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Newsletter March 2013
April is Autism Awareness Month
2nd April is World Autism Awareness Day
What can you do to help raise awareness at your school and community?
Encourage your school to watch the film ‘What are you doing? A
short film, created by Autism Awareness, which aims to teach school
aged children about acceptance and understanding of their peers with Autism
Spectrum Disorder. A copy has been sent to every school in Australia.
Play Pictionary at school or home with family & friends–a game that highlights the
difficulties of communication, something people with ASD deal with everyday! The frustration
experienced while attempting to make a drawing understood by
others, then the relief when someone finally understands! You can use
a Pictionary board game or make you own word cards. Follow up with
a class discussion that focuses on different abilities of everyone.
Walk for Autism
Ballarat’s Celebration: Sunday 7th April
11.00 at Lake Wendouree –Walk for Autism
Meet at 11.00 at Durham Point on the northern side of Lake
Wendouree parade. The 2km walk will take us through Fairy
Land, past the Botanical Gardens to the Lake Wendouree
playground and picnic area where we will have a balloon
release spectacular & sausage sizzle!
Balloons available on the day for everyone at the Durham Point meeting spot!
Bring along a picnic lunch or use the BBQ available at the Lake Wendouree playground
and picnic area
All welcome! Bring your family & friends to bring the ASD community together for a
great day out.
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Living on the Spectrum evening
Our panel of local adults with an
autism spectrum disorder tell their different stories and explain
what is ‘living on the spectrum’ through their eyes:
Date: Wednesday 17th April
Where: Ballarat Golf Club, Avenue of Honour Sturt St Date:
Time: 6.30 for light refreshments with a 7.00 start. Drinks available at bar prices.
RSVP to Kris 53412 768 email [email protected] or Tricia [email protected]
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20th March =Making it Possible - workshop Be an advocate for your child, build on
the strengths & skills you already have as a parent, learn how to think, plan and
achieve goals for your child and family 9.45 – 2.30 Free workshop with lunch included. Plus child
care available on-site at Pinarc. Contact Pinarc Parent Support Coodinator: Melissa Delaland-
Desfosses 5329 1361
24th April – Free workshop Anxiety & ASD with Stacy Shepherd and Sensory issues & ASD with
Occupational Therapists from Pinarc. Contact Pinarc Parent Support Coodinator:
Melissa Delaland-Desfosses 5329 1361
My Time – a playgroup for parents and carers of children with a disability. Fortnightly on
Wednesdays from 1.00 – 3.30 Contact Pinarc Parent Support Coodinator:
Melissa Delaland-Desfosses 5329 1361
The Dad to Dads Program offers fathers of people with a disability or chronic illness the opportunity to meet other dads and to develop the confidence, skills and networks they need to take an active role in the support of their son or daughter They organise weekend getaways on a regular basis to bring dads
together in friendship so that through education and sharing life experiences their families can
achieve =the best possible outcomes.
Contact Kylie Cleever Phone (03) 54 353 158 Email: [email protected]
Disability Expo 2014
BAN is planning a Disability Expo for 2014- We really need support and
assistance with this so if you can help, come along to our Expo Working Party
meeting on 25th March, 10 am at the Eastwood Leisure Centre.
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Tricia’s Tips on the importance
on Sport and Physical Activity
I hope everyone had a lovely break over
Christmas/ New Year and are now getting
back into school and work routines!
In this newsletter I am going to cover the
importance of sport and physical
activity.
Exercise and sport is very important to all
of us and people on the spectrum are no
different. It improves our overall health,
both physical and mental, boosts our self-
confidence and assists with our
coordination, both gross and fine. It also
helps us to make new friends and develop
new interests that are more socially
acceptable.
Finding some exercises that children and
adolescents on the spectrum will
participate in just needs a little more
thought and encouragement to get them
out of their comfort zone and into some
physical activity.
Exercise can be a non-competitive sport
such as taekwondo, karate, judo, bike
riding and swimming. If they enjoy music,
try dance or gymnastics. Good team
sports include cricket, volleyball or
badminton.
Just ask yourself a few questions:
- What sport did I like to play when I
was a child?
- Do they need a non-competitive
sport/activity?
- Can they learn to cope with a ball
to the face or another child
knocking them over?
They need to have some kind of sport
that is non-competitive and great for hand
eye co-ordination, gross motor skills,
balance and cross over with left and right
sides of the brain. It doesn’t matter how
good they are at it, the most important
thing is that they have fun and enjoy it. If
they enjoy it, it takes the battle away.
Over the years we have found Taekwondo
has been extremely helpful for all our
children, not just our son on the spectrum.
At “Ballarat and Western Victoria
Taekwondo”, the qualified coaches take
time to help and explain the correct
techniques at the students own pace.
They also instruct their students in the
proper use of self-defence and when it is
necessary to be used. They teach about
respect for others as well as yourself,
building self-esteem and good health.
With most martial arts, they will do what
are called patterns, which are a series of
punches, kicks, blocks and turns that are
performed in a sequence. These patterns
help improve memory, co-ordination, focus
and body strength.
Taekwondo is open from ages 5 to 80.
There is also a NEW gym program that
has been developed for Adolescents and
Adults with High Functioning ASD and
Aspergers, which is called “Move EP;
Move, feel, laugh”.
Working out of “On Track Fitness” in Sturt
St, Ballarat, the Move EP program was
developed by an Exercise Physiologist
named Andrew Dowler.
An Exercise Physiologist (EP) is a
university trained allied health professional
who specialise in health, fitness and
rehabilitation.
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I have known Andrew Dowler
professionally for 4 years and I have
spoken to him on several occasions about
my concerns with my son’s core body
strength, the slouches, his gait (how he
runs and body position) and his overall
physical fitness.
Andrew assessed my son’s body
movement, how he walked in general,
jogged, ran and walked up a flight of
stairs. He also looked at my son’s posture
and core body strength (which helps his
posture). Andrew then put together a
program to suit our son’s needs. It
incorporated weight training for body
strength, exercises to help with balance
and cardio to get his blood pumping, the
mind thinking and the endorphins going.
Now this program will not only help our
children BUT can also help us as well.
When my son first started going to the
gym, I would just sit, wait and watch. Then
one really crappy day (don’t we all have
them!), Andrew said “Why don’t you do
some exercise with him? It’ll help relieve
some of the stress!”
So next time, I brought my gym gear along
and started with my own program as well.
So that’s how the parents’ side of the
program started. It is also best for our
child’s and others safety. Until we know
they understand and follow the rules of the
gym, we need to supervise them at a safe
distance. The aim is to have them
independent at the gym. This will build
their confidence, reduce stress levels,
promote their independence and build
friendships.
To sum it up, I can’t believe how much it
has helped my son get away from the
Xbox and computer. It has helped his
body strength, gait, independence and
self-confidence. The mix between
Taekwondo and the gym at “On Track
Fitness”, and the support he has been
given in both has really helped his overall
quality of life, both mentally and physically!
If anyone has some ASD friendly sporting,
dance or activities that you would like to
share, please Tricia on
It would be GREAT to get a network
going of ASD Friendly Clubs; we can
then put on our web site!
Andrew Dowler - Move EP-
[email protected] - 0419874682
Ron Parkinson - www.ballarat-
taekwondo.websyte.com.au –
0412936978
Uni Sports – Learn to Swim – Ryan.
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Developmental Considerations:
Naomi’s story
I have been asked to write about my
children and how sport has been so very
valuable in their lives; sport is one important
aspect that should be considered for a child
on the Spectrum. I will tell you three separate
stories about my children, some aspects
involve sport, but it is important to realise
that there are many other aspects that
contribute to a child’s development as well.
All children are like sponges,
absorbing information from the world around
them. All children learn differently, and what
they absorb depends on how they learn.
Some children are able to learn
independently, while other children need to
be engaged through various strategies to
enable learning. Children learn in all sorts of
ways, they learn about life and social rules
through interaction, but for some children
these interactions need to be explained. An
explanation isn’t always verbal, it can be
provided through physical prompts,
modelling, role play, as well as through social
stories. On many occasions I have employed
all these strategies to ensure my children have
understood a particular piece of information.
Children need a nurturing environment to
progress; they need boundaries and
expectations to succeed.
I have three children on the Spectrum
and they have all made progress and
succeeded. My children were nurtured, they
had clear boundaries and I have believed in
them enough to ensure I had the same
expectations of them as I would for a
neurotypical child. I had been told in the past
that my children’s’ paths in life would need to
be different than that of a neurotypical child’s
path. Despite this, I did believe my children
deserved the same opportunities as a
neurotypical child would have been given,
although the delivery of those opportunities
were often somewhat more considered and
strategic than they would have needed to be
for many neurotypical children. It was very
hard work and, at times, an emotional roller
coaster ride, but it has been one of the most
valuable journeys I have had in life, that is, to
believe in my children regardless of the
obstacles put before me. I do believe that
children on the Spectrum can achieve, and
because of this belief I have agreed to share
stories about my children and the little thing
that have helped them to achieve.
Story 1:
My eldest son was an anxious child,
he was hypersensitive to noise and tactile
defensive, which basically means that his
sensory areas for touch and hearing were
more heightened. I had decided, from a
safety perspective, that my son needed to
have swimming lessons. He would need
private lessons because he would not cope in
a group situation; he had a fear of water, and
was fearful of anything he was not familiar
with. Initially he sat on a plastic chair, with his
legs contracted into what resembled a foetal
position. He screamed loudly and I felt
terrible, I felt enormous guilt for putting this
child through this. Regardless, I persevered. I
consulted the young female swim instructor,
we gently approached this frightened child
and we used social stories in everyday
language to explain what was happening. We
used cups of water and tipped the water out
on the concrete floor near him. The next
lesson I was more prepared, he was wearing
his bathers before he left the house and I had
explained where we were going and why. On
this occasion he placed his fingers into the cup
of water but remained in a foetal position on
the plastic chair. By week three he was at the
water’s edge and no longer in a foetal
position. At week four my husband came
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along and he put my son into the water. By
week ten my son resembled a shark,
swimming at the bottom of the pool, his lung
capacity was amazing. He is now looking at
becoming a swimming instructor while he
completes VCE. Our long, and at times,
agonising journey was all worthwhile.
Story 2:
All my children had poor motor coordination
and two of them struggled socially. I saw an
opportunity to turn this around. At school
there were parents who were trying to
organise indoor cricket teams, but it was
difficult to get enough children organised to
make up a team. I spoke to my husband and
with my children and then joined them up to
participate along with peers from their school.
The first week each of them played indoor
cricket they looked awkward and
uncoordinated, they played terribly. I needed
to do a crash course on how to play indoor
cricket, I took the boys into our backyard and
practiced with them – how to bowl, how to
hold the bat, etc. I drew pictures and
explained various aspects of the game,
working systematically on one area at a time.
Two of the boys developed ritualistic
behaviours that acted as a calming
mechanism, but this made them socially
awkward. I did social stories and used role
play to overt this ritualistic behaviour before it
became a normal pattern of their behaviour.
My boys had poor spatial awareness, which
meant the bat barely connected with the ball.
I showed them strategies to assist their spatial
awareness. The boys would reach down with
their hand and touch the bat’s flat surface
before being bowled to, this appeared to help
with their spatial awareness skills and the bat
connected with the ball more often than not.
My boys developed friendships, improved
their social skills and their motor
coordination; their indoor cricket teams
began winning. They were learning about
how to be competitive, to strive for
something and to achieve.
Story 3:
My youngest son had a regression; he
lost all his speech and some of his motor
coordination. I was told he may not speak
again. It was that uncertainty that was so
emotionally difficult. My working background
helped, I had worked in the area of
rehabilitation early in my career. I had
worked alongside some amazing professionals
in the area of disability; they had believed in
the capacity of each child enough to push
their boundaries and extend these young
individuals. I also had knowledge of the idea
of brain plasticity – whereby, experiences
reorganise the neural pathways in the brain. I
had known people who had progressed when
all had seemed hopeless. I utilised experts to
learn how to help my son to speak again. I
have always believed that if a child could learn
even the simplest thing that there was no
reason they could not learn more things. I
was prepared to be patient and I revelled in
each of his achievements, no matter how
small. I remember running around in the
backyard with my youngest son mimicking
him as he flapped his hands and made
whooping noises; this is how I began to
engage with him. I did a course in Behavioural
Intervention Therapy in Melbourne and
utilised all that I had learnt, slowly my sons
noises turned to words. He had two years of
limited access to a speech pathologist under
the public umbrella, until I was told that they
could do no more for my son. My husband
and I decided to move our son to a private
Speech Pathologist, who he was with for eight
years. My son has always been in main
stream schooling; he now speaks reasonably
well and has a lovely singing voice. My son
has a large social circle of friends and has
achieved against everything we were told.
The sports he has been involved in have been
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indoor cricket, swimming, running, bike riding
and umpiring. These activities have helped
with his confidence and his motor
coordination.
All my children have participated in a
number of activities, such as music, the arts
and sport. Sport has helped them in many
ways. They have improved their motor
coordination skills, their physical fitness
levels, their confidence, and they have made
numerous friends. One of my children has
represented the State at both Junior and
Senior National Championships for sport, and
all of my children are doing very well. I hope
these stories inspire the parents/guardians
and grandparents of children on the Spectrum
to believe in their children.
Ballarat Autism Network–((BAN)
Raising awareness and promoting
understanding in our community about
autism spectrum disorder- a voluntary group
of parents who plan events, autism
information sessions & family activities
Meetings monthly on the 2nd Monday of the
month at Eastwood Leisure Centre.
Interested parents are welcome to join
anytime Contact Kris for future meeting dates
on 5341 2768 or email:
Pinarc Parent Support Coodinator:
Melissa Delaland-Desfosses 5329 1361
Ballarat Autism Spectrum Disorder Support
Group (BASDSG)
A support group for families to share
experiences and learn from each other
Meets monthly on the 3rd Monday of the
month
At: Eureka Family Resource Centre at 507
Humffray St Sth.
Time: 1-3pm
contact Emma on 0417 136 517
[email protected] Also
on facebook
_____________________________________
Bacchus Marsh Autism Awareness Group
Contact Deb Doyle on 5367 4460 or
email:[email protected].
_____________________________________
Myrniong EMBRACE ASD –Parent support
volunteer Amber Durante
Phone: 5368 7549 or Mobile: 0430 343 473
Email: [email protected]
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Tips on Advocating for your child:
Be clear about what you want to achieve and what is an acceptable outcome
Find out who is responsible for the outcome you seek
Don’t always expect conflict, as others may agree with you
Be firm and persistent
Think about what you want to say and how you will say it
Write down points you want to cover
Think about points that others may raise and how you might respond
Agree on an appropriate time and place for any discussion
Stay focused on getting the best outcome for your child
Be open to others solutions that may be just as effective
Negotiate and be open to compromise
Keep notes about what was discussed
Follow up on agreed actions
Try to stay calm
If you need support as a friend or family member to help you
These tips are taken from the Positive Education Planning booklet for parents
developed by the Association for Children with a Disability. www.acd.org.au
Resources and other stuff:
Don’t forget BAN has books
and DVD’s available for loan.
They are still based at Pinarc
Disability Services in King St
BAN will be
organising
another
Mini-Golf family event for next term –
Friday 10th May at 5pm -details to follow
at a later date