Fwd: Autism and RDI: Have You Learned How to Waltz?

February 29, 2012

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Issue 21

February 29, 2012

B r a i n B y t e s

Brain cells created from patient's skin cells

Researchers focus on genes and pathways responsible for autism-related symptoms

The biology of how we connect to others

In Their Own Words

Click on these links to see what RDI consultants are doing!

Amy Cameron

Breathing Underwater Podcast

Kathy Darrow

Kathy discusses RDI in an interview on Autism One Radio

Elissa Ferriggi

RDI in the UK Newsletter

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Hudkins

'The RDI Mom' Blog

Isaac

Understanding Autism Podcast - Broadcast live on the 2nd Monday and 2nd

Sue

Equinox Newsletter (pdf)

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Zoe

'Food for Thought' Blog

"We should go forth on the shortest walk, perchance, in the spirit of undying adventure." - Thoreau

Begin your waltz tonight with the rhythm of a favorite tune. Whistle as you move together along the sidewalk and let your whistle define when you will stop, when you will start and the speed by which you will move. Stopping is the easy part, knowing when to begin, more difficult. Allow changes in your facial expression to signal when you are ready to start moving.

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Dear ,

Slowing down is such a difficult thing for many of us to do, and yet it is a crucial skill that RDI guides must learn to make meaningful progress with their apprentices. This week, Ellen's Parents remember this lesson and a teacher at an RDI School in Mumbai shares the amazing results he has seen from the systematic effort and extra patience learned through RDI.

-le Sheely, Ph.D.

Sink or Swim: The Further Adventures of Ellen

What does it mean to slow down?

by le Sheely, Ph.D.

Picture yourself, if you're not a dancer, learning to waltz. You stand along the sidelines and a well-meaning friend who loves to dance approaches and says, "nothing to it, c'mon". Already feeling self-conscious and insecure, you have not been dancing because you lack the confidence to try. Most likely you will attempt to control the situation for any number of reasons that make sense to you and refuse the well-intentioned directive of your friend.

How often, we take the most complex cognitive challenges, that of human interaction, and assume that with the right exposure, the person with autism will simply learn from the experience of being with others, how to be with others. Like our two-left-feet dancer, exposure is not the problem. Parents of a child on the spectrum have the same capabilities as those of children with a neuro-typical presentation. Thus, if the mere exposure were going to teach them how to be good apprentices, good friends and willing playmates, they would have already be proficient in each.

RDI Certified Consultant, Kamini Lakhani

RDI Certified Consultant, Kamini Lakhani, is the founder and Director of SAI Connections, an RDI based learning center in Mumbai, India. Every child enrolled in the Center is on the RDI Family Consultation program. The following article is written by Vanita Selvam, a teacher at SAI Connections.

Dynamic Gaze- A Teacher's Viewpoint

by Vanita Selvan

"The eyes are the windows to the soul', is a very well known saying. This indeed is very true. We are so fortunate that just by looking into the eyes of one person we can understand what he/she is trying to communicate. Just by looking into the eyes we can say if the person is happy, sad, delighted, hurt, tensed, etc. It just conveys SO much. Unfortunately, an important criteria for diagnosing children with on the Spectrum is "lack of eye contact" or "not adequate eye contact"- along with many others.

It's not just the eye contact; it's whether the child is giving a meaningful gaze. Maybe we can be successful in teaching a child to look at us but how can we teach a child to look into our eyes and understand what we are trying to communicate to them. If they do not look into our eyes, how will they understand whether we are appreciating them or are unhappy with something they did? How will they take the perception of the caregiver when faced with an uncertain situation? These are little milestones in development which comes so naturally and quickly to children with a normal pattern of development, that often these developments and the importance of these go unnoticed.

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