Tag: Montgomery County

The impact of autism on each member of the family:

Family dynamics vary in a home that has someone with ASD, in part, due to how many children within their system, their gender, their ages, and personalities; girls have shown, in lower grades, to be more depressed with a sibling that has the common need for an inordinate amounts of time and attention. Males have well documented cases of feeling neglected and have negative outlooks on life, also. Albeit, their are exceptions to both males and females. Parents’ coping skills and ability to negotiate and be composed while interacting with each other and their children sets the tone for how boys and girls feel about their siblings with ASD; if parents are positive, and are still focused on the other children’s needs, then it is more likely that the offsprings will feel like their lives matter, and therefore not be inclined to be morose in affect. Naturally, more research needs to be done on family dynamics as it applies to those who have people with ASD in their families (Boutot, & Myles 2011).

Discussion of the impact on siblings:

Siblings of people with ASD are more likely to feel depressed than mainstream society; albeit a relative few studies do not substantiate this and more research on the subject needs to take place. People with ASD take up a disproportionate amount of time by their parents. Consequently, brothers and sisters feel ignored about their problems, and feelings often go ignored in the process. Parents often argue more because of the stress of raising children with ASD, so siblings are exposed to a greater degree of emotional tension in the family; they in turn feel bad by being in such an environment. Once parents of people with ASD pass away, there is a great deal of pressure on siblings to find appropriate living arrangements for those with ASD; they often feel guilty about not finding better housing for them and about the paucity of time they have for them (Boutot, & Myles 2011).

Discussion on the impact of parents:

Mother’s regardless of culture, in the vast majority of cases, feel the most responsibility to care for their children who are on the spectrum of autism. Albeit, father’s, especially in the US and relatively few other countries, feel pressure to do more for their children who have issues with ASD. Parents are more likely to have greater marital problems because they start blaming each other for why their kids have learning and emotional issues. Albeit, there are some few exceptions when mothers and fathers refer to their sons and sometimes daughters with ASD as gifts to their families; their added struggles made them focus more on the emotional well being of their families as a whole (Boutot, & Myles 2011).

Importance of communication and collaboration with families:

Parents have mistrust toward teachers and school administers, and often feel that they are unsupported in their efforts to encounter ASD issues for their boys and girls; teachers and professionals should not take it personally. Communication among instructors, mothers, fathers, and guardians is core to effectively addressing students’ ASD ongoing needs. Many progenitors lack financial means, emotional support, respite via babysitting, respective educational resources, and access to extra curricular activities within the community.

Strategies for communicating with parents:

1. Provide a comprehensive needs assessment for parents who have ASD issues in their families; allow them to  feel comfortable about which questions they answer in it. Give mothers and fathers information about resources in their school districts, state, including Federal funding, and outside in general society that will serve as emotional support, edification about ASD, and in some case financial support.

2. Parent night is used by some teachers so that information about resources for ASD may be disseminated to mothers, fathers and guardians. Teachers can in so delegate support that would not be financially feasible, and go beyond the bounds of their role in helping such children (Boutot, & Myles 2011).

3. Post on school hall bulletin boards information about ASD sources of support that parents may use in their community; it should include what is explained, as best possible, during parent night.

References

Boutot, A., & Myles, B. (2011). Overview of Autism Spectrum Disorders. In Autism Spectrum Disorders Foundations, Characteristics, and Effective Strategies (pp. 93-115). Pearson.

Tutor John Toker web site to help people with ADHD, ADD, Dyslexia,

Tutor John Toker, Autism, Asperger, ADHD, Dyslexia, Executive Function Disorder

http://www.learndifferentlytutor.com/

http://www.johntoker.com/

The impact of culture and location on a family’s response to ASD.

In contrast to the United States and other countries, for example England, India has relatively little educational intervention for those with ASD. In general, those diagnosed on the spectrum are either referred to as retarded or labeled with a euphemism as such by calling them Autistic. Pediatricians and other doctors either acknowledge that they do not know what the ASD includes or they assert that their patients lack sufficient education to understand the ramifications and techniques to help their children with this diagnosis.

Mothers, also in India, are usually blamed for their children being Autistic; relatives claim that they are overprotective of them and in so deprive such individuals of opportunities to socialize. Realistically, mothers in India are under tremendous pressure and strain due to the lack of support that is essential for anyone raising children with ASD; the fathers almost always abstain from directly caring for such individuals. Albeit, Grinker suggests that access to the Internet may lead to a progressive approach in aiding those with Autism.

The impact of autism on the siblings and parents of a child with ASD.

Despite having a relatively high level of professional help in the US when compared to many other parts of the world, parents often feel frustrated that they are not able to help their children with ASD at an adequate level; they often do not see themselves and professionals as having the appropriate training or correct ratio between student and teacher. Albeit, some areas of the United States disproportionately have superior resources for those with such learning issues; they tend to be relatively wealthy districts.

Siblings often feel ignored by their parents because those with ASD require an inordinate amount of attention. They usually have to be quite around siblings with ASD because outburst from being over stimulated are likely to happen otherwise. Olivia, Isabel’s sister was unusual in that she was able to cope far better than most siblings in such situation; typically, they will be stressed out and feel isolated in facing their own problems and worries.

The experiences of the Grinker family had in dealing with their child’s autism and the school system

Roy Grinker found Applied Behavioral Analysis, ABA, to be too expensive and tried with his wife to create structure that would be similar to it. Grinker and his wife, Joyce, found it exhausting and too difficult to do. Floortime, by Dr. Stanley Greenspan required Roy and Joyce to engage in a social exchange with Isabel; they sat on the floor and increased length and complexity of interacting with her. Grinker and his wife found this to tiring and that Isabel wound up crying about it.

Although Isabel had marked gaps in speech and language, her visual and spatial skills were relatively strong for her. Pre-school at the Smithsonian’s Institution’s Early Enrichment center helped Isabel with some added sense of structure and especially socialization; albeit, issues with ASD, sensory integration, being hypersensitive to environmental sounds, while lacking sufficient sensitivity to pain continued to be problematic for her.

Grinker learned that Isabel was able to  connect her visual and tactile learning skills to her verbal gaps; museums were especially edifying for her. Classifications in biology were particularly interesting and an area of strength for Isabel; this was partly a result of going see them at a zoo and in a museum and to a some extent being part of  the social dynamic of it all. Language for Isabel and people in general, as the author discovered, could only be developed on the ‘scaffolding’ of social interaction; this began with Isabel developing eye contact skills.

Once Isabel started kindergarten, she was in a Montgomery County public school, which was one in Maryland. Her first teacher lacked patience and skill to educate Isabel; the principal did not support one on one teaching and could not articulate the meaning of ASD. Albeit, other educators as the years progressed were highly praised by Grinker because they were competent and effective in helping Isabel learn in school.

Isabel excelled particularly in zoology.

John Toker has a Master’s Degree in Education with a Concentration in LD K-12, and a Master’s Degree in Psychological Services with a Concentration in Counseling with a Post Master’s in Counseling. John is a tutor for Autism, Asperger’s, Dyslexia, ADHD, ADD, Executive Function Disorder and other learning issues. John taught in FCPS, and MCPS; he is usually a tutor in Northern Virginia, especially Fairfax County including McLean, Vienna, Reston VA and other areas in Fairfax County and sometimes a tutor in MCPS, in particular Potomac MD, Bethesda MD, and Rockville MD within Montgomery County.

Tutor John Toker web site to help people with ADHD, ADD, Dyslexia, Autism, Asperger, Executive Function Disorder

http://www.learndifferentlytutor.com/

http://www.johntoker.com/