“My 5-year-old son does not like talking to me or responding to my questions. He talks only when he wants something from me.” If you are facing similar challenges as a caregiver, here are some useful tips from SPD’s speech therapist, Ridhima Batra, to help you engage your child in conversation.
Some caregivers may be at a loss as to what to do when their child displays challenging behaviours. If you are one of them, the good news is that there are strategies that you can make use of to manage your child’s emotions. In this first of a two-part series, SPD’s early intervention psychologist, Jacelyn Loh, shares how.
Julia is a four-year-old girl with autism. Her mom, Elena, is an art teacher and her dad, Daniel, is an EMT who plays the saxophone. She also has a neurotypical big brother, Samuel, and a dog, Rose. Her videos of her life in Sesame Street will warm the cockles of your heart.
Play is the most important part of every child’s life and it is crucial for their development. Written by a team of psychologists from MINDS, this article explains why we should play with our children, and how to do so.
Written by a team of psychologists from MINDS, this article explains why children may refuse to go to school and what you as the caregiver can do about it.
Written by a team of psychologists from MINDS, this article explains why children throw tantrums or behave aggressively and provide useful tips for managing such behaviours.
Written by a team of psychologists from MINDS, this article explains what Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is, its symptoms and causes, and how caregivers can manage a child with ADHD.
Written by a team of psychologists from MINDS, this article explains reasons why a child might exhibit self-injurious behaviours and what you can do to manage it?
In the largest population-based multinational cohort study to investigate the origins of autism, researchers say that the risk of developing autism is mostly hereditary.
Written by a team of occupational therapists from MINDS, this article explains what sensory processing disorders (SMDs) are, why sensory processing is important and what parents can do to manage children with SMD at home.
Written by a team of occupational therapists from MINDS, this article explains the components of fine motor skills, factors that influence fine motor skills and how you can help your child improve these skills.
Written by a team of occupational therapists from MINDS, this article covers activities for improving a child’s handwriting.
Written by a team of occupational therapists from MINDS, this article explains the components of fine motor skills, factors that influence fine motor skills and how you can help your child improve these skills.
As caregivers, we have a major role in helping our children build up a healthy self-esteem. Written by a team of psychologists from MINDS, here are 7 ways we can improve our children’s self-esteem.
It is important to help children develop social skills so that they can establish relationships and exhibit behaviours that are age-appropriate and culturally acceptable. Written by a team of psychologists from MINDS, here are 4 ways we can use to develop our children’s social skills.
Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC) refers to all forms of communication that enhance or supplement verbal speech or writing. It is an internationally recognised area of clinical and educational practice that attempts to compensate, temporarily or permanently, for significant speech, language, and writing disabilities. Earlier this year, Specialised ATC, SPD published the AAC for Caregivers Manual. Read on to learn about the tried and tested strategies for effective communication that are found in the manual.
What was Greta Thunberg doing at 16 years old? Giving a speech in the U.K. Houses of Parliament in London, addressing the U.N Climate Change Conference in Poland, berating billionaires at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland and getting nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.
Why is getting insurance coverage for a person who has been diagnosed with ASD so tiring, difficult and confusing? In this article, our guest blogger Senior Financial Services Consultant Wilson Lee shares with us the reasons, options and useful tips when getting approval from insurance companies. He also provided a summarized roadmap on how parents can set financial goals and get started on the path of wealth management.
At All In, we sometimes get interesting questions from the general public.
Today, we will be answering this question: How do I talk to people with autism?
Miracle Mineral Supplement (MMS) is made up of chlorine dioxide, known to be an effective disinfectant for food and potable water treatment, so why do health professionals and governments take such a strong stand against it? This article explains in detail the components of MMS, why MMS is dangerous, and the potential health risks.
Why would any parent give their children with autism bleach? Are they idiots? This article explains the insidious and persuasive arguments for the pseudoscientific bleach therapy, and the warning signs of fake therapies. It also explains what has been done by government agencies, organisations and individuals to counter this dangerous “miracle cure”.
Given that about 1 in every 100 of our population has Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), it is likely that many of us would know someone with autism, no matter whether it is a relative’s child or a friend’s child. How do you act around the parents of the person with autism and with the child herself or himself? We consulted a few parents of children with autism to put together some suggestions to these questions.
As caregivers or friends, we can help a child with special needs achieve his or her potential by telling him or her about inspiring role models. It helps them understand that they can do what they might have been told can’t be done, and how others have done it. As the second part of a series on Role Models in Science and Mathematics, the spotlight is on Temple Grandin, inventor of livestock handling devices. This article includes some of her advice for parents of children with autism.
June’s coming right up and we’ve done our best to put together the most comprehensive list of holiday activities for you. The list is systematically organised: first by the type of SEN support provided, then by the dates. Useful information such as a short description of the activities, age groups, time slots, costs and location are also provided.
People with autism were asked “What do you wish everyone else knew about autism?”. Here are the top 5 replies.
Our children with special educational needs (SEN) require more specialised support in their education. One way to find out more about the programmes, culture and support a school offers is to visit the schools during an Open House. We have updated the list of Government-funded SPED schools (including Rainbow Centre Yishun Park School (RCYPS), which opened at Marsiling Lane in 2018). The list is organised by type of SEN support the schools provide, and contains information about the programmes, age groups of students, and updated information about the dates for Open House.
All In Recommends: Autism is not uncommon, about 1 in every 100 of our population has Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). But how much do we know about the autistic adults? About their aspirations and their challenges? Their triumphs and their struggles? How do their caregivers, if any, cope with caring for those with more severe conditions. Watch their stories on Uniquely Me, a six-part documentary by Mediacorp.
All In 推荐： “《特别的我，你懂吗？》带你走进12个自闭成人的世界，从亚斯伯格症候群到中重度自闭症，深入了解他们的苦与乐，窥探他们的特殊和天赋。自闭成人是被社会误解的一群，经常被贴上为反社交或异常的标签。他们在等待着你，用心聆听他们的故事，真心包容他们的特别。”
Today’s Layman’s Guide to Autism is: How can I tell if someone has autism?
At All In, we sometimes get interesting questions from the general public. The Layman’s Guide to Autism are simplified answers to these real questions. Today, we will be answering this question from our friend, Tee Eng: What should I do if I see a stranger with autism having a meltdown?
At All In, we sometimes get interesting questions from the general public. The Layman’s Guide to Autism are simplified answers to these real questions. Today, we will be answering this question from our friend, Rambo: What is the difference between autism and Asperger’s syndrome?
“If I were in Sebastien’s body and functioning with his mind, I seriously doubt that I would fare that much better…” This is the inspirational story of how a mother of an aggressive teenager with autism coped with puberty, the general public and her own emotions.
Does Sheldon have autism? Here is Mayim Bialik (Amy Farrah Fowler)’s touching response to questions about TV stereotypes on the Big Bang Theory. I’m not crying, it’s the onions.
A mother wrote an article about her thoughts on Sheldon Cooper. Her son with autism wrote his response and his thoughts about Sheldon Cooper. Such an honest and beautiful dialogue is too good to be missed.
Ashlea McKay lived most of her life believing that she was a monster, “an evil creature who didn’t belong and couldn’t socially function well enough to exist among society.” It was only when she got diagnosed at the age of 29 with autism that she understood how her brain work and that she came to accept herself and believe in her own self-worth.
“You’re going to be lucky if your child makes a friend, if she holds a driver’s license, if she holds a minimum wage job.”
Well, she became a lawyer.
Read about Haley Moss, the first openly autistic lawyer to be admitted to the Florida bar.
This article introduces the resources available to parents of children with autism. These includes local organisations, support groups, and informative sites.
This is a list of some of the available centres that provide medical support for autism in Singapore.
In the past, it was uncommon to hear about people with disabilities to participate in sports. People have always questioned their capability and at times have rejected the idea of playing sports with them. This misconception has resulted in children with disability being excluded from games at schools. Even when they have grown up, it …
The headlines in the past few months have been dominated by news of measles outbreaks in some parts of the USA as well as in Europe and in the Philippines. This brings up the controversial issue of the anti-vaccination movement and how they are gaining momentum worldwide. Log on to any social media platform and the debate is ferocious and …
If you are a parent of a child with special needs and is currently or planning to send your child for early intervention, here are some good news for you. Beginning this year, the Ministry for Social and Family Development (MSF) will be pushing out changes to the early intervention (EI) framework for families with …
This is a comprehensive list of almost all of the current treatments that are available for Autism Spectrum Disorder. Taken from the book “The Autism Sourcebook: Everything You Need to Know About Diagnosis, Treatment, Coping, and Healing” by Karen Siff Exkorn.
Finding the academic curriculum of best fit for your child is a matter of understanding what he needs in order to realise his fullest potential. We have gathered a set of comprehensive guidelines and resources to assist you as you decide on the perfect environment for your child to flourish.
The lack of understanding about autism can make it difficult for people on the autism spectrum to access the support they need. In this article, we hope to shed light by debunking the common myths and misconceptions on this condition.
As parents of children with autism, it can be overwhelming having to handle your child’s health related problems. On top of that, there’s the educational and intervention programmes, financial matters and the day-to-day stresses of living with autism to worry about. Receiving social and emotional support can make things a lot less daunting …
What are the available treatments and therapies for autism? Which centres in Singapore offer autism therapy? Need nutrition tips for children with autism? Which of the health-related ‘facts’ commonly said about autism are actually true?
Tertiary Education When your child graduates from secondary school to pursue a higher education, there are many higher learning options for youths with autism. Here is a list of tertiary level schools with Allied Educators on staff that your child can apply to: Nanyang Polytechnic Ngee Ann Polytechnic Republic Polytechnic Singapore Polytechnic Temasek …
Education When your kids are ready to move on to formal education – primary school and later on secondary school, there are several options that you can look into. The best way to determine which academic path is right for your child is to consult your current therapist or speak with your …
This age group is a time when children are most active and curious. However, children with autism exhibit different behaviours from your typical kids. If you notice that you child exhibits the symptoms that denotes some spectrum of autism, we encourage you to consult an experienced professional who can offer good counsel and help …
As your baby grows, there are many development milestones you look forward to. For example, smiles, cooing and babbling noises. However, these are noticeably missing in children who have developed autism. You can take this Child Development Assessment to track your child’s developmental milestones so as to identify the early warning signs of autism. This checklist …