Fwd: Autism and RDI: Summertime!

July 11, 2012

Subject: Autism and RDI: Summertime!

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Issue 40

July 11, 2012

B r a i n B y t e s

Hearing Delay Unique

to Autism

Can EEGs Diagnose Autism?

Music Can Change

Your Brain

Quick Links

RDIconnect Website

Find an RDI Consultant

RDI Certification for professionals

"Perseverance is not a long race; it is many short races one after the other" - Walter Elliot

Does your child remember his accomplishments? Things he could not do and then he could?

In the U.S. it seems that every place is either too hot or too rainy for a walk. But, what about a few "short races" through old photographs?

"When you were a baby you couldn't....... but then"; "when you were three years old you couldn't..... but then"; for a teenager-"I was thinking about all of the steps it took for you to drive a car by yourself, I wonder if we can remember them."

Parenting is a marathon. What are your short races?

Where in the World is Aunt Martha?

She is in Singapore with

Consultant-In-Training, Charmaine Lee

In Their Own Words

Click on these links to see what RDI consultants are doing!

Amy Cameron

Breathing Underwater Podcast

Kathy Darrow

Kathy discusses RDI in an interview on Autism One Radio

Hudkins

'The RDI Mom' Blog

Isaac

Understanding Autism Podcast - Broadcast live on the 2nd Monday and 2nd Tuesday of every month

Zoe

'Food for Thought' Blog

Find Us

The RDI Book

In English and Spanish!

Available through Amazon or Click here.

Good News...Amazon is now shipping the RDI Book Internationally.

Dear ,

This week, I answer a parent's questions about RDIconnect and Consultant, Pam , shares the first of two articles about increasing competence through swimming.

~ le Sheely, PhD

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

A Parent's Question

by Dr. le Sheely

Following last week's newsletter, I received several inquiries that I have pulled together along with my answers. We love hearing from you so "don't be shy".

Question: We have been following your description of work with Ellen and are thinking of beginning RDI. What would work with a consultant look like and how much would it cost.

- - - - - - - -

Dear Parent,

Thanks for your questions. I love hearing from you and I hope that the following is helpful. I must tell you that I love what we do, so I will try not to go on and on!

The Guiding Relationship

Our fundamental understanding of Autism is that it thwarts the guiding relationship that is, for the most part, pretty intuitive with parents. The primary reason that the guiding relationship is frustrated is that in typical development there is an emotional feedback loop in place allowing the child to bring quite a bit to the table and send certain messages. In the beginning this happens through facial expression that the parent then uses to guide the child. Most problematic is that because of the disruption created by autism, a certain kind of intelligence, which we refer to as dynamic intelligence, does not develop. (This does not refer to all intelligence, especially that of a static nature which is often intact.) However, this does not make dynamic intelligence less important since it is fundamental to so many things - our jobs, our relationships, and, therefore, primary to our RDIâ„¢ work.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Sink or Swim: This is Really About Swimming!

by Pamela

I have been a swimmer all my life. I know now, after 7 years of working with the RDIÂ® Program (6 as a certified consultant), that the developmental progression of swimming is a perfect complement to the guide-apprentice work done in RDI. Nowhere but the water is it more apparent when one person knows what they are doing and the other does not.

I am Pam , Certified RDIÂ® Program Consultant,

RDI Certified Consultant,

Pamela Smit

and I want to share with you my ideas for how to get the most out of your apprentice swimmer this summer.

So often, parents come to me and say, "He loves the water!" or "She is so comfortable in the pool." This is a great start, but it is not the end of your swimmer's career in the pool. Only when they have the skills to really enjoy the pool in a variety of ways, with a variety of purposes, and with a lifelong focus should we feel like we have exhausted the potential in a swimmer.

Keep in Mind: Competence is key here just like in other areas of your child's life. You want to find the edge of your child's competence and build from there. Building competence with swimming is almost always about letting the child know they can move themselves in the water in order to get from A to B. At first this could simply be by walking, but eventually it means helping your child move through the water without touching anything. Once they have this sense of independence and competence, there will be no stopping them in the water.

Move It, Move It - help the child to move their arms in scooping/stroke movements and their legs in straight kicks behind their body. Try to help their knees stay straight and use primarily the hips to move the feet up and down

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