Involvement in Ministry
This Month's Story
My Kids
Adam Schellenberg
My current job is one that might have a lot of people running fairly quickly. At times I can be overheard talking to friends or relatives about “my kids” or something along the lines of, “I can’t believe what my kid did today.” Now if you think, “Wow, I didn’t know he had kids”, I don’t, but I work with them. I am a Lead Behavior Therapist at the Central California Autism Center at California State University, Fresno.
People with Autism (also known as Autism Spectrum Disorders) are all around us. The rates of autism have risen sharply in the last several years to 1 in 100 American children. Some sources say it’s closer to 1 in 80 or 90. The idea of autism being on a spectrum means that there are individuals that have very mild forms of autism, those that others might feel are a little “different” or “odd” at times. Others, with very severe cases, are unable to communicate or socialize with almost anyone, and may spend most or nearly all of the day doing repetitive, ritualistic or self-injurious behaviors.
Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder that is first seen in infancy or early childhood. Some of the signs parents should look out for, and should lead to an evaluation by a specialist, include:
· No babbling by 12 months.
· No gesturing (pointing, waving bye-bye) by 12 months.
· No single words by 16 months.
· No two-word spontaneous phrases (other than instances of echolalia or repetitive talk) by 24 months.
· Any loss of any language or social skills, at any age.
The causes of autism are unknown, but researchers are getting closer everyday to unlocking its secrets. Most researchers believe that it is mainly a genetic disorder that also depends on the environment. There are also heated debates within the Autism community regarding the roles of nutrition, dieting and childhood vaccinations.
At the Autism Center (the Center or CCAC) I provide Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) therapy to children with autism. Behavior Therapy, or ABA therapy, comes out of the psychological school of “behaviorism” first made popular in the 1950’s by B.F. Skinner, but previously by such individuals such as Ivan Pavlov in Russia, and Edward Lee Thorndike and John B. Watson in America. The main idea of behaviorism is to help decrease problem behaviors that individuals have too much of (such as aggressive behaviors and unwanted habits), while increasing positive behaviors that individuals have too little of (such as the ability to wait or use appropriate speech). ABA therapy begins with observation of an individual, which leads to the creation of a special action plan to help work with these different kinds of behaviors.
At the center, I focus my attention on one case at a time. I am a child’s personal ABA therapist. We spend our time together running different kind of programs, working to get him up to his grade level, and more able to communicate and socialize with others. Some of these programs involve getting him to recognize his numbers and letters, as well as teaching him how to respond in social situations.
I feel that I am helping out my community while working in the Autism Center. People say that I must have a lot of patience to work there. It is not always easy, working with children, let alone those with special needs. At times it can be exhausting: from running after them to dealing with crying, tantruming, hitting or scratching. In spite of it all, there are days when I go home with a smile on my face. Just yesterday, we were discussing one of our clients, who will be going into a “regular” first grade class this coming school year. Two years ago, he was only able to speak 15 words and had many problem behaviors. Now he is one of our most advanced and enjoyable cases. He is actually more advanced than most of his typically developing peers at this point. Thinking about this brings a smile to my face and makes me want to help all of our kids reach their highest potentials.
Though I have a teaching role at the center, I am also constantly being taught, about myself, by the children and the people that I interact with there. Every individual should be accepted for how they are. That is true. But, if we can give children with Autism skills and knowledge to become more functional and self-caring, in some cases to be mainstreamed into school, and sometimes even “lose” a diagnosis of autism, then this is something worth striving for with all of “my kids.”
April is National Autism Awareness Month. If you have questions or concerns, contact your primary care physician or pediatrician, the Central California Autism Center at CSU Fresno, or Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to learn more. Early diagnosis and intervention are the keys to helping these individuals achieve their full potentials.
This puzzle piece is seen by many individuals with autism spectrum disorders, and those who care for or about them, as a symbol of the autism community.