An Online Magazine Dedicated to Awareness, Acceptance and Awesomeness Presented by We Rock for Autism
June 2015 Issue #10
New Member Named to We Rock for Autism Board of Directors Allison Lockhart Executive Event Director
Joe Normal tackels the Gluten Free Diet / Debate Presented by
Au Big Sister - Super Hero Snips for Autism Smiles for Autism United Airlines Autism Issue
June 2015 Issue
Editor: Chris Wilson Proofreader and Content Editor: Justin Wilson, Jr. Subscribe for FREE today! www.TheMonthlyMelody.com/subscibe ___________________________________________________________________________________________ The Monthly Melody is a Publication of We Rock for Autism, Inc. a Nonprofit Organization. PO BOX 25884, Pembroke Pines, FL 33024 – support@werockforautism.org www.themonthlymelody.com – www.werockforautism.org ___________________________________________________________________________________________ The Monthly Melody and We Rock for Autism, Inc. does not endorse the views, products, or services contained herein. We are not responsible for omissions or errors. The Monthly Melody and We Rock for Autism, Inc. are not responsible for articles submitted to us without the final approval of the organization’s President. All articles and Advertisements are subject to final approval by our Board. We reserve the right to edit any article sent to us. Letters to The Editor should be sent to support@werockforautism.org We do not publish open letters or third-party letters. Letters for publication must include the writer’s address and phone numbers. We cannot return or acknowledge unpublished letters. Writers of those letters selected for publication will be notified prior to press date. Letters may be shortened for space requirements. . Copyright © 2015 We Rock for Autism, Inc. All rights reserved. Content contained in this publication may be reproduced for onetime personal use. However, anyone wishing to reproduce and distribute any content from within this publication for purposes other than personal use must request this intention in writing directly to the publisher. Failure to do so will be in violation of the copyright held by this publication.
STATEMENT OF POLICY AND DISCLAIMER The views expressed in any articles or advertisements included in this publication are not necessarily those of The Monthly Melody or the publishers We Rock for Autism, Inc. The Monthly Melody, We Rock for Autism, Inc. and the publishers do not promote or recommend any specific therapy, treatment, institution or professional viewpoint. Please check with a doctor when changing any diet or major nutritional change.
We Rock for Autism is dedicated to promoting the awareness and acceptance of autism. Through various events and fundraisers we strive to raise funds to help children with autism attend music and art therapy session. If you would like to learn more about We Rock for Autism or keep up with upcoming events and the latest news, check out our website at www.WeRockforAutism.org or connect with us on our social media pages.
Big Sister turns Super Hero for a young boy with Autism
Mom and Dad out of the boat! It was frightening to say the least as Mom watched her baby boy splash in fear as he drifted down the river! As the water engulfed them she screamed out to Mayme "Get your brother!" As he was floating down the river and further and further away from the safety of his parents arms! Mayme without any hesitation grabbed Gage up out of the water and brought him to safety! Mom reports she felt she would never see her son again! Mayme reports it’s her job to look out for her brother! See Gage has Autism and seldom does he have the words, but that doesn't stop him from achieving what may seem impossible to many! With the love and protection and understanding of his big sister he never has to feel scared or alone or lost. Simply because when Gage doesn't have the ability Mayme does!
(Photo: Mayme, super hero sister)
Our good friend, Wendy, from ROCK THAT AUSOME shared an amazing story about her friend’s daughter and a heroic event!
Thank you Mayme for being a wonderful protector of your baby brother! You are truly a super hero!
About Rock That Ausome: Rock That Ausome gives support to all with disabilities, disorders or any other sensory related issues that one may be facing.
By Wendy Mastroeni Mountain Home, Idaho - Heroes come in all shapes and sizes! They can be big and strong, little and less strong, moms and dads and even sisters and brothers! A story was shared with me that brought me to absolute tears! A story of a brave young girl that showed her undying love for her baby brother without hesitation or even a glimpse of her own wellbeing! See Mom and Dad had taken their kids out boating and everything was going great with clear skies, calm waters and beauty surrounding them! When suddenly the water seemed to have a mind of its own. The boat capsized tossing Gage, Mayme and
Rock That Ausomedesigns and make affordable sensory items & calming tools. Those tools can help with a multitude of diagnoses such as Autism, ADHD, depression, PTSD, Sensory Processing Disorder, anxiety, improving fine motor skills & more. They can also help with rebuilding coordination after an injury/stroke, in redirecting a stim or meltdown, keeping fidgety hands busy or other sensory related issues. Rock That Ausome also integrates music into the program for teaching new skills and allowing folks to use music as an outlet, all while finding ways to focus on the abilities one already owns and to help improve upon those as well.One of their main goals is to raise money for and gift tablets, sensory tools & more to those in need. www.RockThatAusome.com
We Rock for Autism Appoints New Board Member
therapist will also allow us to expand our therapy outreach within the community.” When Allison is not busy working on her Master’s Degree at the University of Miami, she enjoys attending various music festivals and charity events throughout South Florida. “I am very happy to be a part of this and excited to start helping more children,” says Allison. The addition of Allison to We Rock for Autism will immediately allow the nonprofit to provide music therapy session to two more children, at no charge to the family. Allison has completed the initial assessment of the two siblings and will begin working with them individually.
Hollywood, FL – We Rock for Autism, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that helps children with autism receive music therapy, has appointed Allison Lockhart to the Board of Directors as their Executive Event Director. Allison Lockhart, a graduate of the University of Alabama, is a board certified music therapist that has extensive knowledge and experience in organizing autism related fund raisers and events. Prior to joining We Rock for Autism Allison was the Secretary for the South-East Region American Music Therapy Association and founded the State of Alabama’s first Autism Speaks U chapter at the University of Alabama. “We are so excited to have Allison as a member of our board,” says Chris Wilson, President of We Rock for Autism. “Her background in event planning within the autism community will be a valued asset in our quest to provide music therapy and spread autism awareness and acceptance. Being a board certified music
To learn more about We Rock for Autism or to make a donation to help support the music therapy program, please visit www.WeRockforAutism.org
Contact: Allison Lockhart, MT-BC allison@WeRockforAutism.org Chris Wilson chris@WeRockforAutism.org
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Joe N O R M A L
GLUTEN FREE & DAIRY FREE NIGHTMARE
by Joe Normal I think the single hardest thing we've ever had to do or endure for our child was to put him on a Gluten-Free and Casein-Free diet... andmaintain it. Every parent of a child with Autism has heard about the Gluten Free / Casein Free (GF/CF) Diet, and some of the more daring (or desperate) have even tried it. But the real test of a person's manhood is adhering to the damn thing! Seriously, what kid wants to eat a different cake than all his buddies at a birthday party? (Yet at his own birthday party?!) What kid is going to turn down a gorgeous gloppy mound of chocolate ice cream with heaps of whipped cream and 'Nilla Wafers on top? And c'mon, every kid in the world knows that Pizza is the greatest food ever invented! Would you bring a kid to Disneyland, then tell her she can't go on any of the rides? "Okay sweety... there's going to be lots of rides here today... I know you'll feel tempted to ride like everyone else and their friggin' mothers, but
remember you freak out when you go on the rides, so we've brought you a bunch of boring 'ole crossword puzzlesand math books to enjoy so you can feel like you are participating in the fun and you'll fit right in..... NOT!!! Eating is simplyone of the great pleasuresthat brings us quality of life, which is why it is so hard to implement and maintain this crazy diet. We must constantly resist temptation, like an addict, because "unhealthy" foods are all around us. We've been conditioned to eat certain foods and in a certain way, so a complete change of palate and mindset must be attained in order to make different choicesfor our bodies. We must reprogram ourselves to eat for our bodies, not for our desires. Like I said, we may be talking about addiction here. When the decision was made to put Drayke on the diet, we realized he'd have better success with (and acceptance of) his new way of eating if the whole family did it together. Well,two of the troops around here were not having it, so I chose to partner with him and we did it together, just he and I. It was our bond! Our vendetta against mainstream society, the dairy industry and GMO's! Lemme tell you, anyone who doubts that this diet makes a difference has never tried it. On purely a physical level, I noticed immediately I was effortlessly shedding excess pounds and my spare tire was deflated almost entirely, much to my delight. I thinned out quickly and my energy levels went through the roof, to the point of a pleasantly mild mania! I was
definitely my healthiest in a long time, and never once did I feel like I was starving myself. I am not entirely sure it made any drastic impact in Drayke's behavior or mental function. I would notice some subtle things like he would get a little "dopey" or slow when he had dairy. His bowel movements were farther apart when he'd deviate from the gluten-free aspects, which may have caused some restless behavior or irritability. We do get some predictably noncompliant behavior when he is backed-up. Our thoughts have been trained to go straight to, "What did he eat yesterday?"and “When was the last time he pooped?" We certainly did and still do our best to adhere to the rigors of the diet, but we make exceptions in those cases like birthday parties, or Thanksgiving holidays, etc. and give him enzymes when he strays from the stringent menu. We've made it standard practice to administer the antidote with the poison, so to speak, in those cases. Some of our spectrum kids have texture sensitivities which I imagine must make much of the dry crumbly gluten free breads and snacks dreadful to eat. I still haven't found a Dairy Free cheese that is convincing. Goat's milk cheese and coconut milk ice cream are god's gift to god! And gratefully there is Trader Joes, which offers many affordable Gluten Free and Dairy Free items that are way too costly at that "Whole-paycheck" Foods store. As a touring musician, I've had to travel while on the GF/CF diet, sometimes for weeks on end. That is always a real nightmare because
once you leave the big cities, people's awareness of any kind of special diet is nil.To make matters worse, I am vegetarian with a shellfish allergy and GMO corn sensitivity. Eating meals with the crew and the bands always leaves me feeling alienated or like a helpless, misunderstood prima-donna because I cannot eat what everyone else eats. It sucks big time for this fully grown man, so just imagine how a growing tween feels in those crucial, socially important situations when meals are shared with team mates, class mates, play mates... awwwk-warrrd! I dunno... Some days you just gotta pick your battles. I suppose sometimes it’s okay to just let them eat cake.
JOE NORMAL Recording Artist, Songwriter, Author, Educator (and, oh yeah… Autism Parent.) Site: www.JoeNormalUSA.com Twitter: www.Twitter.com/JoeNormalUSA Facebook: www.facebook.com/JoeNormalUSA
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An Oregon woman claims United Airlines kicked her family off a Portland-bound flight because of her teenage daughter who has autism. Juliette Beegle, 15, was diagnosed with autism just before she turned three, her mother, Donna Beegle, told ABC News. While her daughter has a high IQ, Beegle said, she has a hard time communicating. On Tuesday, Beegle said she, her husband, Juliette, and Juliette's brother boarded a layover flight in Houston on their way home to Portland. The family ate dinner in Houston, Beegle said, but Juliette refused to eat. Beegle brought some snacks on board for her because "if her blood sugar lets go, she gets frustrated and antsy. We try to anticipate that and prevent that." After boarding, Beegle said she asked the flight attendant if she had any hot meals. "Juliette refuses room-temp food," Beegle said. "I had no real way to bring hot snacks in my bag." The attendant told her they had a hot sandwich, but the sandwich arrived cold, Beegle said, and Juliette refused to eat it. "I could see [Juliette] getting frustrated," Beegle said, adding that she asked the flight attendant to check on meals available for purchase in first class.
"I asked if I can purchase something hot for my daughter and [the first class flight attendant] said no" she said. "I called him back over and I said to him, 'Please, help us out here,'" but he again refused. "He came back again and I said, 'I have a child with special needs, I need to get her something.' And he said, 'I can't do that,'" she explained. "I said, 'How about we wait for her to have a meltdown, she'll be crying and trying to scratch in frustration. I don't want her to get to that point.'" The attendant then brought Juliette rice and jambalaya, Beegle said, and "she ate and she was fine." About 25 minutes later, according to Beegle, an announcement over the loudspeaker said the plane was making an emergency landing because of a passenger with "a behavior issue." Paramedics came on board and asked what was wrong when they found Juliette happily watching a video, Beegle said. "The paramedic said this was an over-reactive flight attendant and started shaking his head, and said 'We have real work to do' and left," she said. "We were still baffled." Police then came to their row, Beegle said. "They see this little teenager sitting there watching a video and they asked if there was an issue, and I said, 'No.'" When the officers started to leave, the captain stepped out of the cockpit and said something to them, Beegle said. They then asked her family to leave, she said. "He said, 'The captain has asked us to ask you to step off the plane.'" Beegle said. "I said, 'She didn't do anything' ... But the captain said he's not comfortable flying on to Portland with [Juliette] on the plane."
"It just killed me for her to be treated that way," she said, adding that the passengers around her agreed that Juliette wasn't disrupting anyone. The police apologized, Beegle said.
"We've never experienced anything like that," she said. "It was horrific."
"It was awful," she said. "It was completely uncalled for."
Raymond Boyd/Getty Images Beegle said she filed complaints with the Federal Aviation Administration and United Airlines and received responses from both, agreeing to investigate. She said she is also planning to file a lawsuit against United. PHOTO: Jodi Smith, a passenger sitting three rows behind Juliette, said "this was the epitome of discrimination." Another traveler, Jodi Smith, who was sitting three rows behind Juliette, said she heard the entire conversation with the first-class flight attendant. "He was being totally ridiculous," Smith said. "Then the medics came on, then the police ... They went right straight to Dr. Beegle. You could hear them saying their daughter was perceived as a threat," Smith told ABC News. "I stood up and said, 'Absolutely positively not.' "This was just ridiculous... she was calm, she had done nothing," she said. "I've been on flights where kids have screamed for 4 hours and they've never diverted a flight. "This was the epitome of discrimination," Smith said. "I have never in all my years of flying seen anything like this." Beegle said Juliette has traveled often, saying her daughter has been to London, Paris and 22 states.
Beegle said her goal is to encourage autism training for airline workers. "If they had autism training when I explained to him when I needed something hot, we could have found a workable solution together," she said. "But his whole view was, 'I'm trained to give a first class meal.' He didn't understand at all. He was disrespectful, he was rude." United Airlines told ABC News in a statement: "After working to accommodate Dr. Beegle and her daughter during the flight, the crew made the best decision for the safety and comfort of all of our customers and elected to divert to Salt Lake City after the situation became disruptive. We rebooked the customers on a different carrier and the flight continued to Portland." The FAA directed ABC News' request for comment to the Department of Transportation. A DOT spokesman said the Consumer Aviation Office would look into the incident.
Source: www.ABCnews.com
Snips for Autism
For More Information on Upcoming Events, please follow us:
PriscillaDeal, M.S.,BCBA ~ (305)662-6448 ~ FB.com/miamibehaviortherapy
FAQ’s
Tantrum –free haircuts for children with autism is now POSSIBLE with the Snips for Autism Program!
Haircuts and Autism Haircuts for children with autism can be hard, sometimes traumatic. Parents leave the salon feeling embarrassed and heartbroken. Hair stylists feel stressed and unproductive. Stylists, parents, and the child often dread the next visit to the salon. Many parents and hair stylists are unaware that with the use of some simple behavior analytic techniques haircuts could be easy and even fun for the child. Behavior Analysts are experts at dealing with challenging behaviors but we are not hair stylists and often lack the resources (i.e. haircutting cape, salon chair, salon tools, a Stylist) to help improve a child’s experience at the salon. The Snips for Autism Program is an effort to break this barrier! Behavior Analysts will team up with Miami hair stylists to help improve your child’s haircut experience. Finally, time for tantrum-free haircuts!
How it works Every month, the participating salon will open their doors to a team of board certified behavior analysts. During this time, children with autism and their families are invited to practice the haircut experience with the behavior analyst and the stylist on-site. An actual haircut will not take place but stylists will act out the cut with the child while the behavior analyst coaches the parents and stylist what to do to improve the child’s behavior. In addition, the behavior analyst will work on helping the parent and stylist learn desensitization and exposure techniques to further improve the
child’s experience and ultimately make haircuts tantrum free. Exposure is the KEY to success in this program and exposing a child to a real salon and a real stylist will be essential in helping your child conquer the challenge of a haircut. Our goal is to make haircuts tantrum free for ALL the children we work with. It is our hope that the training we provide for the hair stylists will lead to even GREATER good for the autism community as a whole - giving the Miami area one more hairstylist who is aware and educated on children with autism.
Is my child receiving a hair cut? No, the purpose of this program is desensitization which will make haircuts easier for your child. It is also a parent training and stylist training program on how to handle a child’s behaviors at the salon. We will provide useful tips to you and the participating stylist. If the stylist is willing then a separate appointment can be made to schedule a hair cut. How much does the program cost? The program is free. Additional services such as a haircut or a one-on-one consultation during a future haircut are additional. Do I need an appointment? Yes, you must schedule with Priscilla 305-662-6448 Do I need to stay during the appointment? Yes, this is a parent training program and it is necessary for you to be with your child so you can learn HOW to make haircuts easy for your child. How often will this program run? The program will run once a month. Haircuts are often a problem for children with autism because they are not exposed enough. This program will provide you the opportunity to expose your child to a salon and pair that setting with a positive experience.
Snips for Autism ● Priscilla Deal, M.S., BCBA ● fb.com/miamibehaviortherapy ● (305)662-6448
SMILES FOR AUTISM IN MIAMI Making dentist visits easier for children with autism Priscilla Deal, M.S., BCBA 305-662-6448 Fb.com/miamibehaviortherapy
AUTISM AND ORAL HEALTH Oral health can be very challenging for some children with autism. Many dentists simply aren’t equipped to deal with the challenging behaviors your child may display at the dentist office. They often have to resort to the use of sedation or restraint. Behavior Analysts are experts at dealing with challenging behaviors but lack the resources (dental office, chair, a DENTIST) to help your child conquer trips to the dentist. The Smiles for Autism Program is an effort to break this barrier! Behavior Analysts will team up with Miami dentists to help improve your child’s dental experience and improve their oral health! Along with your participation in the Smiles for Autism Program and the information below we hope to make the visit to the dentist's office less stressful and more productive.
Manipulating Environmental Variables: Natural lighting (changing fluorescent to softer colored lighting), butterfly wraps, playing familiar soothing music. Repeated exposure: this is a method where the child is exposed to a dental office, toothbrushes, dental tools, and even pictures of their dentist regularly. Each incident of exposure is ALWAYS paired with positive reinforcement
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Do I need to schedule an appointment? -
Do I need to change my child's dentist? -
Conditioning: This is a method of learning that occurs through rewards and punishments for behavior. In the case of a visit to the dentist, specific behaviors will be rewarded so your child will associate desirable outcomes with appropriate behaviors at the dentist. Positive Reinforcement: This is when a behavior is followed by a stimulus that is appetitive or rewarding, increasing the frequency of that behavior. (e.g. Child sits in dental chair and then gets Ipad). Extinction: This is a method in which a previously reinforced behavior is no longer reinforced. (e.g. screaming and crying no longer result in removal of getting out of the dental chair)
No, we are hoping that your child's time at this dentist office will generalize to your child’s dental office. However, we highly recommend Dr. Bob’s services since him and his staffs are open to ABA techniques and training. If you are interested in changing dentists you can talk more to his staff about doing so.
HOW IT WORKS! Every month a participating dental office will open their doors to a board certified behavior analyst. During this time, children with autism and their families are invited to tour the dentist office with the behavior analyst and the dental staff. We encourage regularly participations since consistent exposure is the KEY to success and will greatly help with the therapeutic process. The participating dentist will receive tips on how to work with children on the spectrum and parents will receive tips on how to prepare and decrease problem behaviors. Some of the procedures/terms which will be used in the program are defined below:
Yes, with Priscilla Deal, not the dentist. Call 305-662-6448
Can I bring my child's dentist? -
No, only the child and the child’s family are invited to attend this program. Oneon-one consultations at your child’s dentist are separate from this program.
Will my child receive a cleaning? -
No, you will learn strategies on how to handle your child's behavior in the dental office. We will spend some time also showing you how to desensitize your child to some dental procedures.
What do I bring? -
You will need to bring your child's strongest reinforcer (preferred toy, food)
How often will the program run and how much does it cost? -It will run once a month and it is free. Additional services such as teeth cleanings or one-on-one ABA dental consultations are at each providers cost.
For More Information and Upcoming Events, Follow us:
www.TheMonthlyMelody.com I www.WeRockforAutism.org I support@werockforautism.org