Surfers Healing Cracks the Shell of Autism

Mission Viejo, Calif. -- Being the parent of a child with autism is a challenge in many ways. We are constantly in search of things to crack the shell that keeps our kids cut off from the rest of the world.

My son’s "happy place" is the water, so you would assume that going to the beach would be a blast for our family. Well ... actually, no. The sound of the ocean is more than the sensory processing center in his brain can handle and usually sends him into a meltdown of epic proportions. So we go to pools, Lake Mission Viejo, RSM Beach Club and Baby Beach in Dana Point.

A couple months ago a group of moms with autistic children told me about Surfers Healing, and I signed Franklin up for the day camp. When the day arrived, I was a nervous wreck. In preparation for the day, I had been trying to desensitize his nervous system, so I took him every night down to Aliso Creek Beach and let him play on the play equipment. After the fifth day in a row, he quit plugging his ears and crying; he had gotten used to the roar of the ocean, apparently—a good thing, because the next day was Surfers Healing camp.

My husband and I headed down to Doheny with Franklin and some of our family friends who have kids with autism. We were all anxious and nervous and had a lot of fear and hope. I watched other kids go out into the ocean and come out more relaxed and aware. I saw some kids really fretting about the water but after much coaxing were able to go into the surf. Different kids came out.

As we were waiting our turn down at the shore, Franklin was getting a little anxious and whiny. The volunteer called our name, ripped him out of my arms and sent him out into the ocean with a surfer, who put him on a long board. He was paddling out within five seconds of being taken from me. Wait—did I really just hand my child off to a stranger who threw him into heavy surfer with another stranger? I heard no crazy meltdown or crying from him. My little 4½-year-old non-verbal autistic son got three 200-yard rides into the shore with Puna, his surfer from Hawaii.

Inflatable Playground Accommodates Autistic Kids Nationwide

CHICAGO -- The nation's largest indoor inflatable playground, Pump It Up recently started making accommodations for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders.

More than 150 Pump It Up playgrounds across the country are giving children with autism sensory jump time. It's an opportunity for them to be in a safe environment while having a lot of fun.

At Chicago's Lincoln Park Pump It Up, 5-year-old Ivan is making his way around the inflatable playground. Mom Martha Fregoso said her son was diagnosed with autism just after his second birthday.

"A couple of things that we've noticed was just his development, he wasn't speaking very well for his age. He had a lot of sensory issues so we had a lot of issues with adjusting with the environment sounds," Fregoso said.

This is challenging for young kids like Ivan, to do simple things like play with peers.

"He's ultra sensitive to sounds, so if the radio is too loud, he can't tolerate it. He says it hurts. Fire alarms, fire trucks, any sudden, spontaneous sounds that he's not anticipating really affect him," Fregoso said.

The Sensory Jump Time program has games and activities catered to the specific needs of children with autism. It's a partnership between Pump It Up and Autism Speaks.

"Sensitive Sensory Cinema" for Children with Disabilities

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Rave Motion Pictures has introduced a new monthly series of movie screenings called "Sensitive Sensory Cinemas," geared to families with children who have special needs—specifically, those who have a disability or are on some stage of the autism spectrum.

In an announcement of the series, Jason Wiles, lead manager at Rave, wrote, "We realize that bringing children with autism to the theater can be quite a challenge. Each child reacts differently to the normal conditions of the theater, darkened theaters, and loud sound systems. These shows are shown at a light and sound level which will be more inviting for these families.

"We also realize that the normal standards of theater etiquette of 'please sit and be quiet' can also be challenging. We want to emphasize that during these performances, the lighting will be left on high, the sound will be turned down, and our patrons are free to talk, sing, or move around the theater during the show."

Camp for Kids With Autism Offers Extreme Therapy

Tremendous job by John Donvan of ABC News for his incredible story about an extreme sports camp for children on the spectrum.

Consider what it does to the senses when you're in a kayak on the Colorado River and you hit white water. You can't hear anything but the water. There's spray in your face. Violent drops. Wicked turns. And fear -- moments when the river seems to be in control, not you. In short, it's total sensory overload, a total adrenaline rush.
But if you have autism -- like most kids at the Extreme Sports Camp near Aspen, Colo. -- it's overload times 20, or times 100. And that's the point: to take kids to their limits, and beyond.

Link Between Epilepsy and Childhood Brain Development

A form of partial epilepsy associated with auditory and other sensory hallucinations has been linked to the disruption of brain development during early childhood, according to a study led by researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC).
Described in the August 23 Advance Online issue of Nature Medicine, these new findings provide the first genetic link between childhood brain development and a seizure disorder that lasts throughout adulthood, and also identify a new pathway that controls how neuron circuits are "pruned" and matured.

Alternative Treatment for Children with Autism

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Michael Giordano laid on the bed, put on headphones and pulled the covers over his shoulders. He looked into a colored light directly overhead and listened to sounds as the bed gently began to move.
The 15-year-old Tottenville resident has pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified, which is along the autism spectrum. Through the years, his family has tried different treatments -- some which helped, other that didn't -- to aid his learning disabilities, limited language, eye contact and concentration.
Last summer, Gina Giordano decided to enroll her son in the Sensory Learning Program after Sensory Solutions opened in Grasmere. The alternative treatment integrates the vestibular (balance), visual (sight) and auditory (hearing) sensory systems to help those along the autism spectrum and others with sensory challenges function in everyday tasks.