Chapter 3: Autism
Our Special Olympic Superstar Athlete with Autism is Dylan
"As a
mother of a five-year-old son with Autism, Anissa Bennett was eager to
hear what the Special Olympics Young Athletes programs have to offer during an
information session in Corner Brook Friday...The programs apply sport
specific-activities with the goal of improving basic motor skills to help
children develop social and physical skills through sport. Eventually, many children will be able to use
these skills and move on to other Special Olympics programs...This would be
good news for Bennett’s son Dylan, who already participates in a local
gymnastics program for autistic children.
“He looks forward to going to that
every week and this could be an extra thing for him,” Bennett told The Western
Star after the session. “I like that they say they have ways of modifying the
program so that anybody can do it.”
Like many autistic children, Dylan
has a hard time following structure and listening to instruction. Bennett said
these sports programs could go a long way toward making her son feel more
comfortable socializing.
“The more things I put him in, the
more he’s going to get out of it,” she said. “He may never have 100 friends but
if he can have one or two good ones, if he’s out functioning in society, that’s
what I’m looking for.”" (http://www.thewesternstar.com/News/Local/2014-05-24/article-3736075/Young-Athletes-programs-bridging-the-gap-towards-Special-Olympics/1)
Diagnosis
Diagnosis
Autism is not a genetic specific
disorder as it has commonly thought to have been. Within the last few years a
number of studies have been done to determine the nature of autism. It has been
discovered autism arrives due to both nature and nurture, a study now
recognized as epigenetics. "Epigenetics has revolutionized the way
scientists look at human biology and chronic disease." (Melillo, 2013)
Francis S. Collins, MD, and director of the National Institutes of Health and
the architect of the Human Genome Project states, “Genes alone do not tell the
whole story...recent increases in chronic diseases like diabetes, childhood
asthma, obesity, or autism cannot be due to major shifts in the human gene pool
as those changes take much more time to occur. They must be due to changes in
the environment, including diet and physical activity, which may produce
disease in genetically predisposed persons." (Melillo, 2013)
Epigenetics are believed to
account for the majority of autism cases however, genetics do play a role in a
number of cases and about 10% of cases are results of what is named sporadic
autism. Sporadic autism is caused by genetic mutations and have no link to the
genetics of the parents of origin. (http://www.autismspeaks.org/what-autism/diagnosis)
Autism is becoming more and more
prevalent in our society nowadays. This disorder is approximately five times
more common among boys than girls, having a ratio of 1 in 42 boys versus 1 in
189 girls. (
http://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/developmental-disabilities/Pages/Autism-Spectrum-Disorders.aspx)
Currently,
there is no medical test to determine whether an individual has autism. Medical
professionals, including specially trained physicians and psychologists, will
administer tests to evaluate autism-specific behaviours. These tests will
determine whether the individual has autism or not.
Once a
child with autism is born, certain physical characteristics and health concerns
will become prevalent.
Outward Physical Characteristics and Health Concerns
Some of the most common physical features of autism are:
- Sandal gap space between toes (59%)
- Facial asymmetry (46%)
- Abnormal non-frontal hair whorl (39%)
- High narrow palate (37%)
- Attached ear lobes (35%)
- Hyper mobile joints (33%)
Other physical characteristics which are fairly common are :
- Brachycephalye (a relatively short, broad skull)
- Mouth asymmetry
- Eyes asymmetry
- Ear lobe crease
- Macrostomia (large mouth)
- Limited facial expression
- Open mouth appearance
- Prominent lower jaw
Health
concerns vary greatly within individuals with Autism, very few health risks
have been specifically linked to having Autism. Maintaining physical activity
is highly important for individuals with Autism despite any physical
characteristics, such as hyper mobile joints, which could increase physical
challenges. Physical exercise is also positive for mental well being of
individuals.
Affects on Mental Abilities
Autism is a
developmental disorder which changes many things about individuals social,
mental, and behavioural patterns. The Healthy Children Organization which stems
from the American
Academy
Social differences
- Does not keep eye contact or makes very little eye contact
- Does not respond to a parent's smile or other facial expressions
- Does not look at objects or events a parent is looking at or pointing to
- Does not point to objects or events to get a parent to look at them
- Does not bring objects of personal interest to show to a parent
- Does not often have appropriate facial expressions
- Unable to perceive what others might be thinking or feeling by looking at their facial expressions
- Does not show concern (empathy) for others
- Unable to make friends or uninterested in making friends
Communication differences
- Does not point at things to indicate needs or share things with others
- Does not say single words by 16 months
- Repeats exactly what others say without understanding the meaning (often called parroting or echoing)
- Does not respond to name being called but does respond to other sounds (like a car horn or a cat's meow)
- May mix up pronouns (refers to self as "you" and others as "I")
- Often doesn't seem to want to communicate
- Does not start or can not continue a conversation
- Does not use toys or other objects to represent people or real life in pretend play
- May have a good rote memory, especially for numbers, letters, songs, TV jingles, or a specific topic
- May lose language or other social milestones, usually between the ages of 15 and 24 months (often called regression)
Behavioral differences (repetitive
and obsessive behaviors)
- Rocks, spins, sways, twirls fingers, walks on toes for a long time, or flaps hands (stereotypic behaviour)
- Likes routines, order, and rituals; has difficulty with change
- Obsessed with a few or unusual activities, doing them repeatedly during the day
- Plays with parts of toys instead of the whole toy (for example, spinning the wheels of a toy truck)
- Does not seem to feel pain
- May be very sensitive or not sensitive at all to smells, sounds, lights, textures, and touch
- Unusual use of vision or gaze—looks at objects from unusual angles (http://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/developmental-disabilities/Pages/Autism-Spectrum-Disorders.aspx)
These signs are things to look for in
children with Autism and they are different for every case depending on the
mental capacity of the individual and how they are impacted by their autism. (http://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/developmental-disabilities/Pages/Autism-Spectrum-Disorders.aspx)
Maintaining physical exercise as a part of daily routine is very important for
individuals with Autism. Autistic individuals focus on patterns and routines.
Incorporating physical activity as a part of the routine has positive impacts mentally
as they learn better control of their body, how to participate and work as a
part of a time (where they would otherwise not feel inclined).
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| Often, children with low functioning Autism have difficulty learning behavioral patterns. (http://childwithautism.wordpress.com/) |
Coaching and Training Methods
The Special Olympic Coach Oath
“In the name of all coaches and in the spirit of
sportsmanship, I promise that we will act professionally, respect others, and
ensure a positive experience for all. I promise to provide quality sports
and training opportunities in a safe environment for all athletes.”( http://sonc.net/oaths-codes/)
Autism is a
spectrum disorder. It affects people in a variety of ways and therefore
coaching methods vary greatly on the needs of the individual. The coach needs
to get to know the individual athlete in order to know their strengths,
weaknesses, areas of improvement, mental capacity and to recognize their
potential.
A number of
questions that the coach should ask themselves are:
- What are the athlete’s strengths and weaknesses?
- What have they already accomplished?
- How do they best seem to learn?
- Do they have ADHD (Attention….) or difficulty with focusing?
- How do any environmental issues affect their learning or coaching?
- Are there any triggers to certain behaviours or any problems that may hinder progression or development?
- How should coaching be approached?
- What should be included in lessons to keep the athlete(s) engaged?
- How can a connection between coach and athlete be accomplished?
- How will the athlete stay engaged?
- How does the athlete communicate?
- How does the athlete react to frustration, challenges, or difficulties?
- How is the athlete best motivated?
Once the coach has determined
answers to these questions they are better able to find an approach to
coaching.
The first two questions develop
an understanding of the individual, often people like to do what they are good
at. Knowing the strengths of the individual gives a starting point, a place
where the athlete is comfortable and can show what they know. This is also
useful for positive reinforcement. When trying to work on weaknesses,
frustration often arises and during this time coaches can bring back activities
the athlete knows how to do in order to keep their spirits up and remind them
they can learn, they are good at what they are trying to do. Knowing what the
weaknesses of the individual are is also important as it provides a point to
work on, a place where there is room and need for improvement. (https://www.sportscoachuk.org/blog/coaching-people-autism;
Melillo, 2013)
Everyone learns in a different
way, this is the same for individuals with autism. Coaches need to learn how
their athletes’ best pick up information. As ADHD is very common in individuals
with autism, kinetic learning often is a necessity. (Santomauro, 2011) Being
able to see what is happening and actually do it is very important. Having
reinforcement of ideas by other visual aids (videos) and spoken words are also
useful processes. Speaking directions alone are not enough. Autism can cause
problems with hearing or the athlete could simply be distracted and not listen
well. Keep them engaged.
Environmental issues and triggers
need to be considered when coaching as these are huge barriers in learning. For
example, the area which you train in affects the individual. Often individuals
with autism would rather work alone, or not have people looking at them.
Especially when first beginning to try a new sport or exercise the individual
may want to be in a less busy area, being trained with 100 other people would
not be ideal. Triggers are anything which create a distinct reaction in the
individual, for example, loud noises, lack of organization, or hunger. Some
triggers are easier to control than others. Music can help with other noise
distraction as well as finding a more secluded area to train in. Making sure
the individual is well prepared and ready to exercise also helps. This includes
checking for proper attire (clothing, footwear, hair tied back if necessary)
and ensuring they have had proper sleep, sufficient food and water and are in a
good mental state. (https://www.sportscoachuk.org/blog/coaching-people-autism;
http://www.helpguide.org/harvard/autism_revolution.htm)
Coaches need to determine an
approach to teaching new skills. They also must find a way to incorporate
different aspects of interest to maintain the individuals engagement. People
with autism focus a great deal on patterns and repetition, therefore these are great
things to incorporate into exercises. Relays are an awesome way to do this.
Also giving specific instructions are more effective.
A connection needs to be
established between coach and athlete to be able to work together as a team.
This is primarily a responsibility of the coach, the coach needs to put out the
effort to show they want to help the individual, to work together. Individuals
with autism do not often feel inclined to reach out to make friends. Once they
establish relationships they often are very happy with them, but do not feel
inclined to be the one to initiate them. To create a relationship they also
need to understand how their athlete communicates. Sometimes autism limits
verbal capability and therefore other methods of communication are used to
supplement spoken word or replace it entirely. Cue actions can be created to
help with communication, or sigh language can be used in some cases.
Lastly, the coach needs to know
how to best help the athlete stay motivated, and learn how they respond to
challenges, frustration and distractions. When competing, athletes need to be
able to focus in on the task ahead of them. To be able to perform at their
highest level, they need to accomplish the 7 parts of the wheel of excellence
by Terry Orlick. (http://www.zoneofexcellence.ca/free/wheel.html)
These seven parts are:
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1. Distraction Control
This is highly important in those with mental disorders as they are more easily distracted and the distractions can completely pull them away from where their focus should be. Distractions can also be triggers which could lead to disruptive behaviour.
2. Constructive Evaluation
Coaches need to be able to help their athletes improve form and energy behind movements. Once an individual with autism has learned a certain activity, they try to perform at the same peak level every time as they are set on the pattern of activities. This enables them to be highly effective in sports.
3. Positive Images
This next point enables the mind to focus in on an aspect which can give the individual joy, excitement and motivation. The positive images in their mind allow them to focus on the task at hand, remove doubts and worries from the mind and help block out distractions.
4. Mental Readiness
This aspect combines previous steps to perform at a high level. Being mentally prepared for an activity means the individual knows what to expect and how to handle pressure. Coaches need to help their athletes feel comfortable in front of others when performing, this for some is incredibly uncomfortable but if they want to compete they need to develop the skill. Preparing them mentally to perform means they need to do the exercise before hand. Practicing in front of others before hand, or training in a similar (or the same) facility they will compete in is incredibly helpful as they focus so much on patterns, routines and repetition.
5. Full Focus
All these aspects lead up to full focus which is necessary in competitions to perform at the peak level. “You cannot run at full throttle when applying your mindset to all of the different things running through your head. Focusing is the key to manifesting your desires.” (http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/focusing)
6. Belief
All of these mental processes are fuelled by a belief in oneself. The athlete needs to believe in themselves and have someone believing in them pushing them forward. Without a belief they can do it they won't be able to. This belief ties into the Special Olympics oath which says, "Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt." (http://www.specialolympics.ca/be-involved/athletes/) The athletes have to strive to do their best and believe in themselves, having courage to do their best.
7. Commitment "Commitment is the enemy of resistance, for it is the serious promise to press on, to get up, no matter how many times you are knocked down." (http://www.leadershipnow.com/commitmentquotes.html) This quote by David McNally perfectly embodies why Special Olympic athletes need to be committed to their event. There is a stigma still in our society that these individuals are incapable of the same things other people do. However they can do so much, their potential is huge. There is resistance against them, therefore they need to be fully committed in order to achieve all that they can. Coaches need to instil this by channelling the athletes passions and why they want to compete into their motivation and help their athletes be successful.
Through this, coaches help increase the desire to succeed and maximize benefits gained from physical training for their athletes with Autism.
Abilities in Designated Sports
The sports recommended for individuals with Autism depend on the individual themselves. Autism is a spectrum disorder and therefore has many degrees to it. As Autism is a spectrum disorder it means that people have it to varying degrees. High functioning autistic individuals would not qualify for the Special Olympics as their mental capacity is high, resulting in a high IQ. Those with low functioning autism can qualify for the Special Olympics and are generally successful in it. The main sports they compete in are more individually based as team sports rely so heavily on communication and working together with team mates. Many people with autism find this uncomfortable or not enticing as they feel inclined to be less social and are more introverted by nature. (http://www.autismfamilyonline.com/public/613.cfm)
Sports such as skiing, running, swimming, martial arts, bowling and skating are preferred by these individuals with lower functioning autism. They can excel in these sports.
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| Gymnastics provides huge mental improvements with focus and a sense of space and body understanding. (http://www.mumsnchums.com/blog/benefits-of-gymnastics-for-autism-spectrum-disorder-asd) |
Video of Autistic Gymnast Performance in Special Olympics
Not all autistic individuals keep to themselves, some do enjoy the company of others and like to be part of a functioning unit. For these individuals sports can be good for them and they enjoy their time playing. These people can enjoy team sports such as hockey, basketball, soccer and curling. (http://autismdigest.com/sports-and-autism-thinking-outside-the-bounds/) Non-contact is still necessary though as physical contact is not comfortable for most autistic individuals and it can cause them to be very uncomfortable or afraid. Team sports can help create friendships which are otherwise very hard to make. (Santomauro, 2011) One individual with autism wrote a poem on friends which reads:
"I want to be a good friend to you,
This is a good idea.
Will you be my friend too?
Will you, will you, will you?
I know I can be stubborn,
At times you can be too.
I want to have a friend like you,
Do you, do you, do you?
I will be loyal, trustworthy and true.
I will be single minded,
I will be there for you.
Will you be there too, too, too?
You be my friend, I'll be your friend.
We will learn it's true.
Let's take our time to discover...
Thank you, thank you, thank you." (Santomauro, 2011)
This poem demonstrates the desire some have to gain good friends and to be a good friend. Sports gives the opportunity to make friends and plays a huge role in team sports for the Special Olympics. This desire can help the team perform better in competition as they work together and therefore can enhance their ability to perform in team sports.
Therefore, with autism, the best sports really depends on the individual.
Through finding a sport that is best for the individual, that person gains physical health benefits, mental benefits, such as greater focus or the ability to participate as a team member, and social benefits as they develop a relationship with their coach and potentially others competing on the same team or in the same event.
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