"It takes a village to raise a child." This African proverb rings louder for children with autism. The Autism Society Philippines believes that parents should build relationships with professional, compassionate support teams who can advise and counsel them, in addressing the myriad of questions they have about raising children on the spectrum.
"If you have met someone with autism, you have met ONE person with autism." There is no substitute for personal consultations with professionals, which would consider traits and behaviors unique to the individual with autism.
As ASP continues to receive questions from parents and family members year-round, we have reached out to the following experts to help answer some concerns on health, education and intervention. Fill out this on-line form to ask your questions. ASP publishes answers to three selected questions every first of the month; and collates all answered questions on this page.
ABA Specialist: Ms. Tabitha Kirby, MA, BCBA
Developmental Pediatrician: Dr. Alexis Reyes | Dr. Lourdes Bernadette Sumpaico-Tanchanco
Dr. Lourdes Bernadette “Tippy” Sumpaico-Tanchanco, MD, MSc, FPPS, FPSDBP is the clinic director and practicing developmental-behavioral pediatrician at MedMom Child Development Clinic. She is also an Associate Professor at the Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health. She graduated from the Ateneo de Manila, BS Biology program. She then proceeded to study Medicine at the UERMMMC where she graduated with honors. She took her residency and fellowship in Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics at the UP-PGH and completed her Master of Science in Epidemiology (Clinical Epidemiology) at the UP-Manila. She has also been invited to numerous conferences, both locally and internationally, to present her research studies and to speak as an expert in her field. Dr. Tippy is certified in using the Griffith’s Mental Development Scale and the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule. She was recently certified as a Basic DIRFloortime practitioner after completing her training with the Interdisciplinary Council on Development and Learning. Return to top.
Elinor Cunanan-Bautista, CSP-PASP is the current President of the Philippine Association of Speech Pathologists. She is a practicing speech-language pathologist at Primary Skills Foundation in Quezon City. She is a PROMPT® Level 2 practitioner. Aside from being a clinician, she is a special lecturer at the University of the Philippines Manila.
She completed her Bachelor of Science degree in Speech Pathology from the University of the Philippines Manila in 1997. She further honed her skills as an educator by taking units in Master of Arts in Education, Major in Special Education, from 2000-2002 at the University of the Philippines Diliman. She also took units in Master of Rehabilitation Science - Speech Pathology from 2004-2005 at the University of the Philippines Manila. Return to top.
Special Educator: Dr. Marie Grace Gomez | Ms. Cecile Sicam
Speech Pathologist: Ms. Elinor Cunanan-Bautista, CSP-PASP
Dr. Alexis Socorro L. Reyes is recognized as one of the leading developmental pediatricians in the Philippines. She concurrently concurrently heads the Developmental Pediatrics Section and the Atty. Jose Miguel Arroyo Developmental and Behavioral Studies Unit of the Section of Pediatrics of the UP-PGH. She is an Associate Professor of the Department of Pediatrics at the UP College of Medicine and is a Special Lecturer at the Department of Pediatrics of the Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health and UP College of Allied Medical Professions. Return to top.
My son Ken is 12 years old. Lately, napapansin ko po ang malimit niyang pag-blink ng eyes. Kagabi, yung movement ng arms niya na parang di niya makontrol ang pagpalo sa face niya. Ticks po ba yun? May autism po sya. Anu po ang mga dapat kong gawin? ---Noreelyn P.
It is hard to gauge unless you can document this using a video clip to show your doctor. Kindly indicate the events prior to these observations.
My son was diagnosed with ADHD, but I have observed that he also has signs of ASD, like tip toeing and has silly talk most of the time,and doesn't complete tasks most of the time. Should I be disturbed with his behavior? ---Carmel C.
It would be a good idea to go back to your doctor with these concerns . Please try to document these episodes using a short clip and show this to your clinician.
My son was diagnosed with global delay when he was 4yrs old. No follow up professional check up since then. He was able to attend school but has stopped due to financial constraints. Aside from being non verbal we think he's just fine no disturbing problem at all. We know we should be sending him to school but no decent one can be found in our area. Are we doing the right thing? Not sending him to school? Is it a must to consult a speech therapist? ---Jhoana E.
Perhaps it would be a good time to have a new consultation. Global developmental delay usually evolves into a more specific diagnosis. Having a comprehensive evaluation will make this provisional diagnosis of global delay a more specific one. This will lead to more appropriate recommendations and plans.
What therapies or options do you recommend for very low functioning adolescents (non verbal) who have gone through years of ABA, OT and therapy? ---Antonette R.
May I ask what your goals are? It is possible that this is a good time to stop and look for more appropriate programs now that your son/ daughter is an adolescent. Needs change as the person with autism ages and this period can bring challenges or settle issues.
I wonder if there's a public clinic for autism?, my nephew needs to reassess by a doctor before he can enroll to SPED. ---Reynaldo F.
Yes, you can access our free services at the Philippine General Hospital. Kindly inquire from the Section of Developmental Pediatrics regarding the available schedules at our outpatient clinic.
Have you heard about the success of kids with autism who were given Reliv's NOW milk supplement? Would you recommend this? ---Leah V.
I have heard of Reliv but I am not too familiar with the evidence that it has shown any specific advantage for autism. That being said, good nutrition is always beneficial for development.
I have a son who is turning 4 on Aug 16. He had an EEG at St. Luke's for 15 minute interval awake-asleep. Results say that there is a spike on the result of his EEG. I was told by my son's developemental pedia to go to Dr.(witheld). When I went there, he said that the result are normal and wanted another 6 hour video EEG. wouldn't his EEG at St. Luke's suffice? He is taking OT thrice a week for a year already. He has improved with eye contact and with interest in people. He is malambing. He smiles at me when I call him and sort of talks to me; but he still couldn't speak. He will join a toddler school and I just want to ask if it is better to observe him first if he improves in the toddler school before we go through that 6-hour EEG. ---Hazel P.
Your pediatric neurologist is an esteemed colleague who will understand if you want to wait before undergoing another procedure. If your son is doing well and has not displayed any additional inappropriate behaviors, additional investigations may not be helpful at this time.
I had my child checked by two different developmental pediatrician. One diagnosed him with ASD and the other says if it weren't for that initial diagnosis, she wouldn't diagnosed ASD for my son. Now, I'm confused. ---Elaine B.
It would be difficult to give you the best advice for that question; but I believe that many parents go through a process and intuitively know who to trust. Will it help if you review your concerns with the first developmental pediatrician?
Do we have very detailed diagnostic tools to find out whether the behavior exhibited by a teen is traits of Asperger Syndrome or just plain Giftedness. I have read in several articles that even in other advance countries it is really hard to diagnose Asperger and Giftedness, hence a lot of misdiagnosed kids. ---Asia T.
With the new DSM5 edition, we have been advised to use the term ASD or Autism Spectrum Disorder; and this will certainly cover individuals previously diagnosed as having PDD-NOS and Asperger syndrome. That being said, the gold standard for diagnosis remains to be the ADOS2 (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule) and the ADI-R (Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised). The use of both tests for clinical and research purposes need accreditation. Perhaps a diagnosis of autism needs to be done first before a review of features that present as giftedness can be done.
For those with co-morbidities with ASD, which comes first in the diagnosis - ASD or the other condition (e.g. ASD w/ Down Syndrome or Down Syndrome with ASD)? ---Name Withheld
The presence of Down Syndrome (DS) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is actually that of a “dual diagnosis”. This means that there are two co-existing developmental disabilities and is technically not a “co-morbidity”. In many of these cases, it would be important to address the target behaviors that have a greater impact on daily care. Most of these behaviors fall under ASD. In the new DSM 5 criteria, this is already acknowledged. Co-morbidities, on the other hand, are other medical conditions (not necessarily a developmental disability) that co-exist with ASD like epilepsy, intellectual impairment and gastrointestinal symptoms.
My niece has autism and its severe. She is now 14 yo and is very very violent. She will hit her head, face, arms and legs with her fists or bang her head on the walls of the house. If you will try to intervene , she will chase and hit you instead. She will just stop if the swelling and pain is unbearable. After recovering she will again hit herself again and again. Shes under medication but effective only for a few months and then back to her old self again.I would like to ask if theres a home which can help us take care of her temporarily because we can't do anything to prevent her from hurting herself. She might have problem with her vision or worst brain hemorrhage in the future if this will continue.---C. Ong
This must be very stressful for the family. Aside from medications, it might be helpful to investigate possible medical causes of the aggression like ear infections, GI symptoms pointing to a gastrointestinal pathology, headache and seizures to name a few possible causes. Medications should be given continuously and not removed when symptoms abate. Some individuals will need to be hospitalized to address acute aggression. There are private centers that are willing to take in individuals with ASD.
My 4 yr old child with ASD is very picky with food? He only likes rice and fried crunchy food. He doesnt like vegetables and moist food nowadays, even when he loved these kinds of food several months ago. Is this normal? How can we teach him to eat other foods?--- L. Nievera
There may be several reasons on why children are picky. Initially, we need to rule out medical conditions including iron and zinc deficiency. Picky eating may be secondary to sensory processing difficultites, making children prefer certain tastes and textures. Another reason is the behavioral preference of children for certain foods. It is recommended that picky eating be addressed to ensure that the child has a healthy diet. We need to treat food like medicine. We need to be able to feed children a healthy, balanced diet. This can be managed by feeding therapists who are usually OTs or speech therapists locally. Depending on the reason of food selectivity, they can craft an intervention plan for the child. An example of a good resource online is: https://www.autismspeaks.org/family-services/health-and-wellness/nutrition/seven-ways-help-picky-eater-autism
My 27 year old autistic brother has become more aggressive over the years, inflicting self harm whenever he throws tantrums. What can we do? We can't bring him out of the house for consultation.---L. Jaacob
A proper work-up would need to be done. Doctors hesitate to recommend medications for the aggression without evaluating the patient, however, in some instances, for compassionate care, parents may have surrogate consults with doctors who can prescribe medications to address the aggression. Home-based assessment and interventions by behavioral therapists may also be helpful.
Ms. Cecilia Sicam is one of the 11 original founders of the Autism Society Philippines. She has served ASP in many capacities, as President from 2000 to 2004; and as its current Vice President. Inspired by her PWA son Likas, Ces has been instrumental in the founding of Professionals for Autism Foundation, Inc., Center for Autism and Related Disorders, the Philippine Association for Behavioral Analysis, and Bridges Foundation where she is currently its Directress. She taught SpEd for three years Santa Clara, California; and came back to serve Filipino children with special needs. Return to top.
My son is now 14 years old and in grade 7 in a regular high school. He finds difficulties in many lessons which need deeper analysis and use of Filipino. Do I continue to send him to a regular school or one offering a tutorial type lessons like Kumon to help him with his deficits? ---Regina M.
It would be helpful to find out if his problems in academics is a language problem or if he has cognitive limitations in terms of critical thinking, evaluation and analysis. In either case, using visuals, pictures and graphs help a lot in explaining concepts and building vocabulary in both English and Pilipino. Kumon may not be the answer to his problems in Araling Panlipunan and Filipino since it is a math program. Nor will he really learn deeper analysis from it if he has cognitive limitations. On the other hand, you may want to consider alternative learning institutions e.g. a progressive school with smaller class sizes where accommodations can be made for his particular learning style. Or you can also consider a vocational school where your son can learn functional skills based on his strengths and interests.
If a child diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome could not fit to attend a regular class from a high standard school, will it be helpful if she continues her behavioral therapy sessions instead? Can she stop going to school? Will it greatly affect her behavior and her right to education? ---Karen V.
Ideally, we would want to give the child access to opportunities for social interaction with peers -- which is usually in a school setting. If the child has impairments in cognitive, language and social skills, it may be best to consider a learning institution with a small class size with learning supports according to area of impairment. Also, consider getting help from a speech therapist, especially one versed in Social Thinking, for social skills development.
I would like to asked, if a person who got this ASPERGER SYNDROME, with a lack of guidance , attention , care , and support from their loves one, can also affect to them to improve their other difficulties. Such as social skills , interaction , communication , and talking. Because I have a friend, who got this condition and he was very sensitive in other things at times. I felt that it was so fast for him to get stubborn, mad. Frustrated in words that I said to him. Do you think it is also because of a bad experience from his childhood that is why it was so fast for him to get into this kind of reaction? Thanks --- Arena R.
Maitanong ko po, diagnosed po ba ng doktor yung taong sinasabi ninyong may Asperger Syndrome o hinala lang po na mayroong ganitong kondisyon yung kaibigan ninyo? Ngayon po hindi na po ginagamit ang terminong Asperger Syndrome. Ito po ay bahagi ng Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) na isang kondisyon na mula sa kakaibang development ng utak ng tao. Hindi po ito nagmumula o dulot ng masamang karanasan ng tao. Ang taong may ASD, tulad ng sinabi ninyo, ay hirap umunawa ng ibig sabihin ng facial expressions, tono ng pananalita at iba pang social cues. Kaya maaaring mali ang interpretasyon niya sa sinasabi ng iba kaya hindi rin akma ang reaksyon niya. Nakakatulong minsan ang paggamit ng litrato, pag sulat sa halip na pagbigkas lamang ng gusto ninyong sabihin. Iwasan ang paggamit ng idioms at patalinhagang pananalita. May iba pang stratehiyang nakakatulong sa mga taong may ASD na ma-improve ang kanilang social at communication skills tulad ng "Social Thinking" ni Michelle Winner. Maaari pong sumangguni sa speech therapist tungkol dito.
Since my son turned 13, we started to have problems with his aggression (biting hitting head butting). Doctors even gave me anti tetano shots for his bites. He wasn't like that before. He was on sped and various therapies since he was 2. Is it puberty? When does it stop? --- Jeannie P.
Appearance of aggressive behaviors during adolescence has been observed in several teenagers with autism. It maybe due to hormonal changes but it could also be due to other factors. It would be best to also consult your child's developmental pediatrician to rule out any other physiological conditions. Also, if really disruptive, the doctor may prescribe medicine that will help decrease your son's aggression. We cannot foretell when it will stop, although aggressive behaviors may decrease as the teen ager gets older. Do consult your devped for appropriate management.
I am from Mie Japan working in an international foundation. Recently a number of Filipino children (preschooler) living here in are being suspected to have developmental disorder namely ADHD and autism but the basic concern of the Japanese medical professionals is how to clearly explain to the parents the mental state of their children because of the language barrier. Is it possible to ask for a copy of mental test sheet written either in English or Filipino so that they can review and compare it to the one they have. --- Marychel C.
You may download the MChat - a screening tool for autism - from this site: https://m-chat.org/mchat.php and https://www.m-chat.org/. You may also download a copy of the autism primer from this site: http://www.helpguide.org/articles/autism/autism-symptoms-and-early-signs.htm
My 11 yrs old son with mild autism, a grade 4 student po sa regular school ay biglang ayaw ng pumasok sa school. Nag regress po ang behavior nya, naging mainitin ang ulo. Ok lang po ba na pagpahingahin ko muna sya at next year na lang uli pumasok. Sabi po ng Developmental Pediatrician nya ay na burn out na po sa academics at dapat ibalik sa SPED school. --- Leilani T.
At age 11, your son is entering the adolescent stage where hormonal changes can make a person's behaviors erratic and make self-regulation more difficult. I would agree with the Developmental Pediatrician's recommendation that it may be better to ease off on the academic pressures at this point and focus on development of social skills, skills along your son's area(s) of interest, and functional vocational, daily living skills. If there is a progressive school in your area willing to make accommodations for his needs then that would be a much better option than stopping school altogether. This is a crucial period where he needs the most guidance rather than more idle time where he learns nothing.
My son is now 4 years old, he has ASD and we already did the OT and ST, since he’s now in school, the problem now is he is easily get irritated when we trying to stop him from what he is doing, also sometimes can hurt his classmate and usually lay on the floor and do tantrums. What therapy do you recommend? His teacher told us to do ABA, will this help him improve? --- Vivian L.
Just because child is now in school, it does not mean he no longer needs OT & Speech therapy. Applied behavior analysis/ behavior modification techniques will certainly help especially when strategy is consistently implemented by all persons (especially parents & caregivers) and in all environments the child is in.
How effective and how does GFCF diet help a child with autism? I’ve read a lot about it but my son's Developmental Pediatrician did not recommend it as according to her it might limit the nutrition my son can get from a normal diet. I also asked his occupational therapist about it and she said its effect varies depending on the patient. She has a patient who has acted good with the diet but there are also some who showed frequent tantrums after starting the diet. --- Celina DG.
Defer to devped recommendations. GFCF is not for everyone. There are criteria which could indicate child would benefit from GFCF. Perhaps child does not have these indicators.
Hi ask ko lng po kung ano pwede gawin para ma improve ang social skills ng anak ko n 12 1/2 na nsa grade 5 na. Ok nmn po yung academics at behavior nya. Ang problem lng yung social skills. Thank you --- Mary C.
Kailangan pong alamin kung paano makitungo ang anak ninyo sa mga ka-edad niya. Kung siya ay kinakausap, siya ba ay nakakapag sustain ng conversation tungkol sa paksa na interes din ng kausap niya? Nababasa ba niya ng tama ang mga facial expression at body language ng kausap niya? Tama bang ang pag-unawa niya sa matalinhagang salita na ginagamit ng iba? May kumpiyansa ba siya sa sarili niya o takot siya sa pakikitungo sa iba? Sumasali ba siya ng kusa sa group activities o' mas gusto talaga niyang mag-isa?
Pag na-identify na ang kakayanan at kahinaan ng anak ninyo sa social skills, maaaring turuan siya ng tamang pagtugon sa sa social situation. Makakatulong ang mga speech therapist sa pag develop ng social skills.
My son is 2 years old and 3 months already but he can't speak straight yet. He understands us but has difficulty expressing himself. He points to things to say what he wants. He plays with other kids and is sociable. I don't think he has autism but I'm suspecting he has speech delay. We teach him every day and read books to him but he does not mimic the words. What can you suggest? Should I consult with a development pedia already? --- Grace A.
Yes.
Warm greetings. My main concern now is to help my grandchild from my pamangin snow a 3 year old boy born in Qatar. He shows most of the characteristics of autism. His father is now staying with us in Quezon Ciy, looking for a job. I accompanied him to the Phil Childrens Hosp for his son checkups under Social Service payment scheme.
I really want to help Louse Angelo to rehab his attitudes and daily life activities. So, Louise Angelo got schedules for rehab on April 20, and assessment on July11, 2016. and for dental sched too. But still waiting for hearing checkup cz the machine is under repair at the hosp. Currently,his full time mother is in Cebu taking care of the youngest siblings who is 8 months old. and a 7 year older sister. Please advise what other things do we need to do to guide us and take care of this child.Many thanks and more power --- Helen A.
Hopefully you can get an appointment with a developmental pediatrician soon. they can provide guidance based on their diagnosis of your grandson's condition. In the meantime, it would be good if you could give your grandson a regular schedule of activities and structure at home. Try to teach him self help skills, provide as much language stimulation as possible (e.g. labeling things he sees and does) even if he does not respond. It would also be good if he has a playmate whom he can interact with.
My niece has autism and its severe. She is now 14 yo and is very very violent. She will hit her head, face, arms and legs with her fists or bang her head on the walls of the house. If you will try to intervene , she will chase and hit you instead. She will just stop if the swelling and pain is unbearable. After recovering she will again hit herself again and again. Shes under medication but effective only for a few months and then back to her old self again.I would like to ask if theres a home which can help us take care of her temporarily because we can't do anything to prevent her from hurting herself. She might have problem with her vision or worst brain hemorrhage in the future if this will continue.--- C. Ong
Guanella Center in Tandang Sora is the only place I know which may be willing to take your niece in for respite care. However, it will be most useful to furnish them with information e.g. what triggers the self inflicting behaviors (SIBs), medication she is given, why medications have been stopped, what recommendations her devped has given.
There are also gentle restraints which can be used to restrain her when she has her SIBs. I know how strenuous and dangerous it is to physically restrain one who is having a meltdown but these restraints can keep you niece and the people around her safe. (see attached) You can improvise one using a spine board (available in medical supply stores) and wide velcro straps..
My 4 yr old child with ASD is very picky with food? He only likes rice and fried crunchy food. He doesnt like vegetables and moist food nowadays, even when he loved these kinds of food several months ago. Is this normal? How can we teach him to eat other foods?--- L. Nievera
Most PWAs have sensory processing difficulties which make them sensitive to or seeking of certain textures, tastes, sounds, etc. There are several strategies which can be tried, whatever works:
1. slowly introduce different textures by offering small balls of crunchy food with soft or firm centers. As the child gets used to this and eats it without fuss, make the soft centers slightly bigger in the next round. Continue increasing the soft center as he tolerates it.
2. you can also try reinforcing your child's tolerance for non-crunchy food. Show a very small piece of non-crunchy food (a grain or two of steamed rice, perhaps) and his favorite crunchy food. Make it clear that he will be given the crunchy food only if he will taste and swallow the non-crunchy food. Repeat as often as possible. It should be noted that his access to crunchy food should be limited throughout the training period and he can only eat it if he takes in a bit of non-crunchy food. For some, this may take some time and commitment from his caregivers. As his tolerance for non-crunchy food increases, size of non-crunchy food can also be increased. Later, non-crunchy and crunchy foods can be mixed.
You can also consult your child's OT regarding this.
My 5year old son Nino is diagnosed with autism,he can identify letters in English alphabets and pronounce it except letter w,he says it as do for letter w.whenever u say something to him he responds by saying mama only.No other words just mama.How could I improve him more ?Since he refuses to pay attention whenever I teach him new things but he is interested only in English alphabets. --- M. Cabacungan
Do attend ASP’s monthly family support group meetings (every third Saturday of the month) and monthly seminars to learn the different interventions, approaches and strategies that you can use to help your child.
Hi po. My youngest brother was diagnosed when he was 3 y/o having mild autism. Since then, nag-undergo siya ng therapy and now graduating na siya from Grade 6 regular school and turning 13 y/o. Is it advisable na sa normal school pa rin siya mag-aral since meron siya behaviour na nilalaro niya ung left hand niya even during classes. May difficulty siya in terms of Math subject but he is really advance naman in writing, geography and maps, memorizing ung mga gusto niya like countries etc. --- A. Braza
There is no straightforward answer to this since it will depend on whether his regular school can provide the kind of education he needs to become functional as an adult. First of all, your family needs to take a realistic look at your brother’s strengths, interests, needs and limitations. What do you think he can potentially become as an adult? Do keep in mind that work behaviors and work ethics are more important than cognitive skills in determining employability of a person with autism. Aside from his school, he may need additional support to address his other needs. An assessment and recommendation by your Developmental Pediatrician &/or OT will be a big help.
Ms. Tabitha Kirby, MA, BCBA received her bachelor’s degree in psychology and master’s degree in special education with specialization in Applied Behavior Analysis from The Ohio State University. As an expert in the field of behavior analysis, Tabitha has worked in various clinical, school, and community settings. As a consultant for families of individuals with Autism, Tabitha led and implemented a variety of home-based programs. Return to top.
If a 7 year-old non-verbal child with ASD and oral motor apraxia shows interest in music and has accuracy in rhythm, what method of speech therapy would benefit the child? ---Roschell C.
Without knowing the child, we can't give a true recommendation of what method to use. However, in individualizing therapy, there won't be one method that always works with every child, even if the same descriptors are used. So, in general, it will be trial and error. Regardless, with oral apraxia, speech therapy needs to be intense happening 3-5 times per week.
A child without ASD would do repeated practice of imitation of words. If the child with ASD is non-verbal, which is the case in this situation, repeated practice won't work until the child learns to imitate. So, initially working on imitation and motor planning are important.
The next part of the answer goes along with the second question as well. If the child is non-verbal or can approximate language, an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) device can still be beneficial. The non-verbal child can use the device to imitate language. Try to get a verbal response as well. Never say, "No," if the child's language is not accurate. Simply praise them for trying and repeat the correct pronunciation. The child who can approximate language can use the AAC device to improve ability to communicate. It will also allow the child to hear correct pronunciations repeatedly.
What could the OT provide to improve the motor planning? Will music therapy help? The child can already approximate and is eager to verbalize. Is AAC already needed? ---Roschell C.
Music Therapy has been found to be helpful with almost all children regardless of developmental level or speech level. An augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) would be beneficial (see previous answer). Here is a website that has a lot of motor planning activities that an OT could use. No matter what, in both cases, the entire team (parents, OT, Speech Therapist, Music Therapist, teachers, etc) should work on the same skills and be as consistent as possible across fields of expertise. It is VERY important that the parents work on the homework given by any therapist to the best of their ability.
Marie Grace Gomez is a Associate Professor 2 and a faculty member of the Special Education Area, UP College of Education at University of the Philippines Diliman. She is also the Director of the Diliman Learning Resource Center.
She has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science (1998), a Master of Arts in Education Degree with major in Guidance (2003), a Doctor of Philosophy in Education degree majoring in Guidance (2007) and another Doctor of Philosophy in Education Degree majoring in Special Education (2012). Return to top.
My 12 year old son, already in Grade V doesn't want to attend SPED classes instead he wants to stay in regular class. He is having difficulty catching up with his Math lessons resulting to frustration to the extent of hitting his teacher. He was indefinitely suspended by the school administrator. Is SUSPENSION a right approach to a misbehaving student with ASD case? --- Donna I.
Suspension and expulsion are punishments given for grave offenses. If the school knows that the child has ASD and has admitted him under an inclusion program, he should not get suspended. He can be asked to apologize to the teacher, render community service, etc. Imposing sanctions to students who have committed offenses should enable them to reflect on what they have done wrong and correct such behavior.
The school must help the student express his frustrations in an acceptable manner. For example, the child can use a "feelings wheel." This can be made from a paper plate. Different feelings and their corresponding facial expressions are placed on the paper plate in a manner that the feelings are like numbers on a clock. Just like a clock, a movable pointer shaped like an arrow is placed at the middle of the paper plate. The child points the arrow to his feelings. Depending on his ability, he can be asked to explain what he feels. The teacher could then give out suggestions to the student on what to do.
My son was diagnosed with Global Developmental Delay by a developmental doctor when he was 3 years old. Since then my son attends OT,Speech Therapy and preschool mainstream and is already able to talk in phrases & sentences though still babyish. He is now 5 going 6 years old and his diagnose changed to ASD (high functional). He still attends OT twice a week, speech therapy once a week and is now in Kinder 2. My concern is my son still has quirky behavior problems like smelling people, putting his eyes very close to the TV during his favorite commercial etc then closes his eyes sideways while walking away from the tv as if the images remains in his eyes, and has slight tantrums in public when he is bored (sitting down on the floors). I'm thinking that maybe hes OT is not working anymore since he complains that his therapist is bad and he's afraid of her. Is it a good idea that I will enroll him to ABA therapy instead of OT? Will ABA benefit him? --- Christine R.
Based on the DSM-5, Global Developmental Delay is a "diagnosis is reserved for individuals under the age of 5 years when the clinical severity level cannot be reliably assessed during early childhood." It is "diagnosed when an individual fails to meet expected developmental milestones in several areas of intellectual functioning, and applies to individuals who are unable to undergo systematic assessments of intellectual functioning, including children who are too young to participate in standardized testing. (p.31)" Given this, GDD is only a temporary diagnosis.
First of all, it is recommended that you discuss your concerns with his occupational therapist. Maybe there is a need to identify new strategies to address these concerns.Not all children will react the same way in therapy. Second, it would be best to know more about ABA and what it can do for your child if you are interested in placing him in this program. Have a trial period for it if it really interests you and then observe how your child responds to it.
Good day.i have a son 4 yo and 8mos diagnosed with asd..mula po kc ng baby anak ko palagi sia nanonood ng tv as in,tapos po nung 1 1/2yo nagtatablet na cia.napansin namin na hindi cia normal nung mag 2yo na cia kea pinacheck up namin sa pcmc at na diagnose ng asd level 3..nasa regular school siya at kinder 1..attending O.T. and Speech T 2x a week.sabi ng speech teacher kaya nyang sumabay sa regular school..ang napansin ko sa 1st week ng schooling eh hindi tlga cia maistay sa upuan..at hindi pa rin nakikinig sa teacher like other children..may question is ok po ba na ipasok ko sa regular school ang anak ko or sped school po ba tlga ang kailangan?at may pagasa pa po bang matutong makipagcommunicate ang anak ko?may mga story po ba naging ok ang may autism?tnx & Godbless! --- Tin I.
On technology use
It would be best to supervise and regulate technology use among all children. Parents can choose a variety of educational television programs that their children can watch. There are apps that can help children with their school work. As a parent, choose the shows and the games that your children are exposed to because they most probably engage in the media that they see.
On placement
A lot of factors affect placement. Based on the information that you have given, you can gradually place the child in the regular class. You can initially place the child in a physical education class where games and movement are involved.
On communication
Early intervention brings a lot of benefit as the window of opportunity for learning at is optimum during the early years of life. Continue to give intervention. Be patient in reinforcing what is learned in school and the therapy center.
My 4 year old daughter has just been diagnosed ASD today. The doctor said that she has to undergo therapy. Just want to ask if what can we do more as parents to help improve my child's development and is the therapy for lifetime? Thank you very much! --- Mark M.
Ask the therapists on activities that you can implement at home. Implement the recommended activities constantly.. be patient in teaching and affirm the child in whatever success he has. Words of affirmation such as good job, great, excellent, wow, go and do it motivate children.
Is sign language okay for a non-verbal autistic? My 18-year-old brother is currently studying at a sped school, but his verbal communication skills have not improved to the extent that he can express himself, usually just syllables. I heard about total communication in Miriam College, too. Which do you think is the best for him, stay in his current sped school, sign language in Phil. School for the Deaf, or in a total communication school in Miriam College?---Ymmalu E.
The two schools that you mentioned are exclusively for Deaf and hard of hearing individuals. Unless your brother has been diagnosed to have deafness, he cannot enroll there. If you are interested in sign language, I suggest that you and your parents learn it first and be the ones to teach.There are different alternative and augmentative communication means that you can explore. One is the picture exchange communication system (PECS).
She completed her Bachelor of Science degree in Speech Pathology from the University of the Philippines Manila in 1997. She further honed her skills as an educator by taking units in Master of Arts in Education, Major in Special Education, from 2000-2002 at the University of the Philippines Diliman. She also took units in Master of Rehabilitation Science - Speech Pathology from 2004-2005 at the University of the Philippines Manila. Return to top.
My 5year old son Nino is diagnosed with autism,he can identify letters in English alphabets and pronounce it except letter w,he says it as do for letter w.whenever u say something to him he responds by saying mama only.No other words just mama.How could I improve him more ?Since he refuses to pay attention whenever I teach him new things but he is interested only in English alphabets. --- M. Cabacungan
You can use playing with Alphabet toys in plenty of ways to stimulate your son’s speech and language skills. Using an Alphabet puzzle, you can make him request for each letter by prompting him to: (1) Say “Give”, and (2) Imitate the sounds of the Alphabet. Introduce different materials (pup-up toys, musical toys, flashcards, etc.) with alphabet designs to gain his attention and interest. Provide language stimulation by talking to him about what he’s doing and what you yourself are doing with the toy. This will provide him with the words he needs to comprehend and eventually use for communication. Encourage imitation of the words that you model. Reinforce and reward efforts to imitate with verbal praises or access to toys.
Consult a speech-language pathologist for a more intensive management of your son’s speech and language delay.
