Posts Tagged ‘www.coachmike.net’

Helping Kids (Autistic or Typical) Regulate Emotions

December 21, 2009

Here are some strategies that are good to teach children to handle their emotions.  These can work for kids with autism, who have a hard time regulating emotions, as well as for neurotypical children.

1.  Validate their feelings.  Don’t diminish what they say by saying they should not be upset.  Tell them you understand they are upset and that it’s normal to be upset.  Identify with them by saying that everybody feels badly sometimes – even adults.

2.  Give them strategies to self-regulate their emotions.  Examples include having them:

  • Take deep breaths.  Have them breathe into their hands or use a windmill or a leaf.
  • Count to 10 or 20.
  • Talk about it with a parent, teacher, or peer.
  • Exercise

3.  Use a video camera to tape them complaining about doing an activity and also tape them acting appropriately.  Show them both versions so they can understand how others perceive them (theory of mind).

By the way, if anyone has any other ideas, feel free to contact me (contact information is at http://www.coachmike.net).

Resume of Mike Frandsen

December 19, 2009

Mike Frandsen 

SUMMARY:     

▪       Policy and Technical Writing/Behavioral Health Specialist with more than 20 years of experience in strategic writing, analysis/research, technical editing, and developing/implementing various projects.

▪       Highly motivated and organized with exceptional written and oral communication skills, including translating technical information into plain language.

▪       Thrives in fast-paced, deadline-driven environment, and teams well with diverse groups to achieve quality results on schedule.

▪       Extensive experience in public health working with and volunteering for people who have developmental, intellectual, physical, and psychiatric disabilities.

EXPERIENCE:     

Independent Service Provider, Bethesda, MD, 12/06 – Present.  Provide one-to-one services for children with autism spectrum disorders using elements of both Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) and the Developmental Individual-Difference Relationship-Based (DIR) Model. Services include academic tutoring, coaching on social skills and understanding emotions, facilitating participation in sports and other recreational activities, teaching life skills, and supervising play dates.  Collected data on the progress of children meeting xs and milestones and wrote status updates and progress reports for parents that included recommendations.  Visit www.coachmike.net for more information.

National Autism Examiner, Examiner.com, Washington, DC 4/10 – Present.  Wrote autism articles for www.examiner.com.  See http://www.examiner.com/dc-in-national/mike-frandsen. Articles appeared in the Fall 2010 and Summer 2011 issues of Autism Spectrum Quarterly Magazine at http://www.asquarterly.com/.  Also contributed articles to Mackay (Australia) Autism Support Group Newsletter and Chesapeake Family Magazine.

DC Sports Examiner, Examiner.com, Washington, DC 2/10 – Present.  Wrote local sports articles for www.examiner.com.  See http://www.examiner.com/sports-in-washington-dc/mike-frandsen. Interviewed on AM 640 in Toronto February 2011 about article written about Dan Snyder.

Sportswriter, Bleacher Report, 7/11 – Present. Wrote local sports articles for www.bleacherreport.com. See http://bleacherreport.com/users/583899-mike-frandsen.

Employment Advocate, 12/03 – Present.  Advocated for people with disabilities to gain employment with federal government through the special hiring authority known as the Schedule A program.  Investigated, wrote, and published special report describing the government’s lack of usage of this program at http://www.coachmike.net/special_report.php.

Employment Coach, Ivymount School, Rockville, MD, 1/07 – 6/07.  Monitored and supervised post high-school special education students age 18-21 at job sites in community based program.  Implemented career/employment related Individual Education Plan (IEP) and Transition goals as specified in student’s IEP.  Worked as Assistant Teacher while in class.

Independent Visitation Supervisor, Potomac, MD, 11/06 – 4/07Supervised non-custodial parent of four children at her residence during weekend visits.  Work for children’s best interests, providing activities and ensuring children are free from unnecessary stress.

Intensive Individual Support Services Therapist, Children Achieving Maximum Potential, Inc., Silver Spring, MD, 1/05 – Present.  Provided one-on-one support to autistic child, using elements of both ABA and the DIR Model.  Supported social, emotional, creative, and intellectual development of child.  This included helping child reduce inappropriate behavior, teaching child to communicate in an appropriate manner, and assisting the child in fostering greater independence and socially responsible behavior. Worked with child to understand emotions and improve social skills. Coached child in first activities with non-autistic children:  soccer practices and games in a regular league, providing one-on-one coaching.  Also supervised play dates with autistic boy and typically developing children.

Independent Contractor, Seeking Equality, Empowerment, and Community (SEEC), Silver Spring, MD, 2008, 2010; Target Educational Services, 2007-2009.  Worked with adults with autism to involve them in social activities in community and provide educational services.

Sensory-Motor Specialist, the Shire School, Falls Church, VA, 2009.  Develop and implement sensory-motor program for private school for students with autism.

Substitute Teacher, Ivymount School, Rockville, MD, 2/06 – 12/07.  Provided special education instruction and assistance for students with developmental delays, learning disabilities, communication disorders, autism, and/or multiple disabilities.

Substitute Paraeducator, Stephen Knolls School, Wheaton, MD, 2/06 – 12/06.  Taught students who have severe and profound disabilities, and those with medically fragile conditions. 

Volunteer, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, 9/06-1/07.  Volunteered one day a week to write inaugural draft autism newsletter for Pediatrics & Developmental Neuropsychiatry Branch, NIMH.  Also edited documents.

Information Technology Policy Analyst, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, 12/01 – 1/07 (Federal employee, GS-13 Step 10); Technical Writer, CETECH (on site at NIH), 10/98 – 12/01.

  • Developed documents that supported enterprise-wide security initiatives and risk management strategies that enhanced the NIH IT security program, complied with federal regulations, and supported the NIH mission through a defense-in-depth posture.  Researched federal IT security regulations and technology trends and recommended security solutions to senior management to minimize risks.  Also worked on certification and accreditation (C&A) oversight for National Database on Autism Research.  Volunteered one day per week at NIMH, writing a draft newsletter on NIMH’s autism research program. Edited documents on clinical trials regarding autism.
  • Developed NIH-wide policies, procedures, and practices including NIH Remote Access Policy, NIH Remote Access Security Standards and Procedures, NIH Web Server Policy, NIH Vulnerability Scanning Policy, NIH Firewall Policy, and NIH Password Policy.  Developed flowcharts to describe procedures.  Developed NIH Network Interconnection Security Agreement for commercial and federal non-NIH organizations connected to NIHnet.  Two HHS Operating Divisions, four commercial organizations, and one non-HHS federal agency agreed to signed this ISA, and three additional organizations terminated their network connections to NIHnet as a result of the ISA, eliminating unnecessary, government-maintained connections and saving costs to NIH.
  • Collected, developed, and prepared documentation for HHS Office of Inspector General Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) audits of NIH IT Security Program.  Developed answers to OMB FISMA questions for NIH and responded to HHS OIG findings.  Supported NIH implementation of HHS Security Program Team initiatives, developed NIH responses to HHS data calls, and provided NIH comments to department-wide documents such as the HHS IT Strategic Plan.  Collected and reported quarterly data to HHS for Reliability of NIH Critical Infrastructure Services.  Developed documents relating to requirements of Presidential Decision Directive 63, Critical Infrastructure Protection.  Developed Draft HHS Managed Security Services Statement of Work.
  • Assisted in development of NIH IT Security Consolidation Plan and NIH Enterprise Master IT Security Plan.  Revised Security Plan deliverables for NIH Network and Clinical Center projects.  Developed initial NIH Incident Response Team Plan and incident handling procedures.  Analyzed and distributed intrusion detection alerts and wrote security advisories.  Prepared security presentations and briefings for use by NIH CIO, Deputy CIO, and Chief Information Security Officer.  Developed awareness documents for NIH IT security web site including FAQs and CIT Security Handbook.  Provided guidance and oversight to Institute and Center (IC) security personnel regarding contractor proposals, interconnection agreements, and C&A of systems.
  • Performed human resources duties including writing position descriptions, identifying Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs) and developing job questions for new positions and promotions.

Part-Time Writer, Mizell and Co., International Security, Bethesda, MD, 2002 – 2003.  Wrote summaries of open source operational and political incidents involving terrorism, crime, espionage, and safety obtained from the media and other unclassified sources.

Project Planner, Amdex Corporation at U.S. Customs, Springfield, VA, 2/98 – 8/98.  Developed Automated Export System (AES) Project Plan in compliance with Customs Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC).

  • Planned and tracked progress of AES projects through meetings and MS Project representation.  Compared estimated progress to actual progress; implemented corrective actions.
  • Prepared development team for GAO audit for Capability Maturity Model Level 2 compliance by ensuring processes were appropriately documented.
  • Collected and analyzed performance measures.
  • Revised Customs SDLC project task list and weekly status report template.  Translated technical information into high level, bottom-line reports for management. 
  • Wrote success­ful budget narrative, after which Customs’ Investment Review Board fully funded AES project.  Wrote AES Briefing Book, AES User Guide, and wrote proposals.   

Budget and Personnel Coordinator, School of Communication, American University, Washington, DC, 9/96 – 2/98.  Monitored and assisted in preparing budgets and expenditures for SOC; procured items accordingly and reviewed ledgers for accuracy. Oversaw preparation of personnel documents, purchase requisitions, disbursement requests, travel forms and other documents.  Served as liaison with the Controller’s Office, Human Resources, Payroll, Purchasing, Physical Plant, Public Safety, Support Services, Telecommunications and other university departments; resolved problems with those units as well as with outside vendors and suppliers.  Supervised staff of four.

Reporter/Producer, Metro Traffic Control, Bethesda, MD, 1993-95.  As mobile reporter, provided traffic updates from van for stations and other traffic reporters.  As studio anchor, broadcast midday reports for WMAL and WRC, as well as rush hour reports for network stations. As producer, disseminated information to anchors and airborne reporters.  Trained new reporters.

Producer, Sportsradio WTEM, Rockville, MD, 1992-93.  Called in live and did reports from Bullets and Caps games.  Did overnight sportscasts.  Edited tape for sportscasts.  Operated board for live shows.

Producer, Mutual Radio, Arlington, VA, 1990-92.  Edited tape for NBC and Mutual sportscasts.  Produced live Olympic reports from studio.  Called in live from Redskins, Bullets, and Caps games. Reports aired nationally.  Read scores and stories into Scores Plus, a national 900 sports phone service. Wrote sportscasts. Instructed stringers on content of reports. Trained tape editors.

Deejay, various stations, 1990-92.  WMJR 107.7-FM, Manassas, VA; WARK 106.9 FM, Hagerstown, MD; WNAV-1430 AM, Annapolis, MD; WMET 1150-AM, Gaithersburg, MD.  Also wrote and read news/sports.

Sports Editor, The Transcript, Delaware, Ohio, 1987-88. Wrote, edited, assigned articles and news articles.

EDUCATION:     

MS, Education, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 2011. GPA: 3.8.

Graduate Certificate, Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorders, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 2008.  GPA:  3.5.

MBA, Management of Global Information Technology, American University, Washington, DC, 1999.  GPA:  3.4

BA, Journalism, Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware, Ohio, 1990.

Completed Special Education graduate course at George Washington University: Family Guidance in Special Education, 12/06.

Participated in Interdisciplinary Council on Developmental and Learning Disorders annual conferences, 2007-2010.

Attending Georgetown Mini-Medical School, fall 2011.

Test scores:  GMAT:  640

GRE Math:  740

Praxis I:  Reading:  184 out of 190, Writing:  184 out of 190, Math:  188 out of 190.  (The      Praxis is one of several requirements for teacher certification).

Certifications:  5 IT Security certifications.

ACTIVITIES / OTHER EXPERIENCE:

Served on Coaches Committee for Kids Enjoy Exercise Now (KEEN): www.keenusa.org, volunteer organization for children and young adults with severe and profound mental and physical disabilities, 1999-2006.  Named KEEN 2003 Volunteer of the Year.                         

Mentioned and pictured in articles on KEEN in Bethesda Gazette and Montgomery Journal.

Volunteered with Special Olympics/TOP Soccer, Montgomery Soccer as a coach for disabled teenagers, 2006-2007.  Named Top Soccer Volunteer of the Year for 2007.

Experience volunteering for children and young adults with disabilities including but not limited to:

  • Agenesis of the Corpus Callosum*
  • Anxiety Disorder
  • Asperger’s Syndrome
  • Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
  • Autism/Autism Spectrum Disorders*
  • Cerebral Palsy
  • Echolalia
  • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
  • Rett Syndrome
  • Sensory Integration Disorder
  • Trisomy-21 (Down Syndrome)
  • Tuberous Sclerosis

*Home visits.  See http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1192775,00.html for a profile of an autistic adult who I volunteered with weekly for two years.

Attended multiple meetings of The Lonesome Doves (http://www.lonesomedoves.org), a community of autistic people in the Mid-Atlantic States who communicate through Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC) systems.

Experience with facilitated communication techniques.  Knowledge of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder and experience helping people with those illnesses.

Member, Interdisciplinary Council on Developmental and Learning Disorders.

Alumni Director, Sigma Phi Epsilon, 1988-1989.  Won Excelsior award for most improved Sig Ep alumni newsletter in the nation.  Ohio Wesleyan University tennis team, 1987-1990.

INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL:           

Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, England, Finland, France, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Scotland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland.

WEBSITES:  Designed layout and wrote all text for the following websites:  www.coachmike.net, www.mikeneedsakidney.com, www.mikefrandsen.org, www.myredskinsblog.com, and www.mikefrandsen.net. Wrote articles at http://www.examiner.com/dc-in-national/mike-frandsenhttp://www.examiner.com/sports-in-washington-dc/mike-frandsen, and http://bleacherreport.com/users/583899-mike-frandsen.

REFERENCES:      Available on request.

Autism: What Works and Why

November 1, 2009

I was pleased to see that the theme for the upcoming annual Interdisciplinary Council on Learning Disorders (ICDL) Conference is “Autism:  What Works and Why.”  I’ve been to too many government meetings on autism that focus on the size of the amygdala or genetic components rather than treatments, therapies, and services for children and adults with autism.  The ICDL does an excellent job of working to help improve the lives of children with autism.  I’ll be attending the three-day conference from November 6-8 for the third straight year.

Dr. Stanley Greenspan is the author of the book “Engaging Autism” and the founder of the Developmental, Individual Differences, Relationship-based (DIR) model of autism therapy.

The DIR model aims to improve social, emotional, and intellectual abilities in a way that is meaningful for the child rather than focusing on isolated skills and behaviors.  I wrote about the DIR model three years ago on my website, www.coachmike.net:

The DIR method focuses on the emotional development of the child. It takes into account the child’s feelings, relationships, and individual differences. DIR is based on following the child’s lead and enables the child to learn by doing what he or she likes to do in a fun and meaningful way that resonates most with the child. DIR focuses on the child’s skills in all developmental areas, including social-emotional functioning, communication, thinking and learning, motor skills, body awareness and attention. The DIR method can also help a child generalize skills initially learned through drills.

There are imitators who switch the DIR letters around, but DIR is the original.  I picked up Greenspan’s “Engaging Autism” again recently and looked at a few of the parts I underlined.  Here are a few of them that are certainly worth repeating:

  • We now understand that the lines of early development are interrelated.  Rather than assessing language skills, motor skills, and social-emotional skills separately, we should look at how well these abilities are integrated, how they work together as a whole.
  • Emotion always comes before behavior.  The child needs to enjoy relationships with parents, peers, and teachers in order to learn. Emotion is critical to brain development.
  • We always recommend that kids have at least four playdates a week, so that their main source of companionship begins shifting from parents to peers…Mommy is still important for security, warmth, and problem solving, but not for going out and riding bikes together.
  • We have never worked with a child or adult who didn’t have a desire to relate to others.

Other than the courses I took at Johns Hopkins University in its Graduate Certificate program in Autism and other Pervasive Developmental Disorders, the ICDL training is just about the best that I’ve experienced.

My Favorite Websites

October 5, 2009

My favorite websites:

www.coachmike.net

www.mikeneedsakidney.com

www.mikefrandsen.org

www.myredskinsblog.com

www.mikefrandsen.net

www.soccerideas.net

http://www.amazon.com/shops/mikeneedsakidneydotcom

www.espn.com

www.fantasyguru.com

www.onion.com

www.matchingdonors.com

www.wikipedia.org

www.amazon.com

Domain Names for Sale

www.networkscans.com

www.excellentprivacy.com

www.outstandingprivacy.com

www.incidentresponseteam.com

www.unixaudits.com

mikeneedsakidney.com

October 5, 2009

By Mike Frandsen

Here is a draft for a video I’m planning to do later this month.

My name’s Mike.  I’m looking for a donor for a kidney transplant that I’ll need at some point, most likely in 2010.  I have polycystic kidney disease.  If you go to mikeneedsakidney.com you can project approximately when I’ll need it.

I plan to have the transplant in Washington or Baltimore.  All the medical expenses of the donor will be covered by my insurance.

I still work on a limited basis – I have no problem working for three hours at a time – but after that I get tired easily, and my symptoms are getting worse.  For the past 5 years, I have been teaching academics to kids who have autism, and I first started teaching sports to them more than 10 years ago.  See coachmike.net.

I’ve been on the waiting list for a year but the average wait is 5 years.  Outcomes are better with living donors anyway.  The alternative would be dialysis but there’s a slight chance of death on dialysis during the first year, and on average it gets worse during each subsequent year.  Meanwhile a transplant would hopefully last the rest of my life.

The chance of success for a transplant is expected to be very high.  I would be as good as new and just have to take medication.  I plan to get married and have kids someday, and have grandkids as well.  Alonzo Mourning and Sean Elliott played in the NBA after having kidney transplants.

So a kidney donation could ultimately be the difference between dialysis, which could potentially lead to death, and having a long, normal, healthy life.

Everybody has two kidneys but only needs one.  The donor might have a good deal of pain afterwards but it should go away within a week and you should be able to get back to work within two weeks.

You can Google information about the transplant process and probably learn a lot within 10 minutes.

You should be blood type O, although if you are not, there is still the possibility of a paired donation.

I know this is a lot to ask but it would be an amazing gift.

Thanks a lot.

—-

So that’s my draft script for the video.   A couple of other points – people are always asking me when I’ll need the transplant.  As it says on my site, I’ll probably need it when the function dips to about eight percent.  As for when that will be, you can take a look at the graphs.  The line isn’t likely to change much from what it has been in the past.  Past performance isn’t necessarily an indicator of future results in the stock market, but in kidney disease, it usually is.  However, I still hope to wait as long as possible before having a transplant.  Maybe I’ll get lucky and things will stabilize for a while.

Click here for a graph that shows my kidney function over the last several years. Just below it is a graph showing 2008-2009.  It is remarkable how resilient the kidneys are, but at some point the toxins become too much for the body to handle.

One thing I don’t understand is that people think that the deterioration of the kidneys should always happen at the exact same rate, so they are surprised at any changes in the slopes of the graphs.  There are fluctuations in the graphs that show a few small peaks and valleys but the general trend remains the same.   Anyway, if you can read this blog you should be able to read and interpret the graphs.

Nothing has changed – the rate of decrease is about the same as it has been for the past several years.

I’m open to suggestions about the wording above or the process in general if anyone wants to give me any.

I know it seems awfully serious, but I’ve tried to lighten the mood a little bit with the first kidney video:  Mike Needs a Kidney.

On a lighter note, the Redskins won yesterday (though it was an ugly game), my fantasy team lost, and the Broncos beat the Cowboys on a great play near the end of the game, so two out of three’s not bad.  Sundays are the best.

Greenspan’s DIR Model for Autism: Part 1

September 20, 2009

For therapists and families to be effective in working with kids with autism, they should be able to do any methodology.

There is an alphabet soup of different methods to teach kids with autism – Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA); the Developmental, Individual Differences, Relationship-Based (DIR) Model; Relationship Development Intervention (RDI); Treatment and Education of Autistic and Communication – Handicapped Children (TEACCH), and others.

Regardless of which methodologies are used, programs need to have goals and targets and teach in such a way so that kids can generalize skills to apply what they have learned to a natural environment.  Teaching methods should also integrate academics and cognitive skills; emotional awareness and social skills; exercise, sports, and motor skills; along with spontaneous, imaginative, and creative play.  Skills should be taught in a meaningful way rather than a robotic, rote way.

Children need to develop a relationship with caregivers in order to learn.  The revolving door philosophy of bringing people in and out so that a child has had 100 caregivers by the time he is 10 does not work.  Stanley Greenspan says, “Emotion always come before behavior.  The child needs to enjoy relationships with parents, peers, and teachers in order to learn.”  Emotion is critical to brain development.  It’s more than “cute” when a child is engaged with a caregiver.  The child learns better.

I have been an advocate of Greenspan’s DIR method for the past few years.   The Interdisciplinary Council on Learning Disorders (www.icdl.com) says this about DIR.

DIR is a comprehensive, interdisciplinary approach that focuses on the emotional development of the child. It takes into account the child’s feelings, relationships with caregivers, developmental level and individual differences in a child’s ability to process and respond to sensory information.  It focuses on the child’s skills in all developmental areas, including social-emotional functioning, communication, thinking and learning, motor skills, body awareness, and attention.

The goal of treatment is to help the child master the healthy emotional milestones that were missed in his early development and that are critical to learning.  Building these foundations helps children overcome their symptoms more effectively than simply trying to change the symptoms alone.

Then it says this about Floortime:

Floortime, a vital element of the DIR/Floortime model, is a treatment method as well as a philosophy for interacting with children (and adults as well). Floortime involves meeting a child at his current developmental level, and building upon his particular set of strengths.  Floortime harnesses the power of a child’s motivation; following his lead, wooing him with warm but persistent attempts to engage his attention and tuning in to his interests and desires in interactions. Through Floortime, parents, child care providers, teachers and therapists help children climb the developmental ladder.  By entering into a child’s world, we can help him or her learn to relate in meaningful, spontaneous, flexible and warm ways.

Floortime is a component of DIR but not the same.  In Floortime, you follow the lead of the child.  In DIR, once kids move past the initial stages of the developmental ladder, you create programs that revolve around the child’s interests, in which he is emotionally engaged, with meaningful two-way interaction, customized toward his individual differences.  The kids don’t tell you what to do; you just do things that are meaningful to them.  Again, Floortime is only a subset of DIR.  In the lower developmental levels of DIR (Floortime), you follow the child’s lead (but even then that means you follow and join what the child is interested in – the child doesn’t tell you what to do), and in the higher levels there are more structured, therapist or parent-led programs.

Two and a half years ago, I wrote on my website at http://www.coachmike.net/autism-faq.php (see #4) a little about DIR and Floortime, as well as a summary of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA).

I combine elements of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) as well as the Developmental, Individual-Difference, Relationship (DIR) based method. I believe a combination of ABA and DIR methods is optimal because ABA provides step-by-step instruction while DIR focuses on relationships, emotions and interests. Children need both structure and meaning when they learn.

ABA is used to teach academic, communication, problem solving, behavioral, social, play, and other skills by breaking tasks down into small steps and practicing drills. ABA also uses positive reinforcement and just as much prompting as is necessary. Inappropriate behaviors may be phased out by redirecting to target activities rather than drawing more attention to those behaviors. Antecedents, behaviors, and consequences are tracked to try to determine the reasons behind behaviors and implement appropriate interventions. However, some behaviors may be accommodations children need to manage their body or sensory difficulties. Therefore, I focus on building skills more so than reducing behaviors.

The DIR method focuses on the emotional development of the child. It takes into account the child’s feelings, relationships and individual differences. DIR involves following the child’s lead and enables the child to learn by doing what he or she likes to do in a fun and meaningful way. According to ICDL.org, “DIR focuses on the child’s skills in all developmental areas, including social-emotional functioning, communication, thinking and learning, motor skills, body awareness and attention.” The DIR method can also help a child generalize skills initially learned through drills.

Part of the DIR model includes Floortime, which is based on working with a child at his or her current developmental level, and building upon strengths and interests in a way that is meaningful to the child, rather than just focusing on surface behaviors and drills that don’t always generalize into life skills. Floortime can be especially effective during periods when a child needs more play and less work.

5.     Which is better – ABA or the DIR model?

In my opinion, this question is kind of like asking, “Which is better in football – running the ball or passing the ball?” or “Which is better in basketball – a zone defense or man to man?” They’re both necessary in different situations, and a balance of both may be most effective. For example, you can do repetitive drills broken down into small steps based on the child’s individual differences, interests and relationships, making sure to incorporate social skills and emotions.

In doing so, children can learn valuable skills such as sequencing the steps needed to complete a task. Children with autism benefit from structure, but they will be more engaged if the drill involves something in which they are emotionally invested. The DIR model is harder to quantify than ABA, but DIR is built on relationships, spontaneity and interaction. Children are not robots, and drills can’t be done in a vacuum.

For example, you can teach a child who is obsessed with a particular toy communication and problem solving skills in the following way: Hide the toy in one of your hands and get the child to reach for it and choose which hand it is in. Then you can do the same thing by holding the toy behind your back, or placing it near your face to establish eye contact. Subsequent steps may include getting the child to make sounds or use speech if possible to request the toy. The toy is used as a reward. This example is based on one in Engaging Autism by Dr. Stanley Greenspan.

For the rest of the FAQs on my website, see www.coachmike.net.

Lately, it seems that RDI has taken off as the method of choice.  I can’t really see how RDI is much different than DIR, except maybe that the order of the letters sounds a little bit more catchy.  If anything, RDI seems like an implementation of DIR.  However, this summary from Chicago Floortime Families points out some differences as well as many similarities.

According to about.com (I went there because the RDI website at http://www.rdiconnect.com/ doesn’t do a good job of describing RDI), children can develop the following through RDI:

  • Dramatic improvement in meaningful communication,
  • Desire and skills to share their experiences with others,
  • Genuine curiosity and enthusiasm for other people,
  • Ability to adapt easily and “go with the flow,”
  • Amazing increase in the initiation of joint attention,
  • Powerful improvement in perspective taking and theory of mind,
  • Dramatically increased desire to seek out and interact with peers.

This looks a lot like DIR to me.  In any case, whether it’s DIR, RDI, or you want to create a new acronym such as IRD or IDR, the goals of each system are the same.

Websites for Non-Profits

June 17, 2009

Websites For Non-Profits is a company that did a great job for me in improving search engine optimization for my websites, www.mikeneedsakidney.com and www.coachmike.net.  Their website is http://websitesfornonprofits.org/.  They asked all the right questions and then made behind the scenes changes to increase how searchable my sites are.  They specialize in doing websites, website makeovers, marketing assistance, and SEO for non-profits.  

Coachmike.net and Autism

May 22, 2009

This table shows what types of therapies I do for children with autism compared with some other providers.  I currently have spots available for toddlers and kindergarteners for playdates and other activities during the day.  See www.coachmike.net for more information.

  Area of Instruction or Therapeutic Intervention
  Cognitive Skills and Academics using ABA, VBA, or other techniques Playdate Facilitation Understanding and Handling Emotions Sports, Exercise, Motor Skills, Coordination Trips in the Community
Coach Mike Yes – Great Results Yes Yes Yes Yes
Most Autism Therapy Programs Yes – Good results No No No No

ABA = Applied Behavior Analysis.  VBA = Verbal Behavior Analysis

Mike Frandsen

TONY KORNHEISER FIRED AND REPLACED WITH JOHN GRUDEN AS MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL ANALYST

May 17, 2009

(I was the first to publish this news, about 12 hours before ESPN formally made the announcement).

By Mike Frandsen

Monday Night Football color commentator Tony Kornheiser was fired yesterday and will be replaced by former Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach John Gruden for the upcoming 2009 season, an unnamed source told http://www.coachmike.net shortly after midnight this morning. Gruden joins Mike Tirico and Ron Jaworski on ESPN’s team.

Kornheiser will reportedly receive a severance package of one million dollars.  Kornheiser, a former sportswriter for the Washington Post, co-hosts “Pardon the Interruption,” a popular nightly sports show on ESPN with Michael Wilbon.

John A. Walsh, Senior VP and Executive Editor of ESPN, reportedly agonized over letting his good friend go.

In my opinion, it’s a good move. While Kornheiser used humor and targeted the casual fan, the switch to Gruden should please most football fans because of his candor and knowledge of the game. Kornheiser too often stated the obvious, and talked to listeners as if they were in kindergarten.

After the 2006 season, color commentator Joe Theismann was replaced in the Monday Night booth by Ron Jaworski.  Rumors circulated that Kornheiser preferred Jaworski.  While Jaworski does an excellent job, Theismann was even better, and here’s hoping that ESPN considers bringing Theismann back to the booth.

Please see my websites: http://www.coachmike.net, http://www.myredskinsblog.com, and www.mikeneedsakidney.com.

Books on Emotions for Children with Autism

April 25, 2009

Children with autism are often very poor at identifying, understanding, and regulating emotions.  They are usually especially deficient in empathizing, or understanding that other people have emotions.  It’s an area that doesn’t get enough attention.  I’ve been meaning to post some of these on my website, www.coachmike.net, but for now I’ll list them here in this blog along with my ratings.  I’ve listed the levels as beginner, intermediate, and advanced just for simplicity.  For kids who can’t read you can still read the books to them and break them down into simple terms.  These books are great for neurotypical kids as well, of course. 

These books on emotions are different than ones on social stories or social skills.  There are a lot of great books on learning to share, having good manners, and being safe and careful.  Those are all necessary and great but books on emotions take it a step further.  “When Sophie Gets Angry, Really, Really Angry,” by Molly Bang is a great example that shows a girl getting mad and then getting over it.  Another great book is “Proud of Our Feelings” by Lindsay Leghorn, which shows each child with a different feeling and asks the reader, “When do you feel _____?” 

For teaching children about emotions, when in doubt, I advocate the philosophy of John Gottman in “Raising the Emotionally Intelligent Child.”  The main idea of the book is that it’s best to validate a child’s emotions by telling him or her, “It’s ok to be upset.  I know you’re upset.  Everybody gets upset sometimes,” then offer a strategy, rather than to just say, “Don’t be upset.”  

Title

Author

Description

Level

How are You Peeling?

Saxton Freymann and Joost Elffers

Fruits and vegetables are made to look like facial
expressions

Beginner

The Feelings Book

Todd Parr

Colorful, simple concepts on emotions.

Beginner

When Sophie Gets Angry, Really Really Angry

Molly Bang

Sophie gets angry, then cools down.

Beginner

If You’re Angry and You Know It

Cecily Kaiser

Strategies for what do do when you get angry

Intermediate

On Monday When It Rained

Cherryl Kachenmeister

A boy experiences emotions, the reader guesses which ones.

Intermediate

When Lizzie was Afraid of Trying New Things

Inger Maier

Lizzie is afraid, tries things, then gains confidence

Intermediate

Proud of Our Feelings

Lindsay Leghorn

Each child has a different feeling

Intermediate

Having a Conversation/Feeling Happy, etc.

sandboxlearning.

com

Customized books for kids with autism

Intermediate

When I’m Feeling Scared

Trace Moroney

A rabbit feels scared in different situations

Intermediate

When I’m Feeling Sad

Trace Moroney

A rabbit feels sad in different situations

Intermediate

I’m So Mad!

Robie H. Harris

Girl goes shopping with Mommy, is mad, then happy.

Intermediate

Sometimes Bad Things Happen

Ellen Jackson

Bad things happen, you can do things to feel better

Intermediate

Timothy Tugbottom Says No!

Anne Tyler

He says no, then tries things and likes them

Intermediate

The Boy Who Didn’t Want to Be Sad

Rob Goldblatt

A boy realizes the same things that make him sad also make
him happy.

Intermediate

When I Feel Angry

Cornelia Maude Spelman

Rabbit feels angry and uses strategies to cope

Intermediate

When I Feel Scared

Cornelia Maude Spelman

Bear feels scared and uses strategies

Intermediate

When My Worries Get too Big

Kari Dunn Buron

Strategies for anxiety

Intermediate

What to Do When You Worry Too Much

Dawn Huebner

In-depth explanation of worrying and what to do about it

Advanced

Andy and His Yellow Frisbee

Mary Thompson

A girl has a brother with autism

Advanced

The Bear Who Lost His Sleep

Jessica Lamb-Shapiro

Story about worrying too much

Advanced

The Penguin Who Lost Her Cool

Marla Sobel

Story about controlling anger

Advanced

Stop Picking on Me

Pat Thomas

Explanation of bullying

Advanced

I’m Scared

Elizabeth Crary

Several situations about being afraid and what to do

Advanced

I’m Frustrated

Elizabeth Crary

Several situations about being frustrated and what to do

Advanced

 



Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.