Re: STLtoday article: Enter the Autism Zone from hefnerma@...

[Guest guest]

Meg~

It's difficult and painful to even imagine, much less live through.

God have mercy.

in Ma.

************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com.

[Guest guest]

Meg,

Thank you. I'll be bringing that to work.

Bonnie, Mom to a 24, Patty CHARGE 22, and wife to

STLtoday article: Enter the Autism Zone from hefnerma@...

This STLtoday.com article -- " Enter the Autism Zone " -- has been sent to

you by: " hefnerma@... "

I hope you guys can see this. It makes me think of the deafblind

simulations we do at workshops

Meg

Enter the Autism Zone

By tsaey@... " CLASS= " storyByline " >Tina Hesman

Saey

ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

Below is the link to the story.

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/sciencemedicine/story/C0AFC3CF\

08246CFC862572DB0014F8C5?OpenDocument

Here is the story.

You have entered a dimension beyond normal sight and sound. It's a

dimension where steel wool and guitar strings scratch at your back while

sirens blare, lights flash and marbles dig into your feet. You are

standing in the Autism Zone.

For parents like Melynda Eden of Chesterfield, the Autism Zone is 45

seconds of pure sensory overload. The exercise was designed to give people

a taste of the world as someone with autism — someone like Eden's

3-year-old son, — might experience it every day.

Grana, an occupational therapist at the Judevine Center for Autism in

Olivette, created the Autism Zone. Grana greets visitors with a smile and a

handshake, then she shows a sadistic side. She hands Eden three marbles and

tells her to put them in her shoes. Eden slips off her shiny loafers, puts

the marbles in and then gingerly slips her feet in. Meanwhile, a wad of

steel wool is shoved down the back of her shirt. Then, she's subjected to

sounds, flashing lights and other distractions.

Grana explains how every annoying and uncomfortable moment relates to

experiences many people with autism face. Autism is a developmental

disorder that affects the ability to communicate and connect socially and

emotionally with other people. It also affects the way the nervous system

processes information.

Sometimes people can't get enough information. That point is illustrated by

the weighted and padded mitt on Eden's hand. Children with autism often

push very hard when they write or write very slowly in an effort to

increase the information flowing through their hands, Grana explains.

Often people with autism aren't able to filter out information and focus on

what's important. The flickering of fluorescent lights may be barely

noticeable to someone with a healthy nervous system but can seem like

flashes to a person with autism. And then there's noise and itchy clothing

and pinching shoes and a whole host of other stimuli that can quickly

become overwhelming.

The Autism Zone simulation lasts less than a minute, but children with

autism live with altered senses all the time. The zone helps parents,

therapists, siblings and other people understand why kids with autism throw

fits at things other people hardly notice.

" To really experience it, you'd have to go through the whole day (in the

zone) and see how long it would be before you'd snap, " Grana said.

To experience the Autism Zone for yourself, call Haley, chief of

development for the Judevine Center at to schedule an

appointment.

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