Luker, S. (2024) UNIT 7– 7 CAMs
Section 7: CAMs Complementary & Alternative Medicine
PART 4 – 7. creative therapy (Continued from DAY 25)
7. e. adventure therapy
8. facilitated communication
Note: Because it has some similarities to Theatre Therapy, I would like to add Adventure Therapy.
e. Adventure Therapy
Isaacson, R. (2009). 4% Our assumption that Rowan would share a life of adventure with us was firmly dashed. Instead, life had suddenly become a mechanical drudgery of driving from one therapy and assessment appointment to another and dealing with reluctant insurance companies, therapists, and Rowan’s every mounting, inexplicable tantrums.
13% What if Rowan’s autism, instead of shutting down our lives, could be a gateway to the greatest adventure of all? What if that were possible?
What if we were to take Rowan there (Mongolia)? Get on horseback and ride across that vast, primordial Mongolian grassland from shaman to shaman (to seek healing)?
29% The light rain began to intensify once more... “The gods are happy” Tulga was translating… “The rain shows that the Lords of the Mountains have accepted for Rowan to be healed. It is a very good sign.” “More shamans!” Rowan shouted, as I took him in my arms and put him in the van. “More shamans!”
< My Thoughts > “…gateway to the greatest adventure…”
How many of us have the courage or the wherewithal to take our child to Mongolia to be healed by shamans. But of course, an outdoor adventure may be just the ‘therapy’ to change our child’s life.
Karoff, M., Tucker, A., et al. (2017) collected data on an Adventure Therapy camp from both children with ASD and the Student Anchors (trained teen mentors) placed throughout the sessions. The conception of this program came about because these professionals felt that school systems tried to integrate ASD youth into mainstream classrooms without the social-interaction experience.
They understood that there weren’t any interventions in place to keep ASD youth from struggling socially and feeling excluded from social networks. Thus, they wanted to give them an experience to help them adjust. These investigators wanted to address the general communication distress which the complexity of the social landscape seemed to create. And they wanted to deal with the ASD student’s possible increased awareness or concern over their social competence, when facing peers.
< My Thoughts > “…social competence, when facing peers.”
The ‘creative arts’ seem to be an opportunity for possibly ‘socially’ deficient children to express themselves creatively. Then, to share that creativity with family and peers who may become potential friends.
Duan-Young, D. (2014) 4% I understand children are so much more than the labels we put in front of them. I understand that children who are diagnosed with autism are far more than just “kids with autism.” They’re artists, athletes, and dancers. They’re friends. They’re multi-faceted just like the rest of us. I truly understand.
Facilitated communication is a technique by which a trained professional, the ‘facilitator’ supports the hand, arm or shoulder of the individual who has communication impairments. This method helps the individual to point to or press the keys of a communication device to spell out words.
Cardinal, D., & Falvey, M. (2014) explain that Facilitated Communication (FC) is a process to initially encourage communication in the form of prompts, supports, or stabilizing of the hand or arm. This would then, after becoming successful, be faded to the child making the choice independently. Fading support also minimizes the influence that the facilitator has on the writer/speaker.
The communication partner provides support in a variety of ways, perhaps emotional support to encourage communication, or help to focus on the keyboard, or desired words. Despite the challenges to the method, many find that with refining their techniques, individuals are able to ensure authenticity of authorship of the typed message. Allowing persons to write their own stories, and for them the controversy of what they know has ended.
Kedar, I. (2012) tells us that as her son Ido got older and he still couldn’t speak, or communicate non-verbally, follow instructions, or control his behavior. But we plowed on.
But, as an adult, Ido is able to write long essays. He writes of an enlightening experience that took place when he was about four, and I remember it well. My son and I sat on the sofa reading The Jungle Book. This was about his favorite Disney movie. He had seen it dozens of times.
I asked him to touch pictures in the book, my hand lightly supporting under his arm near the elbow. “Where’s Mowgli?” “Touch Ballou.” And so on. Ido correctly answered each question.
< My Thoughts > “…my hand lightly supporting…”
Often times, children need their arm/hand supported, in order to separate tasks in their mind. This doesn’t mean that the person providing the support is influencing the child’s picture choices, or direction. That person’s support is just keeping the individual from dividing their focus, while engaging in a difficult task.
Mukhopadhyay, T. (2011) Tito marvels – I could write on my own, and Mother would not need to be my scribe anymore. Writing became a natural discipline in my life. Slowly I got used to writing down the letters from memory instead of copying them letter by letter. I was no longer a slave to the letterboard.
< My Thoughts > “…the letterboard.”
Soma Mukhopadhyay (2013) devised a letterboard which changed not just Tito’s life but the lives of many non-verbal children and adults with autism, throughout the world. Her guide for effective language is called the Rapid Prompting Method. See ‘References’ below.
Bonker, E. & Breen, V. (2011) believe Elizabeth appears to be locked in her own silent world. She writes that she is ‘in agony’ because of her inability to speak. Often the only way she can cope is by hitting her head repeatedly with her hand, in frustration. I thank God that she has found a voice through her poems.
References:
Bonker, E. & Breen, V. (2013). Am In Here: The Journey of a Child with Autism Who Cannot Speak but Finds Her Voice; eBook Edition.
Cardinal, D., & Falvey, M. (2014). The Maturing of Facilitated Communication: A Means Toward Independent Communication; Research & Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities; V39:3; p189-194.
Duan-Young, D. (2014). Autism: Why I Love Kids with Autism; eBook Edition.
Isaacson, R. (2009). The Horse Boy: A Father’s Quest to Heal His Son; eBook Edition.
Karoff, M., Tucker, A., et al. (2017). Infusing a Peer-to-Peer Support Program with Adventure Therapy for Adolescent Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder; Journal of Experiential Education; V40:4, p394-408.
Kedar, I. (2012). Ido in Autismland: Climbing Out of Autism; eBook Edition.
Luker, S. (2024); Know Autism, Know Your Child with < My Thoughts > by Sara Luker; Retrieved online from – www.sarasautismsite.com
Mukhopadhyay, T. (2011). How Can I Talk If My Lips Don’t Move?: Inside My Autistic Mind; eBook Edition.
Note: DISCLAIMER – Autism ‘intervention’, as with the phrase ‘Early Detection / Early Intervention’, may simply mean to attempt an ‘action’, or attempt to ‘change a course’ or ‘trajectory’ of the person’s autism. Any expectation for a successful ‘change’ must have the cooperation of the participant, the parent, and/or the assigned therapist. Words such as, ‘intervention’, ‘treatment’, ‘therapy’, ‘service’, or ‘program’ imply ‘cure’, or ‘long-term’ positive effect. That is NOT my intention here, and all information is presented without intent or suggestion of status or effectiveness.
End of DAY TWENTY-SIX.
Note: Excerpts from the books – (13% indicates location in the Kindle version of the eBook, instead of page numbers).
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Regards,
Sara Luker