M chat autism

April is known as Autism Awareness Month, but autistic people and their families in south-west Sydney want to redirect the conversation. Acceptance, understanding and inclusion come to mind for Autism Advisory and Support Service (AASS) organisation CEO Grace Fava, OAM. "It's not about awareness, it's about acceptance. But acceptance does not come alone either, there needs to be understanding. Ms Fava founded the organisation when searching for services for her two autistic sons. The AASS advocates, lobbies and attempts to fill gaps in service provision across the Liverpool Council local area. During Autism Awareness Month, Ms Fava said neurodiversity needed to be the focus of the conversation. "Autistic people can sometimes feel out of place. They know they do not fit in but we should not be forcing them to. "It is not about dragging someone into our world. It's about accommodating for a neurodiverse world," she said. Changing the way we talk about autism Stephanie … [Read more...] about Acceptance, understanding and inclusion — three things people with autism would love to see

Some children with autism have a fascination with water, a tendency to wander and little or no sense of danger, putting them much more at risk of drowning. But a unique swimming program in Canberra — with a counterintuitive structure — has dived deep into the issue to turn the tragic tide. Renee Zwikielberg has two children with autism — William, 9, and Sophie, 7 — and said she came frighteningly close to the tragedy of losing a child to drowning. "We went on holiday about 18 months ago and William nearly drowned," she said. Ms Zwikielberg said they had tried many different types of swimming classes over the years from group settings to one-on-one lessons with instructors trained in teaching people with autism. But she said it was not until William was enrolled in WaterAbilities at Black Mountain School that he made progress. "At first, he didn't even want to get in the water," she said. "He was afraid … and had a lot of anxiety about drowning given that it almost … [Read more...] about Flynn was scared of taking showers. Now swimming lessons for children with autism have him taking like a duck to water

Google Duo, one of the many video chatting services and a competitor to Apple’s FaceTime, is expanding beyond mobile phones. Previously only available on iOS, Android, and Chromebooks, it now is available for all to enjoy on the web from any PC or Mac. To access Google Duo on the web, visit duo.google.com from any computer. If you have previously used the app on iOS, Android, or on a Chromebook, you’ll see a box with your contacts who are also using the service. If not, you can sign up for the service by inputting your mobile phone number and verifying your identity with a one-time code sent via SMS message. Once set up, there’s no need to scan a QR code or input a verification code each time you sign on; you can simply log in with your Google account to enjoy the service. The overall user interface of Google Duo on the web is straightforward, with no superfluous menus to navigate. A search box allows you to search for contacts or dial a number and a preview window will pop up … [Read more...] about Google Duo Video Chat Is Now Available on the Web | Digital Trends

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism are both prevalent childhood conditions. On the surface, they appear to be extremely similar; both can result in reduced attention, reduced interpersonal engagement, and lower social functioning. Yet, they have quite diverse effects on a child’s behaviour. Let us take a deeper look at various elements of these two behavioural diseases today on Autistic Pride Day. It is critical to establish this distinction early since treatment approaches differ and early therapy has the greatest benefit. Attention and Concentration Children with ADHD have poor attention and concentration and, as a result, are unable to focus on an activity, such as studying or reading. Their focus changes from one item to the next. Children with autism, on the other hand, may seem to be inattentive because just a few things pique their attention. They can, however, give persistent concentration and awareness when involved in a topic that they enjoy, … [Read more...] about Autistic Pride Day 2021: How Autism is Different from ADHD? Here’s All You Need to Know

With the outbreak of the novel coronavirus last year, many parts of the world were forced into a lockdown and the lives of millions across the globe were impacted by the COVID-19. While the virus created a health emergency, the lockdown forced by it brought various other issues for people. The lockdowns proved to be a very difficult phase for many of us, but the problems and hardships faced by children, especially the ones dealing with autism, have been very huge. As we celebrate Autistic Pride Day 2021 on June 18 to raise awareness about the right of people dealing with autism, we also look at various impacts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic on children dealing with autism. With the schools and care centres being forced to close by lockdowns, the lives of these children went through a change that they were not even expecting. Impact of COVID-19 on children with autism The closure of schools and other care centres brought new challenges for the people taking care of children … [Read more...] about Autistic Pride Day: How COVID-19 Impacted Children with Autism