As it says – a free, online course to learn Australian Sign Language. You don’t need a Facebook account to access this.
Autism, puberty and respect
Autism, puberty and respect, by Jess (Diary Of A Mom blog). The first thing that I really like about this post, is her explanation why she won’t discuss her daughter’s puberty (respect and privacy). Her main message is “talk to your kids about puberty”. Even if they’re non-verbal, and showing no sign that they’re registering what you’re saying, presume competence and talk anyway. Find a way to communicate information to them (she lists some examples), because:
“There is nothing more disconcerting, terrifying even, than your body changing without warning. Than hormones toying with your moods and jarring your emotional world without explanation. These things, without context and without explanation, are confusing and terrifying.
You see, this isn’t something that will wait until our kids are “developmentally” ready to handle it. When their bodies are ready, they will have to “handle” it one way or another. They deserve to know what the hell is happening to them.”
OTPlan- skill, material, plan
OTPlan is a great resource- match skills you want to work on, with materials you have, to a detailed occupational therapy treatment activity. I particularly like that you can choose which materials you have to hand, and don’t need to hunt around for odd bits and pieces!
Hearing loss discrimination
Who are the role models since Helen Keller?, by Janice S Lintz (HuffPost). This article is about hearing loss- the lack of accommodations for it, the stigma (many prominent figures hide their hearing loss, while revealing many other personal facts), and the media’s focus on “inspiration porn” and sensationalism (children with cochlear implants hearing their parents’ voices for the first time), followed by some practical suggestions for communication accommodations.
Geek books for kids
67 Books Every Geek Should Read to Their Kids Before Age 10, by Erik Wecks. Not really autism-related, but there does seem to be a certain amount of geekery within the community! I was pleased that of the books available in our local library, there were only five that we hadn’t accessed- and two of those had been planned, but we hadn’t got to them yet! Beginner readers through to Harry Potter/LOTR.
Parent Connect
Parent Connect has funding to assist families with children aged 0-6 who are developmentally delayed or have a disability, or older children aged 6+ who have a newly acquired or identified disability. They can support a family for up to twelve months in many ways, including accessing an expedited private diagnosis, setting up some therapy options, linking to services and communities, learning about the child’s disability, and connecting with other families on a similar journey. Parent Connect in Brisbane/Ipswich is run by Mission Australia.
Baby Bridges and a Developmental Tracker
Baby Bridges is a free program for 0-5’s with disabilities and/or developmental delays, and their parents/carers. The standard program consists of two components: children’s play and specialised therapy sessions with qualified therapists; and parent information and training sessions. It is offered at several locations throughout Queensland, however, the location at Auchenflower (Developing Foundation) incorporates the Developing Childhood program and Funtastic Creations.
The Developing Childhood program designed by child development experts (which is available independently of Baby Bridges) is a fantastic opportunity for parents of children to track and enhance milestones from birth to a functional age of 3 – and there are 342 of them in the first three years of a child’s life! This detailed record-keeping is invaluable for parents who may be concerned about developmental delays, to track and to share with their paediatrician or therapists. In addition to charting milestones, the program offers a personalised program ofactivities to help stimulate and encourage your child towards their next milestones. The site offers a one month free trial (which I highly recommend checking out!), and the full cost of the program is $95 (total).
Free prep-readiness
HIPPY (Home Interaction Program for Parents and Youngsters) is a kind of home- and family-based prep-readiness program, with all books and resources included free of charge! It’s available at multiple sites around Australia, including several in Ipswich (and again- worth a call to ask if slightly-out-of-area families can participate!).
Mercy’s Goodna courses
Mercy Community Services provide many different kinds of family and disability support. I particularly noticed the quality programs they offer at minimal cost or free- here are the programs they’re running from Goodna in terms 3 and 4:
123 Magic and Emotion Coaching flyer Term 3 2015 (Learn to manage big emotions and challenging behaviours in children 2-12 years old)
123 Magic and Emotion Coaching flyer Term 4 2015 (Learn to manage big emotions and challenging behaviours in children 2-12 years old)
Fun Friends Flyer Term 3 2015 (Building Resilience in 4-7 year olds through play)
Fun Friends Flyer Term 4 2015 (Building Resilience in 4-7 year olds through play)
Friends for Life Term 4 2015 (Help build resilience and prevent anxiety and depression in 7-12 year olds)
Engaging Adolescents Term 3 2015 (Learn to manage big emotions and challenging behaviours in adolescents)
CoSTermFour 2015 (Circle of Security parenting series)
Available to people who live within the Ipswich City Council geographical region (but still worth enquiring if you don’t!). For further information, contact the Family Matters Team at Mercy Community Services, Goodna on (07) 3280 8000.
Carers Qld- and beyond!
At a recent expo I attended in Ipswich, one of the contacts I made was Gillian Fleming, who works at Carers Qld, looking after the Better Start families. I had a lovely long chat with her, and was amazed at her wealth of information and contacts! She invited me to friend her on Facebook– she uses her Facebook account only to share information about all things disabilities, and is happy to accept friend requests from anyone seeking such information.
Membership of Carers Qld is $10 per year, and includes access to their Care Program (discounts), as well as their No Interest Loan Scheme.
One of the many great resources she shared with me is this list of useful links: Useful Websites for parents 2015.
I highly recommend connecting with Gillian, downloading the websites document – and for Queensland people, checking out Carers Qld.
lovenlearning 