Autism and Adolescence

AUTISM AND ADOLESCENCE

Thursday, February 7, 13

Amber Jared Brett Jacob

Troy


My family - 3 teens, 1 preteen daughter

AUTISM


April 2000 - life took spiraling nose dive crazy # visits to docs, therapists, -ologists (not gynocologist)thing called autism entered our familylack of typical social skillsdevelopment of speech almost non-existent (18 months, no mama, dada, no words)in a way appeared deafDiagnosis rocked my worldRide home, suddenly overwhelmed with weight of my new realityout of body exper. - saw myself seated in front of doctor - nodding - trying to hear above the ROAR of emotions inside my headprognosis of never and alwaysmonths went by - better understanding of what doc had been sayingcrushed - dreams for my son stolennot something that was going to go away - lifelong diagnosis - 24 hours a day, everydayyear - one of lowest and darkest in my lifefound myself experiencing days - felt literally drowningbarely catching breath from yesterday, only to face another daySomething I didn’t anticipate - but came to learn - increasingly difficult for our family to fit in anywhere - belong to any type of communityplaygrounds, bday parties, school - didn’t fit innew reality - church became a luxurynothing else in life was like I thought - but surely God and His people would still be thereFor a while this is what my Sunday would look like - Get up and struggle to get Jared (and everyone else ready) little longer with child with disabilitybut we do it - go to church - drop off my child15 min later asked to come and get him - can’t handle him, don’t have training for that, can take him with you, maybe there is another churchAs a child of a children’s pastor - grew up in church - been a Jesus follower for many, many yearsAnd I began struggling with ALL of thisI wanted to walk away from church, Jesus, Christians, ALL of itEasier to stay home, than to go to a churchHave you ever thought what would happen, how you would feel if you were asked to leave a church because of your child?Kept asking... is this what Jesus, the Jesus I thought I knew would have done?Would he have said, GO AWAY - can’t handle thatThese people claimed they loved Jesus and followed his ways - but they didn’t show that to me -deep hurtNot just that church -attempted many, many churchesNot just my story - story of most families I speak to that have attempted to attend a church

DID YOU KNOW....

1 in 5 people in the U.S. have a disability


20%45 million peopleEveryone of those people come with a familyEstimate that 95% of people with disabilities are unchurched

IN FAMILIES AFFECTED BY DISABILITIES

High divorce rateExtra financial stress

Sibling issuesNetworking is essential

Child-sitters are a life-saver

Nightmare = Who will take care of / love my child if something happens to me?


1 - maybe as high as 85%lots of single parents2 - not covered by insurance3 - difficult time adjust / belonging4 - in order to feel you are not aloneDoes God / Scripture address this at all?

“You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourself with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free,

male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”


In Galatians 3 - Paul saysPaul saying - no one is left out of the GospelRacial, economic, gender barriers and ALL other inequalities SHOULD NOT exist in the kingdom J came to usher inCentral part of Good newsWhat about Jesus?

Then Jesus said to his host, “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do,

they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although

they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

Luke 14:12


Luke 14:12A reading of the gospel accounts of J, puts center stage - ordinary people, poor people, disreputable people, and disabled peopleNever to embarrass or shame - never as a spectacle. Compassionate - not condescendingReligious people were bothered that J spent time with “those” peopleJ over and over again chooses to spend time with those that religion shuns

= Kingdom of God

What is it that keeps our churches / youth ministries from looking like the Kingdom that Jesus came to usher in?

When you give a party......


What would our churches / our youth ministries look like if we took these words of Jesus literally?

What is keeping our youth ministries from looking like the Kingdom Jesus came to usher in?

AUTISM

A brain disorder that affects a person’s ability to:communicate,

reason,interact with others.



A is a spectrum disorder - that affects individuals differently.The characteristics of autism can present themselves in a wide variety of combosfrom mild to severe - very differentincludes autism, asperger’s, childhood disintegrative disorder, rett’s disorder, pdd (pdd-nos)Met one person with autism - you met one person with autism

AUTISM

Affects 1 in 88 people in the US

Affects 1 in 54 boys in the US


According to the latest numbers from the CDC

Fastest growing developmental (present at birth) disability4 to 5 times more common in boys

AUTISM

1/3 of children with autism develop seizures by adolescence

Only 56% of students with autism complete high school


AUTISM

Autism knows NO racial, ethnic or social boundaries. Family income, lifestyle and educational levels do not affect the

chance of autism’s occurrence. The incidence of autism is consistent around the globe.


AUTISM

There is NO CURE for autism.


COMMON TEENAGE CHARACTERISTICS OF AUTISM

Language DifficultyHaving little or no friends

“Stimming”Behavior struggles

Need for a Rigid SchedulePreoccupation with one topic


Language spectrum - some never speak, noises, sign language, communication device, ipad apps, pix symbols, speech)voice volume, rhythm, intonation may be differentnot able to read “in head”may be “overly honest” in what they say (Jack music) - bad breath, ugly sweater - no filtervery concrete language 2 responses (isolation or plow right in the middle)because analyzing person’s face and body language is difficult - causes friendship problems - can’t read common social cues - space issuesdifficulty with eye contact - may appear to be ignoring when you talk to themdescribes repetitive behaviors that teens with autism will do to soothe themselves -see in stressful situations to CALM rocking, tapping table of objects, rubbing an object -- sense of controlimportant to recognize - hitting table may indicate stress not trying to be obnoxiousTeens going through lots of changes and range of emotions - most teens have difficulty managing theseGet overstimulated - over excited - over anxious may act outcry, scream, hit, laugh uncontrollably - teen equivalent to temper tantrum (I’m tired don’t know how to express) I’m stressed out and don’t know how to expressmany can’t communicate emotions like anger, frustration, hurt in socially acceptable ways - so end up expressing themselves in socially inappropriate waysIf seems directed at you - don’t take it personalWorld that doesn’t function like they do - chaos - looking for controlLike to do things exactly the same way at the same time each dayWill not / can not make spontaneous decisions regarding their schedule uncomfortable with sudden changesChanges to routine and schedule source of stress that could lead to acting outoften amazed by one particular subjectmay have studied, read, watchedfind they talk about it all the time - EXPERTcars, vacuums

HOW DOES IT LOOK?1. Full Inclusion

2. Reverse Inclusion

3. Self - Contained

4. Para-church organizations (i.e. Young Life Capernaum)


1 - completely integrated in whatever there is for their age group, may have support2 - separate space, bring those with disabilities (neurotypical) in to space with them, may have support3 - self-contained = only those with disabilities and leader/support4 - para church = YL CapernaumCan have variety Do need more volunteers to help support (pull different source)AND great way for teens to serve others - go beyond consumerism and gain so much more

HELPFUL TOOLS1. iPad / iPod

2. Clipboard

3. Fidget Toys

4. Visual Schedules


So many appsipad bibles, all types of special needs appstalk about ipad accessibilityShow clipboard, fidget toys and visual schedule examples

lookat the

birds

of the

air they

do not sow

or

reap

or

store away

in barnsyet

your heavenly father feeds

them Are you not much more valuablethan

theyMatthew 6:26


Visual representation of bible verse

OPEN UP THE PARTY

Outreach to special needs community- homes- schools

- residential facilities- public places- mentorships

- partnerships (disability organizations, churches)


Word of mouth that your church caresGO1. offer support there2. volunteer, donate supplies3. volunteer, host fun activities (dance, easter egg hunt)4. support groups (local coffee shop)5. assist in attending school meetings, health services, state systems, court guardianship meetings6. autism society, support groups

OPEN UP HOPE


Asked you - have you ever imagined what it would be like to be asked to leave a church because of your child?Now ask you....Imagine finding a place of faith that welcomes your teen and YOU - place where someone says we hope he/she comes backA place full of HOPEImagine the lifes you can affectImagine how your life can be affected

Q & AContact Info:

Tammy BurnsPastor of Family Ministries

The Ridge Faith [email protected]


Spiritual

Autism and Adolescence