How to teach children with autism to speak.

(Some children with autism will not need this method but it can be useful for those who are seriously speech delayed). It is my understanding that there is what is called an autism epidemic in the USA and around the world.  California it seems is especially afflicted in this way for some unknown reason, especially in a part of northern California named Granite Bay.  So there is probably more than one mother, aunty, grandmother, friend etc. out there who may benefit from what I am writing here.

I unfortunately seem to have scored an Australian record for this unhappy business.  I have put an article on my web site mentioning various comments made by people about autism in my family and also autism in general.

The article addresses the question about vaccines, in particular  the MMR vaccine particularly in regard to my oldest child (a daughter). The article gives my daughter’s full vaccination schedule and proves conclusively that she did not receive the MMR vaccine (Measles, Mumps and Rubella combined).

I mention this vaccine because there is a lot of fuss about the

connection between autism and this particular vaccine around the world and there are parents ready to sue governments in the USA and The UK because they maintain that they had normal children and then after the administration of the MMR vaccine their child, and in the case of a lady in Britain who has been with  4  or 5 different men supposedly 5 of her 6 children were “normal” and then became autistic due to the MMR vaccine.

Among her autistic children there were I think at least three different fathers.  So if autism has a genetic component as scientists in the field now  strongly suspect  it would not be too hard in her case to work out whether autism is coming from the mother’s side or the father’s side. (I point out here that autism has afflicted my family both in a sibling of mine who was born in 1965 and who is now deceased and in four of my  5 children), also my children all have the same dad.  If it’s genetic in the case of my children we have two generations of autism and unfortunately it all is on my side of the family.)

If you are interested the article on this is at:

http://www.homestead.com/missionbell/Autism.html

My oldest child was very autistic at the age of 3 and because of this she could not speak. To a mother this is nothing short of alarming. This is the approach which was taken to help her to learn to speak. My daughter received 2 hours of occupational therapy at the largest hospital in Australia (Westmead) which

fortunately was on the same road as our previous home. (Fortunate because I could walk there with my daughter in a stroller. I don’t drive a car).  She received this help for 18 consecutive weeks.

What did they do with her?  Well they played games with her, rolled her over enormous beach balls, got her to play with puzzles and blocks etc.

etc.  This was done by an occupational therapist.  The speech therapist was negative to say the least.  At the end of many weeks of occupational therapy she announced to me that she could not give my daughter any speech therapy. When I asked her why she said it was because my daughter did not have any speech.  This was true but my daughter could hear and has working vocal cords and a brain. The occupational therapist made a bit of a blunder. She gave my daughter a lot of wooden blocks to see what my child would create with them. My daughter put them in a straight row.  Triumphantly the therapist announced “There you are, see she is autistic!”.  I replied “Yes she is autistic but why did you say that?”  “Because all your daughter did was put them in a straight row.  She cannot do anything constructive and sensible with them”.

I told the lady that my daughter had made a train with the blocks. “How do you know” She demanded to know. Because she told me I answered.  My daughter only had a word here or there but I as her mother was practically the only person who could understand her occasional word. Even the dads have difficulty with this understanding because of the fact that they spend much less time with the child than the child’s mother. The Autism association of New South Wales used to come to my home around this time once a week and do their best to stimulate her brain with puzzles and games. They also accompanied her and stayed with her at the local pre-school.  She would not stay there by herself. She cried a lot and became sick if she had to go independently. She was very afraid that no one would come and get her.  I only know what was bugging her at that stage because she

has since told me.

I went to all the church and school fetes and brought up as many

children’s books as I could.  Mainly second hand copies of the Little Golden books series. These were very cheap. Then I obtained large blank page art books.  The pictures from the books were cut out and put one to a page.

I broke down the structure of the English language to it very essence for my daughter. Then I went through the books with her on many occasions and

described with great emphasis slowly each picture in terms like this.

“RABBIT COOKS DINNER”

“BEAR MOWS LAWN”  etc.

The format of my speech was very slow and deliberate”.  The grammar was simply Noun verb noun.  All the trimming were left out.  It would have been futile to Say something like.  The rabbit is mowing the overgrown grass with his brand new  lawnmower.  Doing that to an autistic who is struggling with language problems will probably lose their attention and confuse them. It would even have been worse to say these words in a normal speed and level of voice. The idea in this is not to teach English or English grammar but to give to a child with autism a chance to understand the very beginning of language in this case English.

If the child with autism has this mode of learning to talk will they continue to speak like a newcomer to the USA or Australia or even worse than the beginner in the English class? The answer is no.  Because they can pick up a fuller grasp of the language later on from their parents, and those around them and from T.V. radio etc.

Believe me my daughter’s speech is fairly complex now but she needed this very basic stuff for a long period of time to get her brain started on the ideas of speech. Autism muddles the communication section of the brain and if you overload it with normal flowing language the poor kid sometimes can’t cope and then won’t make any progress in language/speech/understanding.

Mary Ann Matulis

(Australia)

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Poems on autism by Thomas G. Andry

What is it like to have a Child?

What is it like to have a child?

Who has needs severe or mild

Preconceived dreams, hopes and plans

Have slipped through my fingers like grains of sand

What is it like, rare as it may be

To sometimes see someone looking just like me

Brief glimpses of a smiling face

But from a far, far, far away place

What is it like as days pass to years?

There are plenty moments that dry your tears

An appropriate comment from out of nowhere

Tells me that there’s a real person in there

What is it like to look thru my eyes?

Concerns about the future, not times gone by

What’s to be when I’m no longer here?

Who will protect him from the fears?

Of people who do not lend a hand

Or from things he just can’t understand

From places that he should not go

From things that he really should know

From dogs or cats or things that are wrong

From an institution where he doesn’t belong

Why do I doubt and have a care

When I know that God’s hand has always been there

He has selected me for this mission in life

To watch and guard this child living the strife

What is it like to have a child?

Who has needs severe or mild

How blessed I am and how really great

To see God’s “special work” and celebrate.

by Thomas G. Andry

He Danced!

The day was soon to come

The wedding of an elder son

An autistic child doesn’t travel well

And in my son’s case it’s a living hell

He tarnished my thought of wedding music

When I told him he was to be included

A dance of wills began as he tried to undo

The uncertainty that I was leading him to

“It makes my stomach hurt and I’m afraid.”

Are some of the things he repeatedly said.

On my knees was the only place to go

But he could not replace his thoughts of woe

He continued to complain, anguish and cry

“I’m not going, if I have to fly”

And every other reason came to his lips

As he hoped he would make me give up this trip

This dance continued without a pause

As he tried to understand the cause

But I was listening to a different song

For his safety, he had to come along

The day came and the music grew louder

Groom, bride, guests and flowers

Before I knew it, it was done

The groom and bride were finally one

Real music began and not just in my head

I realized my son had enjoyed where he was led

And not just the planes, clouds, mountains and farms

The next thing I knew, he had the bride in his arms

No longer to the music in my head

But this dance was to the prayers I had said

What’s so special about this dance?

For an autistic child it is a chance

In this place full of music, noise and chatter

Something happened that really mattered

He came out of his world of sameness and rote

And entered mine full of joy and hope

That smile on his face as the music was followed

In this room that has now become so hallowed.

What is so special about this dance?

Not just for a bride giving him a chance

But for my son,

He danced

He danced!

by  Thomas G. Andry

A Story of St. Joseph’s timely intercession

When my daughter was about three years old she was very autistic.  We sent her to the local preschool.  She was totally unable to cope and cried a great deal and would sometimes vomit because of the stress. The pre-schooling for my daughter was totally unworkable. (She was unable to communicate at this stage of her life, but has since told me that she was afraid that I would never come back to pick her up from the preschool).

The autistic association came up with the idea of sending her to one of their schools which was many miles away.  I was amazed that this was suggested in view of the fact that my daughter could not even cope with one hour at preschool so I turned to St. Joseph for his help and for seven Sundays in a row I prayed fourteen Glorias in honour of the seven Sorrows and the Seven Joys of St. Joseph.

On the first day that she was taken in the school taxi to the special school when they arrived at the school she hopped out of the car and waved goodbye to the lady from the autistic association who was helping out and from then on my daughter had no more difficulties separating from me in order to go to school.

Read my book:  Help from heaven (Answers to prayer), free on-line

Novena to St Philomena

(composed by St John Vianney) 

O great St Philomena, glorious virgin and martyr, Wonder-Worker of our age, I return most fervent thanks to God for the miraculous gifts bestowed on thee, and beseech thee to impart to me a share in the graces and blessings of which thou hast been the channel to so many souls.

Through the heroic fortitude with which thou didst confront the fury of tyrants and brave the frowns of the mighty rather than swerve from thy allegiance to the King of Heaven, obtain for me purity of body and soul, purity of thought and affection.

Through thy patience under multiplied sufferings, obtain for me a submissive acceptance of all the afflictions it may please God to send me, and as thou didst miraculously escape unhurt from the waters of the Tiber, into which thou wert cast by order of Thy persecutor, so may I  pass through the waters of tribulation without detriment to my soul.

In addition to these favours, obtain for me, O faithful spouse of Jesus, the particular intention I earnestly recommend to thee at this moment.

(state your petition)

O pure virgin and holy martyr, deign to cast a look of pity from Heaven on thy devoted servant, comfort me in affliction, assist me in danger, above all come to my aid in the hour of death.

Watch over the interests of the Church of God, pray for its exultation and prosperity, the extension of the Faith, for the clergy, for the perseverance of the just, the conversion of sinners, and the relief of souls in Purgatory, especially those dear to me.

O great Saint, whose triumph we celebrate on earth, intercede for me, that I may one day behold the crown of glory bestowed on thee in Heaven, and eternally bless Him Who so liberally rewards for all eternity the sufferings endured for His love during this short life. Amen.

Oh St Philomena, virgin and martyr, pray for us so that through your powerful intercession we may obtain that purity of spirit and heart that leads to the perfect love of God.  Amen.

Learn about the powerful intercession of The Holy Souls in Purgatory for their benefactors

Novena to St Philomena the Wonder Worker for the healing of autism:

http://missionbell.homestead.com/novenaforautisticchildren.html

Instant Art (Father Paul of Moll O.S.B.)

One of my daughters suffered from a learning disability (autism).  She was having great difficulty learning to speak.  I made up special speech books for her from cheap second hand children’s’ picture books that I brought in bulk from church and school fetes. I had exhausted my supply of the picture books on this project and wanted to make up some more speech books for my daughter. About that time I read a book about a Benedictine priest of Belgium who lived in the nineteenth century.  He was a wonderworker and a zealous promoter of the Saint Benedict Medal. One day I casually prayed to him in these words, “Father Paul of Moll, you are going to have to get me some more children’s picture books or give me some art ability.” After the prayer I went and got a large art sketch book.  There was a book in the house which was illustrated with some cartoons of animals doing human activities like cooking the dinner and mowing the lawn. The pictures in the book were small. I sat down and looked at the cartoon book and began to sketch into the art book.  I did not stop to look at the drawings that I was doing. When I finally checked my work, I was astounded to see that I had made pages of professionally drawn pictures, scaled up to large size to fit the pages. I have never had this art ability before or since. From my book: Help from heaven (Answers to prayer), which can be read free on-line at the following place:

http://missionbell.homestead.com/HelpFromHeavenBook.html

There are many stories in the book. Please have a look. If you wish to give me feedback, you will find my email address on the webpage.

Speedy help with finding a lost item

Today my autistic daughter took the smart card out of the box above the TV. This means that no TV could be viewed. (It is cable pay TV). She could not tell us where she put it. We have a big house and looked around for the card. I said a prayer to St Anthony and then prayed the St. Gertrude prayer for the Holy Souls several times. It was found quickly.  My daughter had put it under the TV box.  My husband lifted this up and found it.  This is the last place that the rest of us would have ever thought of looking for it.

A weight loss crisis (the intercession of the Holy Souls in Purgatory for their benefactors)

My son John has been in a group home since the age of 18.  He is very autistic, however he is verbal.  There were times when he became violent.  Now he is on various medications, but occasionally he still flares up. We visit him each week.

Over a year ago John started losing weight.  Something was very wrong.  John is a very tall boy.  The home said that he was eating lots of food, and knowing John that would be true, he has a big appetite, but the weight loss continued and he ended up looking like a thin cancer patient.

I was literally out of my mind praying for help, because no one knew why this was happening.  I prayed to all the saints etc, but especially to the Holy Souls in Purgatory because I really feared that John would die, because he just kept dropping weight.  Did he have cancer or worms or something else?  Doctors could not find anything wrong with John to explain the weight loss. It was a nightmare.

The carers at the home eventually found the answer.  After John’s meals he went to the toilet and put his finger down his throat and for the fun of it, he vomited up all the food.  John was cunning enough to flush the toilet while he was doing this, so that the carers would not know what was happening.  When this was discovered, the carers “kept John prisoner” after each meal for a few hours to let him digest the food.

They continued this for many months and John grew out of the “need” to vomit up the food. I can assure you I was really scared and even felt ill on account of John’s weight loss crisis. It was terrifying. John regained the weight that he had lost.  Please pray for the Holy Souls in Purgatory and ask them for their intercession in all your needs, spiritual and temporal.  (Mary Ann),  Australia.

The powerful intercession of the Holy Souls in Purgatory for their benefactors and ways to help them
The web page has accounts of the intercession of The Holy Souls in Purgatory, for their benefactors in cases of illness, addictions, cars that won’t start, infertility problems, serious weight loss problems, protection in accidents, conversion, chronic insomnia, their help for people who are experiencing major trouble with city councils, success with projects, employment, real estate, television sets that don’t work properly, finding lost property and trouble with relations, etc. and prayers and ideas on how to help The Holy Souls in Purgatory.

Help for people who are suffering from Panic attacks

Prayer is the most important thing to help the sufferer of panic attack. I have had firsthand experience of this unpleasant condition and have also given voluntary counseling, to people who have been sent to me, by a priest friend who did not know what else to do to help people who came to him, seeking prayers and help to overcome their panic attacks.

These people did recover from the condition.  When you add prayer to the equation things improve out of sight.

 

As well as prayer, I would like to recommend to your friend the following advice.  There are many books on panic attack, however the one which I would recommend to your friend is entitled: Living with It. The author of the book is Bev Aisbett. It is published by HarperCollins Publishers (Australia) Pty Ltd.

 

A search of the Internet  will quickly locate web sites which distribute the book.  What is different about this book, is that it is actually a cartoon book with captions.  The author of the book Bev Aisbett, is a professional cartoon artist, living in Sydney.  She wrote this book, after suffering and recovering from this debilitating condition.  The visual humour in the book is extremely valuable to the sufferer of panic attack, and instructs them in what the condition really is, and the techniques which you can use to overcome panic attack.

 

Briefly the symptoms of panic attack are caused by a release of a large flood of adrenaline into the blood stream, which ordinarily is meant to protect you in dangerous situations, such as when you would flee if you saw a violent person running toward you to physically attack you, or to help you to move with great haste out of the path of a speeding car, which was coming toward you. However in the case of panic attack the body releases a flood of these chemicals inappropriately, (when there is no real danger).  However you are not sunk in this matter. There are steps that you can take to deal with the situation and be healed of panic attack.

 

I will outline some of these for you now.  If you feel the condition of panic attack coming upon you with its unmistakable symptoms of heart palpitations, sweating, shaking, extraordinary fear that doesn’t match the situation that you are in, (for example you may be just simply shopping at the supermarket, where no real danger exists), there are special breathing techniques which can be used.  Another technique is that you dare your body to unleash the symptoms upon you.  The symptoms will abate or stop completely, if you adopt an attitude that says,  “I do not care if the body unleashes the symptoms of panic attack upon me”.  The release of adrenaline in panic attacks is not able to operate when this attitude is adopted.  The more often you get on top of this matter the sooner you will recover from this condition. 

 

It has been observed that consciously switching to a calm attitude, during a panic attack, somehow enables the brain to switch off further releases of Adrenalin, thereby minimising the severity of the attack.

 

The habitual use of relaxation techniques, such as lying down and listening to soothing music or using imagination techniques, such as the imagining yourself in a very relaxed calm place such as the beach, are also useful in the treatment and management of panic attack.  It is important to replace negative and fearful ideas with the calming and positive ones.

 

It doesn’t really matter what stresses in your life led to panic attack, the important thing is dealing with it, and recovering from it.

 

Is your autistic child non-verbal? I may be able to help you.

Do you have an autistic child who is non-verbal.  My oldest child was born with autism and she could not speak. She was already three and a half years of age and I was extremely worried, because my brother was also autistic and was non-verbal all his life, (except for two words, Mum and John.) 

I prayed hard for help and it came. I developed a simple method that cost next to nothing and was easy and enjoyable and  best of all very successful.

If you wish to learn how to do this for your own child, please visit the following link on my website. 

http://missionbell.homestead.com/teachingautisticchildrentospeak.html 

Here is a blog that might interest you from a chaplain at Lourdes, in France. Visit the autism page on his blog at:

http://immaculataconceptio.wordpress.com/prayer-petitions/autism/

 Novena for the healing of autism 

http://missionbell.homestead.com/novenaforautisticchildren.html

The Mission Bell (poem)

The Mission Bell,

What does it tell?

To come to church and pray,

To worship Jesus,

At the start,

Of each new dawning day.

To thank Him,

Serve Him,

Praise Him,

Love Him,

To abandon every sin.

And also to let go of life’s,

Distracting noisy din.

Our humble messenger,

The Mission Bell,

Takes care of us,

And serves us well !  

  by Mary Ann

Healing of autism (Mary Help of Christians)

In the 1980’s an outdoor shrine of Mary Help of Christians was built and blessed in Sydney. Our daughter was three years of age at the time. She had severe autism and could not talk. The man who was in charge of the shrine was a friend of our family. He told us that he had a plan to hold regular gatherings at the shrine, where people would pray for specially chosen intentions. e.g. a person with cancer. He selected our daughter as the first person who would be prayed for. We willingly agreed. It was his hope that our daughter would receive a miracle healing. On the appointed day, a group of people gathered at the shrine. A Jesuit priest brought our daughter up to the microphone and introduced her to the people and explained to them that she had autism.  He asked them to join with him in saying the Rosary for her healing. At the end of the Rosary the priest asked the people to keep this intention in their prayers. There was no instant miracle that day, but in the years to come our daughter made spectacular progress.

 

Useful information 

The powerful intercession of the Holy Souls in Purgatory for their benefactors and ways to help them

 

Novena to St Philomena the Wonder Worker for the healing of autism