Carbonado Energy Autism Centre

So many great ideas for working on scissor skills!
https://teaching2and3yearolds.com/10-awesome-activities-to-strengthen-preschool-scissor-skills/

Really helpful apps!

LOVE THIS!

📚 Story Time: A musical called Gillian

Gillian is a seven-year-old girl who cannot sit in school. She continually gets up, gets distracted, flies with thoughts, and doesn't follow lessons. Her teachers worry about her, punish her, scold her, reward the few times that she is attentive, but nothing. Gillian does not know how to sit and cannot be attentive.

When she comes home, her mother punishes her too. So not only does Gillian have bad grades and punishment at school, but she also suffers from them at home.

One day, Gillian's mother is called to school. The lady, sad as someone waiting for bad news, takes her hand and goes to the interview room. The teachers speak of illness, of an obvious disorder. Maybe it's hyperactivity or maybe she needs a medication.

During the interview an old teacher arrives who knows the little girl. He asks all the adults, mother and colleagues, to follow him into an adjoining room from where she can still be seen. As he leaves, he tells Gillian that they will be back soon and turns on an old radio with music.

As the girl is alone in the room, she immediately gets up and begins to move up and down chasing the music in the air with her feet and her heart. The teacher smiles as the colleagues and the mother look at him between confusion and compassion, as is often done with the old. So he says:

"See? Gillian is not sick, Gillian is a dancer!"

He recommends that her mother take her to a dance class and that her colleagues make her dance from time to time. She attends her first lesson and when she gets home she tells her mother:

"Everyone is like me, no one can sit there."

In 1981, after a career as a dancer, opening her own dance academy and receiving international recognition for her art, Gillian Lynne became the choreographer of the musical "Cats," both in London and Broadway. She also directed and choreographed the Vienna production.

Hopefully all “different” children find adults capable of welcoming them for who they are and not for what they lack.

Long live the differences, the little black sheep and the misunderstood. They are the ones who create beauty in this
world. ♥️ The End

"And those who were seen dancing, were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music."

⭐ Friedrich Nietzsche

HOW TO UNDERSTAND THE SIGNS OF AUDITORY PROCESSING ISSUES

Here's a cheat sheet to help you know and understand the signs of auditory processing deficiencies and if your child is avoiding or seeking this type of input.

https://lemonlimeadventures.com/auditory-system-sensory-processing-explained/

A student who appears "quiet and compliant" might not be "calm and well-regulated." But how do you recognize those young people who might be masking their struggles?

Here is an excellent follow up to the post that was shared from The Neurodivergent Teacher (whose page regularly shares valuable tips for helping students regulate).

Free PDF download: Thin Slice Judgements and The Different World Autistics Inhabit Research has shown that instantly, non-autistic people negatively judge autistic people on first sight. This is a free printable resource for you on thin slice judgements.

Carbonado Energy Autism Centre would like to salute and acknowledge all the mothers for their strength and devotion as a Mum. To all the Autism mums on this special day. Celebrate this special Day with your kids. Although Motherhood is the biggest gamble in the world, It is the glorious life force. It can be huge and scary - it's an act of infinite optimism. Children will be anchors of a Mothers heart.
Happy Mother's Day to all the mums, mums to be, aunts, grandmothers, sisters and amazing women who are in mother roles. You make a difference to so many lives in a million different ways everyday so enjoy a special day dedicated to you today.

The pathological medical model defines play as inappropriate, restricted, and repetitive with DEFICITS in imagination, imitation, symbolism and joint attention.

A paradigm that focuses on deficits rather than strengths.

In this context, playing "appropriately" means playing with toys exactly as a typical child would play with toys.

When an autistic child plays in an unusual way, it is considered "inappropriate play." In other words, "it's different, therefore it's bad."

It's not that autistic children don't know how to play. There is no correct way to play. Play is play.

Autistic children's exploration and interaction with the world is outside of society's understanding, and just because society doesn't understand the value of doing things a certain way, it doesn't mean it's wrong.

There is nothing wrong with lining up toys. 🦒🐖🧸

There is nothing wrong with spinning the wheels of a car. 🚙

There is nothing wrong with playing with nature. 🌱

There is nothing wrong with playing with a cardboard box. 📦

Autistic play is appropriate play.

Autistic children are not broken versions of neurotypical children. Same thing goes for autistic adults (we exist by the way 😉✌️). is a natural part of the spectrum of human diversity... and diversity is beautiful.

We learn, interact and play AUTISTICALLY.

-Autísticamente Marcela 🚙 🦖 ⚽🚂

Publicación en español:
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=459514795536353&id=100044335094112

[Image description: an illustration of a child smiling and sitting on the floor while holding a stick with a leaf. The child is surrounded by a display of toys and other household items that have been lined up in a curved row (a piano, a cardboard box, a bucket & pale, a stuffed bunny, a wooden train, two plastic cups, four colored markers, a broom, a toy dinosaur, a hat, two Christmas tree ornaments, a vase with flowers, a toy bus, a potato head, a pop it, a spinner, a book, a boat, a panda bear, a rattle, a number block, a beach ball, a stacking toy and a Peppa Pig). A thinking bubble above the child has a smiley face.]

What is Neurodiversity and how do you correctly use the term? “Neurodiversity” refers to all brains. The Neurodiversity movement is the fight for social justice for neurodivergent people. There is no such thing as a neurodiverse person. We’re neurodivergents.

The phrase "everyone's a little autistic" annoys me so much because it's not only wrong, it's so easily disproven. If everyone was a little autistic then why are autistics so othered?

[Image description: a six panel comic of Honeydew talking about the phrase "everyone's a little autistic." The comic is titled "Not the Norm" and is made by Theresa Scovil.

Panel 1:
A person joyfully says "Everyone's a little autistic!" Honeydew looks annoyed.
Panel 2:
Honeydew responds "Then why isn't the world more accessible to autistic people?" The person looks shocked.
Panel 3:
Honeydew continues, their shoulders shrugged and their arms out. They angrily ask "Then why are autistics mocked for not behaving like neurotypicals?"
Panel 4:
Honeydew gestures to one side and asks "Then why do people keep trying to "cure" autism?"
Panel 5:
Honeydew gestures to the other side and asks "Then why are autistic children forced through abusive therapies to "fix" them?"
Panel 6:
Honeydew angrily explains "If everyone was a little autistic then being autistic would be the norm. Instead we're othered and bullied for being different."
The other person looks sad.]

Savant Syndrome & Searching for Answers w/ Manisha Lad & Dr. Diane Powell Savant Syndrome & Searching for Answers w/ Manisha Lad, Dr. Diane Powell, Dr. Paul J. Mills and Tiffany BarsottiAkhil, an inquisitive 20-year-old and son of ...

Advocate of Acceptance and Empowerment Dr Dan Edmunds post resonate with my feelings and thoughts on Autism. Love his post, wanted to share:

Autism: Moving from Tolerance to Acceptance to Empowerment
Dr. Dan L. Edmunds •

Really Listen to a Voice of Autism
They said to persevere. I began to perseverate. They discouraged me.
Be joyful they said. I flapped my hands with a joyful feeling. Not like that they said.
They used a lot of words whereas I had not many. They said I needed to speak like them and when I did they said it was the wrong words…
You need more friends they said as they forced me into the circle of bullies they called my ‘friends’.
You need to be independent they said. So I tried. No, not like that. No, you cannot possibly do that.
Share your interests they said. So I did. We do not find that very interesting they said. Stop repeating yourself!
You are in your own world they said. And with that final statement, it occurred to me- their world is not kind. Why is it better? Why must I be like them?
So whereas they refused to embrace or understand my world, I was forced to assimilate into theirs, each day giving up a part of my very being.
It was then I decided to be empowered, to embrace that which they refused to embrace, to be as I was, am, and will continue on to be. And I sought to share a piece of my world with those who dare might understand.
Autistic Empowerment
There is a gradual a process in the ability to adopt an attitude of autistic empowerment. It begins with the idea that autism is a thing that is to be eradicated. This is ignorance. I do not blame some persons for holding such an idea initially as it is pervasive in the messages in society and maybe all they initially know. From this emerges the idea that one might be able to accept autistic person but has an attitude of pity and feels bad that they are different. …This is tolerance. The next stage is where one is able to see autism as not a thing but a mode of being the person. This is awareness. Beyond this one begins to not focus merely on challenges but to also see strengths. This is acceptance. One then starts to understand the diversity in means of communication and no longer expects the autistic person to conform to contrived standards of communication. This is a furtherance of acceptance. From this point, one is able to incorporate respect, dignity, presuming intellect, embracing diversity, and promoting self-advocacy. This is empowerment.
So one moves from ignorance to tolerance to awareness to acceptance to empowerment.
Autism is Not a Disease
Autism is not a disease or an entity. It is not something that we must seek out to eradicate. Rather, it is a mode of being, the word “autism” simply being an umbrella term to describe how one relates (or does not relate) to the world. When autism is viewed as an entity, a “thing,” professionals are then led to developing programs that seek to transform the person into something they are not, nor will — or can — ever be. This errant perspective may prove dangerous, as it can function as the impetus to alter the affected person by force, coercion, or manipulation.
If an American travels to a foreign country and knows nothing of the culture or language, he is bound to struggle. If an American travels to a foreign country having learned something of the language and culture beforehand, then relating to others and navigating one’s way become much easier. This illustrates the direction in which I believe that programs to aid autistic persons should be geared — not to change the individual, but rather to help them to be themselves, while also having an understanding of the “mainstream,” and being able to navigate within that realm.
An Approach to Autism
In my approach, there are some core principles that I find of utmost importance:
Presume intellect: Because a person is nonverbal or struggles with communication does not mean they are not intelligent or have nothing to say. Their unique strengths and passions must be explored and utilized.
Behavior is communication: In my opinion, the psychiatric community may be making a grave mistake when it simply seeks to “shut down” or suppress what it judges to be “unwanted” behaviors with powerful psychiatric drugs. Behaviors, even those which may be deemed “unwanted,” could be, for some, the only means to convey their needs or distress.
Self-Advocacy: If professionals, friends, family members of the individual, and people at large wish to understand autism, there must be a willingness to enter the autistics’ world, not force them to enter the “public world” deemed acceptable. We must validate self-advocacy and seek knowledge about the autistic mode of being from those who actually live it each day.
Relationship: To help autistic persons forge emotional connections, make their way through the mainstream, and learn new skills, the keys are relationships. We all must be inclined to forge a bond with the person, to truly seek to understand his experience, unique world, and how he finds meaning — that is, to get to know the autistic individual as a fellow human being. Once a bond is forged, a common healing ground can be created.
Respect: It is paramount for respect to exist and abound, which means that we do nothing to force, coerce, or manipulate those with autism. They should be regarded at all times as being worthy of dignity. Again, the “outsider’s” role is to advocate for and support, not seek to modify the person into someone they are not, or need not be.

What is Autism
The word autism was derived from the Greek word autos or self. It literally means 'selfism' and was originally thought to be a departure from reality and connected to schizophrenia. We must see that selfism does not imply selfish and that a departure from norms is not necessarily a departure from reality. Those in the autism spectrum create a world which buffers them from their extreme sensitivities. They think and feel deeply. They struggle to 'fit' into the mainstream. Maybe that is the evolution of the puzzle piece for some who would force them to 'fit'. Selfism entails an isolation, an alienation from peers but we must realize we live in alienated world where interactions are often superficial. Those in the spectrum are able to break through to a radical authenticity when they do forge connections. The strategies adopted by those in the spectrum are those which seek to preserve the self from threats real and imagined. The communication of those in the spectrum may appear to be one sided or focused on their own interests without reciprocation. But a co-prescence and joining in approach can create a bridge between cultures.

Dr. Dan L. Edmunds.

All month you’ll see a raging debate in the online autism community about the puzzle piece vs the infinity symbol. Which one should best represent us?

Autistic people hate the puzzle piece because it implies we’re broken or incomplete. It was started by Autism Speaks, which no doubt has a shady history.

But the infinity symbol was made not out of thoughtful design but only in response to the puzzle piece. The idea is that it symbolizes the infinite number of ways we can be different.

But here’s a hot take: the infinity symbol is so generic that it’s used around the world by so many people to represent an infinite number of things. AND, scientifically speaking, there are NOT an infinite number of ways autistic people can be different. There’s actually only 3 domains in which they can be different in order to obtain a diagnosis. Now, what that looks like within those 3 domains (communication, social interactions, and repetitive/restricted behavior), will be different for each person. But not because autism has an infinite number of differences. But rather, because humans are so different from each other, that two humans with the same condition will have the same core similarities, but the way they present will be vastly different.

So in terms of needing a symbol to represent autism…not a generic rebuttal, and not something with connections to decades of shady history. We need something that demonstrates the individuality of autistic humans.

Kathleen Walsh has proposed this multicolored fingerprint. A finite number of colors to represent the specific core traits in ASD, and the fingerprint itself to demonstrate how vastly different one can be from another. 💙❤️🧡💛

The Month of April is Autism Awareness and Acceptance, which aims to promote and celebrate acceptance, understanding, love, celebrate the differences, and be more inclusive towards autistic individuals around us 💙💙

Carbonado Energy Autism Centre advocates for all children to be accepted in society around the world

Join us in this March to give our kids a Voice

🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡
I'm asking if everyone on my feed could just post this for an hour. I'm pretty sure I know the ones who will but I'd like to be surprised by more of you. Leave an Orange Heart for Autism Awareness. Thank you!!
🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡

🧡🧩🧡🧩🧡
Not different, not less, they are unique 🧡🧡🧡

Over the past 8 years, teaching children taught me and others to:

Be more patient to always be kind and gentle and to focus on the positives.
That there is no such thing as normal
and that we all have just one life to live
which will continue to be like a marathon on a roller coaster.
We need to Love unconditionally, to hope but not to expect and to appreciate and celebrate the small steps and successes along the way.
The children who attend Carbonado Energy Autism centre continue to inspire me. They help us understand the way autism is detected and treated around the world. Providing appropriate interventions at a young age , the child on the spectrum can reach his or her fullest potential. A happy and safe stimulating environment is a requirement for teaching to occur to make a child become independent.

I am forever grateful to be given this opportunity to teach children on the spectrum and as well the kids teaching me to understand them.

The admins of this group need to share a POPIA disclaimer as all face book groups need to adhere to the regulations surrounding this Act from 1 July 2021.
As we all know the compliance due date for the Protection of Personal Information Act, 4 of 2013 (“POPIA”), being 30 June 2021. This deadline brings a few changes.
One of these changes is that the administrators will be required to obtain your consent for being part of this Facebook group. As such, you are herewith notified that you are entitled to refuse such consent and you may exercise such a right by leaving this group before 30 June 2021.
Should you elect to remain in this group, it will be accepted that you have consented to being a part of this group and to your personal information (being your profile picture and name) being noticeable to any person in this group (current as well as future members).
In this regard, we request that all members of this group, in good faith, do not make use of personal information pertaining to other members for whatsoever reason, without obtaining the consent of the relevant person.
Thanking you
Admin

An OT, a Mom, and a Picky Toddler walk into a… feeding therapy session; A Quick Guide to Structuring Mealtime A toddler, his mother, and I are sitting around the table in feeding therapy, playing with crackers. The crackers were a new food we were introducing to the toddler. From the second we placed the c…

https://jaswallab.wordpress.com/summary-and-faqs/

Video Abstract, Summary and FAQs On May 12, 2020, our study on nonspeaking autistic people who communicate using a letterboard was published in Scientific Reports. A new 2.5-minute animated video abstract is below.