Helping Kids with Autism

There are incredibly useful articles on working with and helping individuals on the autism spectrum popping up all the time. As autism awareness grows, both through an increase in diagnosis and media coverage, tales of helping these individuals realize their potential and feel more comfortable with their surroundings zip across the web each and every day.

For instance, an article out of California yesterday details how Monterey Peninsula service dogs are tethered to children with autism in order to provide an additional sense of security for parents. While children on the spectrum are prone to wandering, these dogs are effective at preventing such activity. In two years, more than 50 such dogs have been paired with people with autism.

A Marketplace article from yesterday suggests exploiting the love of video games many children on the spectrum have and turning it into a physical activity. This can be accomplished by using the Xbox Kinect or Nintendo Wii systems which have plenty of games that promote physical health. Further, this type of gaming can be used to encourage social interactions with friends, family, and others.

Another article this week describes the work of Dr. Laurence Sugarman, a pediatrician who encourages helping those with autism to help themselves. Dr. Sugarman used hypnosis and other methods to help people on the spectrum control stress and anxiety.  He isn’t trying to fight the affliction as much as regulate the symptoms to provide comfort.

Each of these stories is impressive in it’s own way in that these people are working with autism and not against it. Perhaps the key to helping loved ones with autism is to keep trying on hats until coming across those that work best for that particular person on the spectrum.

Drawing Roads
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Gregory Ruel, Portland, Maine

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Greg Ruel

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Drawing Roads

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