwood for next year.

" We have 27 on the waiting list for the Pompton Lakes program, and

both Ringwood programs will be full next year, " Cook said. " The

number of children with autism is rising significantly; there just

aren't enough programs out there. And to do this in the public

schools is such a wonderful thing for the students. "

Autism, a developmental disorder, affects cognitive and social

development. The cause is unknown, and there is no cure, but several

different treatment techniques and medications have been found to

greatly improve the child's abilities and social skills.

Symptoms vary by child; some of the most prevalent include severe

language problems, repetitive behaviors, irrational routines and

resistance to change. This translates into dangerous head-banging,

constant rocking back and forth, no interaction with others, little

verbal communication and extreme tantrums.

" We don't know how or why, but their sensory input is affected, "

Cook said. " So while we might wiggle our foot during a meeting, or

bite our lip - it's serving some purpose we're not conscious of -

these children flap their hands in front of their face or bang their

arms against furniture. They don't learn socially acceptable ways of

stimulating themselves the way the rest of us do. "

For many autistic people, lights are brighter, sounds are louder. A

quick trip to the grocery store can be a direct jaunt into sensory

overload. The bright lights, hundreds of colored boxes and bags and

various noises will leave many autistic children screaming on the

aisle floor.

" We take the kids out into the community once a week as part of

their program, " Westra said. " They can't sit in a restaurant or go

to the store, so we work on that with them. On Fridays, the teachers

will make a list of five things or less they need from the grocery

store, give the students the money and we help them go through the

process of buying the items. "

Because the classroom used in the Ryerson school was once used for

home economics, the students also have access to a washing machine

and stove. They wash the towels for the lunchroom and learn how to

cook simple meals.

The Teen Realm program costs about $375,000 annually. One-sixth of

that is paid by the Ringwood district for the one local student.

Districts that send the other five students pay the remaining costs.

The pre-K and kindergarten program, called E Realm, is estimated to

cost about $345,000. At least three local students will attend,

costing the district $57,000 each. Currently, the district pays a

total of $211,966 for those three students to attend other programs.

" We're not making a profit on these programs, but we're not spending

money to educate students from other districts, either, " said

interim Schools Superintendent Van Zanten. " But the fact that

these kids ride the same bus and go into the same building as their

friends or those they go to the lake with is so important. "

A parent of one of the Teen Realm students said being in the local

schools brings " opportunities and challenges. Here they work on

accepting and being accepted in the real world, not their own

separated little world where everyone is autistic.

" When they are in a school for autistic kids, they didn't spend as

much time on academics - for science they might talk about the

weather or plant seeds in a cup, " said the mother, who asked that

her name not be used. " But here my daughter goes to the science

class for the learning disabled, and she is learning science,

getting homework. She never had homework in the autistic schools. "

Educating students with disabilities in the local districts is

becoming more common. Bringing the students into the general school

population offers social as well as role model benefits.

" The trend is for all kids with disabilities to be educated in their

own district, " said Barbara Gantwerk, director of the state Office

of Special Education. " Our research shows this is definitely the way

to go. "

All of the students in Teen Realm are mainstreamed for part of the

day. Depending on their abilities and skills, they attend gym, art,

music, computer or academic classes with the other middle school

students.

But most of these students require constant attention and one-on-one

sessions with an applied behavior analyst, who works on behavior

therapies. The teens are positively reinforced verbally or with

rewards when they accomplish a simple task, such as putting colored

cards in marked plastic bags.

Speech, occupational and physical therapists also are used on an as-

needed basis. A teacher oversees all the activities in the classroom

and works one-on-one with the students throughout the day. It is a

job that requires constant, never-ending attention.

During the game of Trouble, Westra takes a student's chin in her

hand and directs his or her attention to her face. She speaks loudly

and clearly, " Look at me. Whose turn is it? " The student answers -

orally, if the student can - then pushes the plastic bubble and

moves the playing piece.

" This isn't the hard part, " Westra said after the game was

over. " It's trying to educate the outside world that is so tough.

People look at you in a restaurant and tell you that you should be

able to control your child. Only when I tell them the student has

autism do they back off. The world can be brutal to these children. "

The number of children being diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder

is skyrocketing. During this school year, the number of children in

the state ages 6 to 17 diagnosed with the disorder is 5,738. Only

three years ago, the number was 3,500. One in 166 children across

the country has the disorder, and 66 children are diagnosed every

day.

" The increase is due to a couple of reasons, " said

Gantwerk. " Diagnoses have improved, so now they include children

with disorders such as Asperger's [a less severe form of autism],

which increases the number. There are also just a lot more children

with autism these days, but we're not sure why. "

Experts know there is a genetic link for the disorder, but have not

been able to determine if a child who is predisposed to it will show

symptoms. Some say it is environmental, and toxic substances not

released from the body make the disorder worse. Others blame the

mercury found in several vaccines.

" We know it's multi-causal and affects each child differently, which

is why it's been so hard, really hard to pin down, " Cook said.

E-mail: williamsb@...

[Guest guest]

> >(snip)

> > During the game of Trouble, Westra takes a student's chin in her

> > hand and directs his or her attention to her face. She speaks

> loudly

> > and clearly, " Look at me. Whose turn is it? " The student answers -

> > orally, if the student can - then pushes the plastic bubble and

> > moves the playing piece.

(snip)

I'm not sure I agree with this, it sounds like being forced into eye

contact. I know the above example would not go down well with my son,

for a start there is unwarranted body contact and it is forcing

attention rather than being left to the person to decide wether they

want to give their attention freely or not.

Just my two pennies worth,