April Brings Awareness Celebration for so many.
For us, it is every day .
But, we will join in to help spread the importance of acceptance !
What can we all do this month?
Read more on Autism Awareness Is EveryDay for us…
April Brings Awareness Celebration for so many.
For us, it is every day .
But, we will join in to help spread the importance of acceptance !
What can we all do this month?
Read more on Autism Awareness Is EveryDay for us…
At Autastic Avenues, we offer social group instruction. Our current group, mostly 6-10 yr. olds, Builders and Gamers, meets on Saturday mornings.
Builders and Gamers use activities that are appealing to kids (Building- Lego/arts and crafts, and Games- cards, board games) to teach the principles of friendship. This is not a play date. It is not a play group. We do refer to it as a social group, but it is more than that. Cooperation and collaboration are not just buzz words. We depend on cooperative participants and collaborative ideas. Every member brings a different set of skills and interests. Everyone learns to be part of the group, even when the activity may not be someone’s favorite. Learning to follow a group plan and actively participate (with a positive attitude) can be a challenge. Letting others have a turn when it is a favorite activity is another type of challenge. We learn to stop and clean up, even when the Lego set is NOT finished. (This one is hard for me too!!) While we are learning how to be accepted into the group, we are learning to accept others into our own group. Builders and Gamers welcome and include anyone interested in being part of our group. Our more experienced members are great mentors to new friends. Our group mascot, Crash the ferret, is a frequent visitor. Crash is great at starting conversations.
Read more on If you want a friend, be a friend….
With Easter approaching, I thought it would be a great time to share all that will be happening around town. Many of these events will be good for all members in your family and can offer some wonderful fun.
Read more on Easter Fun in Richmond…
The Sportable Spokes, Sportable’s junior wheelchair basketball team, has recently qualified for the National Championship Tournament! The junior wheelchair basketball program started in 2006 and was comprised of just two players. Since then, the team has grown and has served twelve youth athletes with physical disabilities in the 2014-2015 season!
Read more on The Sportable Spokes Head to Nationals!…
At Autastic Avenues , we have been using The Social Express® by The Language Express, Inc., for a long time. In our opinion, it is the best app for children who experience the social learning challenges associated with ADHD, ASD, and general social learning deficits. The engaging webisodes teach how to manage social situations and how to deal with stressful ones.
For over 25 years, the Autism Society Central Virginia, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, has served as the region’s premier source of education, advocacy, and support for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), their families and friends, and interested professionals. Autism Spectrum Disorder is a developmental disability that occurs in all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups and that causes significant social, communication, and behavioral challenges. More people than ever before are being diagnosed with autism, and currently, the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) estimates that an average of 1 in 68 children (1 in 42 boys) in the United States has an ASD. There is no known cure for autism.
Over the past thirteen years, the Autism Society Central Virginia 5k Run/Walk has grown from a small venture to an annual event that attracted over 1600 participants in 2014. Held at the Innsbrook Pavilion, this family-friendly race includes entertainment, food, exhibitors and a Kid’s Fun Zone. The 5K Run/Walk is one of the Autism Society Central Virginia’s primary sources of income, raising over $90,000 in 2014.
All funds raised from this event will provide much needed support for individuals with autism and their families in Central Virginia. The funds raised here, stay here!
Read more on Autism Society Central Virginia Run/Walk on May 23., 2015…
Three new apps to share for March.
First, we highlight this month is Wellapets, a Free app that helps to teach and empower kids with asthma. Kids will get a pet that has asthma and learn to take care of it. Learning important steps in asthma care while having fun. Ios & Android .
Read more on Special Need Apps…
Ryan Burnett was awarded Eagle Scout Rank on January 31, 2015. This is especially triumphant for Ryan since he uses a power chair for mobility and a speech computer to communicate for Scout ranks and merit badges. Ryan has had to rely on this equipment due to Cerebral Palsy.
Read more on Whoo’s Know Different…
Regardless of our working titles (parent, therapist, teacher), we are all educators for our children. We are responsible for teaching our children how to be the best “them” that they can be. In order to be effective educators, we should keep foremost in our minds what it is that motivates our child to learn. If we have a child with special needs, we are required to become creative in the motivational techniques we employ to engage children in the learning process.
Read more on Motivating and Rewarding Learners…