The Autism Project - Session 2

16/5/25

The Autism Project 
RTLB services

Website

• Autism friendly music
• Autism friendly visuals

Parked Questions

CAP - collaborative action plan

IEP - individual action plan

Tātai plan

Every plan should be collaborative including whānau

Is it genetic?  is some relation with older parents especially older fathers.  Can be random.  Can identify a specific gene.

Can immunisation cause autism?  They say no.

Jury is still out but increasing evidence shows it's genetic going down the line.

Ideas

• Conversation cards
• Visuals

Some of the characteristics present in autism is similar to children with trauma.

[Video] What does it feel like to have Autism?

Sensorimotor

Te whare tapa wha

 

Takiwātanga within te whare tapa whā

A lens that you can use for all cultures.

Sensory Systems

• Auditory
• Tactile
• Visual
• Proprioceptive - body/vestibular (pressure of knowing where you are)
• Olfactory
• Gustatory
• Interoception
• Vestibular

<sensory info>

Hypo and Hyper responses

Gravitational insecurity

Tactile defensiveness

Arousal modulation difficulties

Arousal is the state of wakefulness, of being energised or alert.

Can't shut down - autonomic nervous system.

heart rate, blood pressure, sensory alertness, desire mobility and reactivity.

Distorted perception

Visual perception difficulties including difficulties with depth perception, distorted of size, shape, motion, recognising faces (prosopagnosia - face blindness) or seeing only small details rather than a whole.

Auditory perception and procession difficulties.

Paradoxical responses

'polar opposite' responses.

hyper e.g. task-switching and struggling to main attention then suddenly become hyper-focused or hyper-fixated.

hypo - over react to fire alarm but doesn't react to touch.

Hypo and Hyper

CUP ANALOGY VIDEO

Sensory seekers are separate.

Over - modify, adapt

Under - 

Seekers - find what fills up their cup, providing options, provide sensory aspect

Supportive Strategies

• shorter mat times
• first, then board
• calm kit (clearly teach equitability)
• Acoustic modifications
• Lighting adjustments
• Classroom organisation
• Colour coding
• Heavy work <sheet>

Resource list on website