“Are you ready?”
Ash refused to let Autism Spectrum Disorder rule his life, learn how his grades and behavioral patterns greatly improved after training with Interactive Metronome.
Ash, a 9-year-old boy diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, didn’t typically struggle with his academics but had the tendency to speak out of turn, chew on his clothing or other items he found around him, and had trouble keeping his hands to himself which was often reflected in on his daily report card. After trying other modalities with no improvement, IM was introduced. Ash struggled getting used to the headphones and the rhythm but was excited to try this “new computer game with clapping”. Being a perfectionist, Ash refused to give up and wanted to do better. After months of IM training, he was able to meet his IM goal and it showed not only on his report card but with his abilities to stay on task in class and even lead his gym class in their warm-up exercises. The Sensory Project Interviews Interactive Metronome Provider, April Christopherson, OTR/L
Have you heard of Interactive Metronome? It is an evidence-based training and assessment tool that has been proven to improve cognition, attention, focus, memory, speech/language, executive functioning, comprehension, and motor[...] Provider Testimonial: “His parents were so happy. They never expected to be able to see him perform…”
Gavin a 10-year-old, IM-Home user, who has ASD and associated anxiety, typically can only remain calm for seconds to minutes during assemblies and concerts. After 8 sessions of IM-Home, it was unclear if there were any changes with Gavin, that is, until this year’s Christmas concert that his parents noticed a huge difference− "This year was different. His class was performing last. He sat through the entire concert calmly and quietly. When it was his class' turn, he was able to join them on stage. And he sang. And the whole time, he was tapping out the metronome beat on his leg.” His parents were so happy. They never expected to be able to see him perform in a Christmas concert, so it was a huge treat for them. Provider Testimonial: “He’s doing fantastic…It’s amazing”
We love being able to share the success stories provided to us by IM Provider about their clients. Here is one story about a young boy named Emmitt, who has been diagnosed with high-functioning autism; and how with a little IM best practices and the ingenuity of an IM Provider helped him experience things in a new way! Calling all AOTA Members!
Dr. Cheryl Miller-Scott, Vice President of Therapy Operations for HealthSouth/Encompass Health and member of Interactive Metronome Clinical Advisory Board, has had the prestigious honor of being nominated for a position[...] JJ Opens Up To the World
JJ is a bright young boy who had some motor difficulties and social issues associated with his Asperger's syndrome. He wasn't very active, hated sports and really just didn't want to do much in school or around home. Nowadays, JJ is leading hikes for his Boy Scout group, playing ball at school and hosting a special pool party for his friends! What a turnaround! Find out how JJ was able to open up to the world with IM training.
Billy comes out of his shell with IM training
Billy is an amazing young man who has autism. He is awesome at school, but was really struggling with motor planning and daily tasks, such as dressing and bathing. When he came back to occupational therapy after a few years off, his therapist knew just how to speed up his training plan--Interactive Metronome® training! In just a few weeks, Billy was laughing, playing and smiling again. Check out Billy's story here.
IM and Autism: Chuck takes amazing strides with IM Training
We love to share our success stories, and this month is no different. In honor of Autism Awareness Month, we are going to be shining the spotlight on some amazing clients who have taken great strides with IM training. With a little determination and some guidance from our wonderful Providers, many children with autism have seen improvements in behavior, attention, communication and sensory processing. Can IM be the missing link in your clinic? Find out how Chuck changed his life...
Making IM training work for children on the spectrum
Every now and then, our Providers are hesitant to try IM training with clients on the autism spectrum because of sensory issues. However, while there are many different sounds and visuals associated with IM training, nearly every setting on the IM Pro Universe software is completely customizable. That means you can set up IM training for any client, no matter what deficit is the focus! Wendy Harron, a fabulous OT and IM Provider, is here with some tips to get you started.
Autism NoteBook: Training the Brain to Keep Time
Do you know how timing in the brain can affect children with autism? Many of the symptoms associated with autism are also directly related to Neurotiming®, more specifically, deficient Neurotiming®. Find out more in this article from the December/January '15 Edition of the Autism NoteBook.
