| "In the hopes of reaching the moon men fail to see the | | | | off in mid air. |
| flowers that blossom at their feet". | | | | I sang songs with the children and offered him musical |
| Albert Schweitzer | | | | instruments and though the instruments didn't seem to |
| In relationships, both personal and professional it's | | | | ring his bell, he started making new sounds. Perhaps |
| important to be conscious of our goals and | | | | like an infant these were preliminary before Jay could |
| expectations. It's also a good idea to honestly assess | | | | form and utter words. I continued to mimic his noises |
| the present and the past. How else can we establish | | | | and sometimes the children copied me, which seemed |
| reference points, of where we were and where are | | | | to startle Jay, but at least he seemed to take note. |
| now? Too often we focus on the future; what we | | | | These were all huge differences. But I didn't know how |
| want, have yet to attain, on our unrealized dreams. We | | | | much Jay understood because I hadn't found a |
| forget to take stock and credit the positive change | | | | language we both understood. |
| and growth that has occurred. | | | | One day Jay climbed up on the table and began to |
| This article is the continues the story I started "Letting | | | | twirl around. It wasn't climbing time. There were other |
| Go to Think Outside the Box; Insights and a | | | | activities going on in the room. As I approached him to |
| Breakthrough with an Autistic Child". | | | | get him off the table, he reached over placing his arms |
| Jay was a nine year old boy with autism. I began | | | | on my shoulders. It was almost as if he wanted to hug |
| working with Jay in the Child Life program I was | | | | me. That was a change too. He was touching me. But |
| directing at Bronx Lebanon Hospital. He was brought | | | | instead of a hug he lay limp, slung over my back. Dead |
| into the hospital for evaluation and kept there on a child | | | | weight Jay was heavy, and I began to feel like a |
| protective hold. The hospital became Jays' foster | | | | human jungle gym. "No, you mustn't hang on me" I said |
| home and after months of unsuccessfully trying to | | | | trying to help him down from the table. He got really |
| reach him, I discovered a way into his self contained | | | | upset stamping his feet, biting his hand, and hitting his |
| world; by singing African chants. As a member of the | | | | head. I was surprised at his fierce reaction, that he |
| Social Work department I met daily with his case | | | | was so emotive. He placed his hands on my shoulders |
| worker and our team of specialists to review and | | | | again and started to lean forward. I placed one hand |
| develop an extensive treatment plan for Jay. We | | | | on his chest and my other hand on his back and |
| found a school program and enrolled him for half-day | | | | began singing "Ay Bo Bo" which is another African |
| sessions. When summer came we even arranged for | | | | chant. While I sang I patted a rhythmic phrase on his |
| him to go to summer camp. His teachers and | | | | body. When I stopped he reached over my shoulder |
| counselors noted "significant gains" in their progress | | | | and repeated the sequence, patting on my back what I |
| reports. But I was discouraged when Jay came into | | | | just finished patting on his! He seemed pleased with |
| the playroom during the afternoons because he still | | | | himself and climbed down from the table. I was beside |
| maintained his self stimulating repertoire of behaviors; | | | | myself! Now we were talking... |
| rattling, twirling, shaking, and chewing on everything. I | | | | Twice this had happened; Jay responded to the |
| couldn't figure out how to bridge the gap between our | | | | African chants hearing the sounds, and feeling the |
| worlds; so I could begin to teach him... | | | | beat; auditory tonal and kinesthetic learning processes. |
| At some point I probed deeper, cross examining | | | | He was telling me he understood, by talking to me with |
| myself. "Teach him what? "What do you expect Jay | | | | his hands. And when I thought back he understood my |
| to do? Are you waiting for him to say something? | | | | one word commands especially when I was teaching |
| Have you overlooked the bigger picture? What is he | | | | him to climb like, "up" "down" "sit" "bend" and "jump" |
| doing today that he wasn't doing six months ago"? | | | | because I moved his body while I spoke these simple |
| The most obvious change was that he was in the | | | | one syllable instructions. |
| playroom with other children! And without prompting he | | | | In 2010 we now know that children with autism or |
| was sitting near or next to them. When I first brought | | | | autism spectrum disorder have auditory processing |
| Jay to the playroom he ran around in circles, oblivious. | | | | problems. They may be able to hear speech sounds |
| Sometimes he'd retreat under the tables, or huddle in | | | | but not perceive the meaning of the sounds; the words |
| the corner. Now he seemed interested in what the | | | | and what they mean. |
| children were doing, sitting intently watching them play. | | | | I left New York City in 1985. I recommended that Jay's |
| When I reorganized the room and set up a gross | | | | teachers try teaching him sign language, or create a |
| motor obstacle course he moved independently | | | | system of tonal signals in combination with physical |
| negotiating different levels and planes. Previously I | | | | patterning. How would you proceed? |
| needed to supervise him closely, so he wouldn't step | | | | |