Autism Friendly Cruises

It seems there are more Autism Friendly events than ever. That's good news for families on the Spectrum.
At FOCUS Center for Autism we have at least three family and Autism friendly events a year. We have two gatherings that include food, music, games, dancing and lots of laughter. The FOCUS Festival is heading into its 13th year in Canton on June 7th. Last night we attended Autism Awareness Night at the XL Center in Hartford and took in a Wolfpack game.    

Because I'm involved in this community, I often see postings for Autism friendly movies. There's even Autism friendly surfing.

Now...there's Autism friendly cruises. Royal Caribbean announced in an article in USA Today that they are now certified and "Autism Friendly"

The new designation, awarded by the travel organization Autism on the Seas, indicates the line will take specific measures to help its guests with autistic family members enjoy their cruise.  Royal Caribbean line now has Bronze Level certification, which means it will provide sensory-related toys, autism-friendly modification to youth activities (where appropriate), autism-friendly movies, priority boarding and dietary offerings (including gluten-free and dairy-free).

You can find out more by linking to the article or by going directly to Autism on the Seas.

Autism Growth - Delaware's Epidemic

Working with autism: Milford schools aim to boost education, awareness of growing population











There are two statistics that stand out in an article published by The Milford Beacon.

• The increase is diagnosis over the past 20 years is 600% nationally.
• The increase in diagnosis over the past 20 years in Delaware is 695%!

Milford Over Represented
The Milford, Delaware School District has identified 24 students on the spectrum. According to the 2010 Census, Milford has about 1600 school age children. At the rate of one in 88 they should have 18 children on the Spectrum.

Like many districts across the country, Milford is struggling to keep up. They have four teachers certified to work with Autistic children.  Right now they're working to make all of their teachers aware of the special nature of these children. The focus is on awareness. The hope is to expand treatment. Milford also hopes to keep these children inside their system.

Young Adults on the Spectrum Need Support in College

Emma Nicholson's posting in the Huffington Post about her son's trials at Community College bring up the need for support and advocacy for our children once they get past high school. Her son's experience left him bewildered and afraid to go back to school.

Advocating for Your College Student With Autism

Nicholson concludes:

Transitioning to a self-advocating adult takes time for any child. To expect students with autism to miraculously and suddenly be able to do this without extra support will guarantee the failure of many. I believe a series of support programs should be introduced as part of the college curriculum giving students with disabilities the time and guidance they need to fully prepare for self-advocacy. With time, practice, and a helpful hand, students with disabilities can not only learn to speak up for themselves but learn how to appropriately handle difficult situations they may encounter in life.

Please take the time to read this article. It is offered not to discourage...but to make us aware of the challenges ahead. The accommodations of Section 504 may need our intervention to be enforced.

A report in the Hartford Courant yesterday reported that 40% of the children put in restraints or isolation in Connecticut's schools are diagnosed with Autism.
Report: Autistic Children Restrained Most Often In School

Is it lack of training and lack of resources that leads to the need for restraint?

The needs of these children do not fit neatly into categories. The needs are as individual as each child. When we were going through the school system we had more than one teacher tell us they simply did not have the time to deal with our autistic child. Yet state law required them to attend to his educational needs. Fortunately, he did not need restraint. Two things helped him immensely. We enrolled him in FOCUS Center for Autism where he started to learn social skills and make friends. It was a place outside school...away from the bullies. The school system came through for him after his senior year with their Achieve program. They too worked on social skills and life skills. 

The report seems to imply that it is just easier to isolate and restrain. I hope I am wrong.

Can We Talk?

I think there is a need for dialog and action.

I am interested in your thoughts. Is it better to try to fit these children into norms? Is it better to actually develop individual plans so these children can reach their full potential? Are the school systems in this fractured state able to provide the resources needed or, will it take something larger like regional, state or federal resources?

Breakfast Is Served at FOCUS

FOCUS Center for Autism is serving breakfast on a daily basis.

Study after study points out the link between good nutrition and the ability of children to learn and socialize with peers. Kendra Cherry, writing for ABOUT.COM - Psychology cited a Harvard study. The Harvard researchers found that students who ate breakfast were "…significantly more attentive in the classroom, earned higher grades in math, and had significantly fewer behavioral and emotional problems.(1)  In a report published by NPR, Alison Aubrey found that eating breakfast really does help kids learn. After fasting all night, a developing body (and brain) needs a fresh supply of glucose — or blood sugar. That's the brain's basic fuel. Your can hear the entire report by linking to A Better Breakfast Can Boost a Child's Brainpower.

Because breakfast is the most important meal of the day, the 15 children enrolled in our day program are now served breakfast each morning. We’ve even put a FOCUS twist on this. Run in a restaurant-style fashion, each child has a responsibility in making the program a success. They take menu orders, set tables, serve breakfast, and clean-up; which gives them essential social and employment skills that will benefit them in the future.

Skipping breakfast isn't really an option. J. Michael Murphy EdD of Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School in his report for the Food Research and Action Center said behavioral, emotional and academic problems are more prevalent among children with hunger. His report goes on to say, children who eat breakfast show improved cognitive function, attention, and memory. (You can review Murphy's report, Breakfast for Learning by clicking in the link. Offering breakfast to our children gives them a leg up on their day.

Breakfast isn't the only nutrition offered by FOCUS. Healthy snacks are served to the more than  65 children in our extended Day Treatment Program and, the children often help in the preparation of the food. We're also feeding clients on a daily basis in our residential programs.

The Breakfast Club needs your support. $250 can help 15 children have a nutritious breakfast for a week. Please consider making a contribution to this vital program today! For more information contact us at FOCUS Center for Autism or donate on-line. 

860 693-8809

Email: info@focuscenterforautism.org

(1) Kleinman, R. (1998 March). New Harvard research shows school breakfast program may improve children's behavior and performance. KidSource Online. Available at: http://www.kidsource.com/kidsource/content4/breakfast.html