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Sesame Street Autism

Sesame Street Autism

Sesame Street celebrates April Autism Acceptance Month with new resources on belonging and artistic expression.

Data & Statistics on Autism Spectrum Disorder, Center for Disease Control

Prevalence

  • About 1 in 36 children has been identified with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) according to estimates from CDC’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network. [Read article]
  • ASD is reported to occur in all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups. [Read article]
  • ASD is nearly 4 times more common among boys than among girls. [Read article]
  • About 1 in 6 (17%) children aged 3–17 years were diagnosed with a developmental disability, as reported by parents, during a study period of 2009-2017. These included autism, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, blindness, and cerebral palsy, among others. [Read summary]

Down Syndrome: Guide for Inclusive Education (PDF)

Down Syndrome: Guidelines for Inclusive Education is the first document of its kind in the United States. The document addresses the education settings that support students with Down syndrome, covering the period from early intervention and primary education through secondary and through higher education, with the primary focus being K-12 students.

These guidelines draw on recommendations developed by an expert working group of a United Kingdom All Party Parliamentary Group on Down Syndrome (APPGDS), first published by the APPG in 2012.1 The report is available at: https://go.dselink.net/appg-education-report.

The National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) and Down Syndrome Education International (DSEI) assembled a working group to adapt the APPGDS recommendations for the U.S. early intervention, preschool and school systems. The Guidelines Working Group includes several members of the NDSS Inclusive Education Task Force, a group of volunteers with a range of expertise and experience, dedicated to improving the lives of individuals with Down syndrome through the promotion of inclusive education.

Screening and Assessment

Over the past decade, many pediatricians have begun screening for autism during well-child checkups. As a result, many young children exhibiting early signs of autism are receiving referrals for appropriate assessment. Those children who eventually receive an autism diagnosis are often prescribed speech and behavior therapy, medical guidance, and other supports that can improve their quality of life and their prognosis. Research has shown that intervening as early as possible is associated with more positive outcomes than treatment later in life or not at all.

This web page explains what screening is, why it is important, common screening tools and ongoing assessment to determine the most effective treatment.

Evidence-based Practices on Autism

This set of resources provides links to evidence-based practices on autism as of 2020. It includes training modules, standards, a review of therapies and for early care and education providers, “Simple Concepts to Embed in Everyday Routines.”

SCARED Acronym: Autism Acceptance in Healthcare – How to help during a meltdown

It is not unusual for children with autism to become fearful and “meltdown” in the Emergency Department (ED) or in other places where they may be overstimulated and stressed. Here is one infographic that uses the acronym SCARED to help inform providers to remember some ways to support children with autism in everyday and disaster emergencies from pediatric ED (Emergency Department) colleagues Don’t Forget The Bubbles (DFTB) from the United Kingdom. 

SCARED Acronym:

  • Safe: Gently lead to a place of safety or lead other people away…
  • Calm: Short calming sentences… 
  • Affirmations: Use kind and positive words…
  • Routine: Facilitate stimming and access to routine activities to calm
  • Empathy: Be patient and respect the need for space
  • Develop a Plan: When it is over develop a plan for the next time

Visit the @DFTB Team’s Twitter feed for a large version of the SCARED Acronym Infographic

Autism Acceptance: Great Minds Don’t Think Alike

Autism Acceptance Month – a shift from the prior messaging of April as Autism Awareness Month reflects the importance of making space for all kinds of minds, including those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This article

  • We need neurodiverse thinkers in our world.
  • There are three defined types of specialist thinking related to ASD: visual thinkers, pattern thinkers, and verbal thinkers.
  • Each type has many strengths and adaptable qualities.

Sing and Sign Excerpt (PDF)

Teaching hearing children to sign is an extension of the types of nonverbal communication they already use to get your attention: facial expression, gesturing, making noise, crawling, toddling toward an object of desire, and more.

What Anne has done with Sing & Sign is nothing short of brilliant. She has joined current research with the wisdom of the ages. The book you are holding combines music, teaching signs, and play to create fun activities that unite adults and children. There could not be a more powerful combination to foster infant learning. Current research tells us that infants have surprising, adult-like capabilities in the way they perceive and attend to musical stimuli. Human beings of any age are rhythmic, social beings with an innate need to communicate and connect. Sing & Sign takes what nature dictates and creates activities that foster the developmental needs of children from 6 months to 5 years old. By pairing music with sign teaching, Anne provides a way to build in repetition and a meaningful context for learning a sign language vocabulary. Becky Bailey, Ph.D.

Sesame Street American Sign Language Series (Video)

“Get ready! Get Set! It’s time to sing your favorite Sesame Street songs, now translated in ASL! ASL means American Sign Language. ASL translation and consultation by The National Theater of the Deaf.”

The Silent Child Interview (Video)

Rachel Shenton, Maisie Sly and Gilson Sly talk all things The Silent Child on Good Morning Britain. Meet the actors in The Silent Child including the writer and actress and the profoundly deaf child actress and her father.