How did you become interested in autism?

I believe my interest in autism spectrum conditions was first triggered in the early seventies when I was working at a newly opened children’s center at McLean Hospital. We were working in teams and were all struggling to understand and treat hard to manage children with a range of cognitive, social, emotional, and behavioral difficulties. Although I don’t think we were aware of it at the time, many of these children likely suffered from autism spectrum conditions that were not addressed. Gradually, as diagnostic sophistication increased and treatment approaches were addressed and developed more thoroughly, I continued to move further and further into this area, never losing sight of those children I encountered early on.

Why is group work with children with autistic spectrum conditions so important?

Social interaction is a fundamental part of our existence. Effective social interaction allows for satisfying and rewarding ongoing human contact. A significant factor and often referred to as a core deficit in autism spectrum conditions, certainly in Asperger’s Syndrome, relates to social competency and social functioning. Thus to develop and enhance social competency and social skills in children with ASD, the focus must be on social interaction, that is, providing; 1. an opportunity to recognize and understand the nature of social situations; 2. an opportunity for a social interchange; and 3. learning and using the appropriate response for that situation in that interchange.
We believe that learning about and developing social competency and social interactional skills must occur within the naturalistic environment of peers and groups. However, for children on the spectrum, this must be approached in thoughtful, systematic, effective ways with a variety of variables considered and addressed to be successful.

In your opinion, what are the main challenges that children with autistic spectrum conditions face and how can we best help and support them?

I believe that the main challenges for children with autism spectrum conditions at this point relates to awareness. Awareness by the child of their strengths and limitations and how best to address, manage, and balance these in their environment. Awareness by parents, caretakers, and providers of what these conditions are about, be it educational, social, emotional, or behavioral. Finally, awareness by the public, the non-autism spectrum individuals and groups, so as to understand and support these children to enable them to grow to become productive adults.

Who or what most inspires you?

Two things have inspired me continuously throughout my career. First, I am inspired simply by the presence of children, their energy, curiosity, and unpretentiousness as they charge through a world that constantly provides them with new challenges. Second, I am inspired as well by those children, like our children with autism spectrum conditions, who are presented with cognitive, social, or emotional challenges, yet continue to struggle as they seek ways to improve their situations. My task in life is to help make that job a little easier for them.

What are you reading at the moment?

Finishing my book has given me some extra time and I have just completed two wonderful books. The first was Nick Dubin’s Asperger’s Syndrome and Anxiety, a solid and concise book, focusing on a key aspect of autism spectrum conditions from the perspective of one who lives with those challenges every day. The second was Richard Russo’s Bridge of Sighs. Russo is an exceptional storyteller who creates characters that constantly remind us of how our past is inevitably connected with our present and our future. This is a great book about intertwined relationships.

Copyright © Jessica Kingsley Publishers 2009

Group Interventions for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Focus on Social Competency and Social Skills was released last month and is available for purchase. See the below link for more details.

More details of the book

JKP News

The Telegraph covered an article on our new book Breath in Action by Jane Boston and Rena Cook stating that the book "...explores how an increased awareness of breathing can impact positively on our health, confidence and stress levels."

This month The Daily Mirror interviewed Keith Park on his book Bible Stories in Cockney Rhyming Slang.

The Evening Standard featured an article about a blood test that can predict the success of IVF treatments.
JKP author Caroline Gallup participated in the case study for this article; she is also the author of Making Babies the Hard Way.

Examiner.com featured a review on Grandparenting a child with special needs by Dr Charlotte E Thompson.

BBC Radio 5 Live featured Caroline Gallup as a guest on the Richard Bacon show, author of Making Babies the Hard Way: Living with Infertility and Treatment.

Standing on Dust is the recently released, second album by Rory Hoy author of Autism and Me. Click here to find out more and preview his new album.

Autism in the news - some of the articles in the media this month

BBC News has informed of a computer company in Denmark that has been giving people with autism more support to use their talents in the workplace and it wants to do the same here in the UK. Please click here to view the BBC News video.

The Guardian featured an article on a library that has recently started stocking visual based systems. These pictures are attracting and being used a great deal by families with autistic children.

Medical News Today reports that the Financial Secretary to Her Majesty's Government has contacted the UK Autism Foundation with regards to autism and the economic downturn.

The New Scientist covered an article on how autism alters the way that children sense motion.

This month's author feature:
Art as an Early Intervention Tool for Children with Autism
by JKP author Nicole Martin

For preschool age children with autism, handing them a paintbrush or a lump of clay is just not enough. Properly incorporating art therapy into the early intervention treatment of a young child with autism will ensure that the child develops good habits and skills for a lifetime of using art as a vital means of self-expression.

Children on the spectrum often find art making frustrating due to a delay in the child’s fine motor development, lack of organization or personal relevancy, or distracting sensory input. Or they find art making highly enjoyable but without proper adult intervention it simply encourages symptomatic behaviors such as scripting or self-stimulatory use of the art materials.

When working with a young child with autism, the art therapist has four goals: 1) to adapt art projects so that they address that child’s specific needs (such as communication skills, social-emotional expression, flexibility and cooperative work skills, or sensory integration), 2) monitor the impact of the materials on the child’s sensory system and make adjustments (monitoring textures, wet versus dry materials, and different work spaces), 3) provide traditional supports as needed (such as visual instructions, reinforcement schedules, and more), and 4) build a trusting relationship with the child so that they will be more compliant when new challenges are presented and increase his or her self-esteem and motivation.

The rich sensory experience of art making as well as its ability to encapsulate and organize complex topics makes art therapy a natural fit for individuals with autism. The art therapist’s understanding of the creative process is invaluable when working on imagination and abstract thinking skills. Addressing sensory regulation is often less stressful because the art provides a product to focus on beyond the process of integrating uncomfortable sensory experience. The art therapist’s expertise with visuals and ability to orchestrate highly individualized art projects is a huge advantage when working on social-emotional skills and self-expression. Developmental growth can be achieved by working toward age-appropriate art and fine motor skills as well as by creating innovative art projects that facilitate socialization and communication.

You can find important information for building a therapeutic art program with your child at any age, such as characteristics often seen in the artwork of children on the spectrum, suggested materials and how to use them, and treatment goal ideas, in my new book Art as an Early Intervention Tool for Children with Autism.

Copyright © Jessica Kingsley Publishers 2009

Nicole Martin is the author of Art as an Early Intervention Tool for Children with Autism ® and is a registered art therapist and licensed professional counselor. Nicole is the founder of Sky's the Limit Studio, which provides creative arts therapy services tailored to the needs of individuals with autism spectrum disorders.

More details of the book