AM Santai Workshop: Home Occupational Therapy Series @ We Rock The Spectrum

As an autism parent, one of the things that I'm constantly working on is empowering myself with knowledge on how to best help my son (and myself). Sometimes, for one reason or another, I can't rely too much on external services to cater to my son's needs. So rather than feel helpless and clueless, I'd rather do something about it. 

I was elated, therefore, when I learnt that Autisme Malaysia was organising a 3-part workshop on home occupational therapy at Arif's favourite kids' gym - We Rock The Spectrum (WRTS), Ara Damansara. WRTS was an excellent venue  for the workshop, as it enabled families to bring their kids along. For example, mum would be in the workshop and dad would be playing with the kids. But some participants, including myself, left our families at home. For me, personally, this was a rare "me time" incident :)

Group photo with fellow participants. Image courtesy of WRTS.

The workshop was conducted by Puan Zuraini Abd Karim, Senior Occupational Therapist at Prince Court Medical Centre. I feel she was great choice for this workshop, as she shared many valuable lessons and insights. It's also clear that she has a wealth of experience in this field and a deep understanding, compassion and passion for autism therapy and parenting.

Week 1
During the first week, she addressed the challenges of raising an autistic child, the issues our children are facing and how to understand them, as well as what can be done to help them. Throughout this first session, I found myself constantly nodding my head in agreement, because so much of what was said resonated within me.

It was almost like she wasn't just an occupational therapist. She was a psychologist too. It felt good to hear her address matters that had been plaguing the back of my mind. It felt good to have someone validate my fears, concerns and frustrations. She gets it.

Though I'm still quite new to autism parenting, I've become all too familiar with people who "don't get it." So when I come across someone who gets it, I'm just so grateful :) All too often, autism parents can feel completely alone in their journey and struggles, but being in this workshop, a welcoming, nurturing and understanding environment, is good for the soul. 

Armed with many pages of wonderful notes, I returned home inspired and encouraged. I couldn't wait for week 2!

Theory before practice - Puan Zuraini giving us a fast-paced intro to autism and the importance of occupational therapy.

Week 2
In the second session, Puan Zuraini addressed the abstract concepts that help explain the autism brain, how it works and how to help autistic kids cope better with their environment. She then introduced us to the basic framework of her 45-minute therapy session, which we would learn to do at home with our kids. The idea, she explains, is to get the body and brain ready for learning (I love this!).

Her approach combines a variety of exercises, like gross motor, vestibular, proprioceptive, rhythmic movement therapy, brain gym, fine motor and sensory play. She showed us a few ways to do these exercises using the materials that we may already have at home.

After the second session, some of us had lunch at Bijoex Restaurant, Damansara, which hosts Autism Cafe Project Malaysia on the weekends. I had the delicious Nasi Lemak Lobster and took home some roti jala for my husband. But the real treat was to meet the man with indomitable spirit who spearheaded this project, En Adli Yahya, his son Luqman and their friend Imran :)

With friends at Bijoex Restaurant with Autism Cafe Project's Luqman and Imran. En Adli was our camera man :)
Image courtesy of En Adli Yahya of ACPM.

The mouth-watering Lobster Nasi Lemak :) You have to try it for yourself!

Week 3
In our final session with Puan Zuraini, things were much more hands-on, as she showed us the types of games and activities that we can do with our kids both at home and with the gym equipment. The rule she says, is to follow gross motor/ vestibular activity with proprioceptive activity.

She also reminded us to keep making these activities more challenging for our kids, as to continually challenge and 'provoke' their response. As parents, we need to know if our child is overstimulated or understimulated, and we need to get them to a "just right" state. All these exercises may seem like child's play, but they are powerful, as they can help build pathways in the child's brain. After all, children learn through play, a concept that I hold near and dear to my heart.

Our very hands-on trainer showing us how it's done.

We also learned how to properly use the gym equipment to meet our children's specific needs.

With the new knowledge gained, participants left WRTS that day filled with ideas and perhaps still a few nagging questions on how to apply what we learnt over the next 6 weeks and beyond. Nevertheless, this workshop has been a wonderful experience for me, because I learnt many things and made many wonderful friends :)

If you were a participant in the workshop and are looking for ideas for gross motor, fine motor and brain gym exercises for your child, do visit my Pinterest pages for some ideas:

Therapeutic Activities: https://www.pinterest.com/adlineaghani/autism-therapy-home/
Brain gym exercises: https://www.pinterest.com/adlineaghani/autism-therapy-rmt-brain-gym/

Join Autisme Malaysia!

Besides registering for the workshop, I also seized the opportunity to become a registered member of Autisme Malaysia, a task that I had delayed for far too long. If you're an autism parent, do consider joining, as you'll be able to join AM Santai workshops organised by Autisme Malaysia at a discounted price. Since July this year, there have been six AM Santai sessions held at WRTS, covering various specific topics that have not been covered elsewhere.

My membership card and workshop notes :)

Birthday treat with a side of meltdown

Look at this spread... looks yummy doesn't it?


Yesterday was my birthday and we celebrated it by ticking a few things off my to-do list. My husband took leave from work so that we could send Arif for a trial/ assessment at an inclusive kindergarden located in Denai Alam, which is quite a distance from where we live.

Alhamdulillah his four hours at the kindy went well (I'll write more about this in a separate post). And since he seemed calm after we picked him up, we thought we'd have lunch at Jaya One, PJ, where I needed to pick something up and wanted to check out services at The School, which is an enrichment mall.

We got to the mall, which we hadn't been to in a long while, and we basically got bewildered... because the layout of the place is a little haphazard. There were many restaurants and cafes there, but we finally settled on Tedboy Bakery. It was more quiet and we didn't want Arif to get annoyed by loud noises or crowds.

Thankfully, our lunch was utterly blissful. Arif sat quietly, watching YouTube Kids and munching on fries. I ate all the fried mushrooms you see above (those brown round things) and the fresh strawberry/ yogurt drink wasn't bad. I'm not too sure about the coleslaw though... because the dressing tasted like peanut butter. Don't get me wrong, I love peanut butter! But with cabbage, it just tasted kind of odd to me.



I then had the Irish Lam Stew with Sourdough Bread. It's a light dish, but it was warming. But lunch wasn't the only treat I had :) I was happy to find out that my article has been published by Mummyfique, a Singapore-based parenting portal. Check it out...



You can read the full article here.

I'm quite proud of this article, because it's the first I've written about my experiences as an autism mum. Hopefully, I'll be able to learn more along my journey and share them with others, not only through this blog, but on other platforms too.

And now... about Arif's meltdown...

After our quiet lunch, I was supposed to pick something up from someone's office and visit The School to check out any enrichment centres that would be suitable for Arif. But we didn't make it...

We saw a play area and went closer to ask about their rates. When Arif realised what it was, he tried to climb out of the stroller. We couldn't take him to play, so we tried to leave. That's when his tantrum/ meltdown started.

It's hard to communicate to Arif that we would be back another time, because he has limited understanding of what we're saying. He's non verbal, so he can't express his frustrations. It may have started as a typical temper tantrum that grew out of anger and disappointment for not being able to play. But then it escalated into an epic meltdown.

It seemed like he had used up all his resources for self regulation... four hours at the kindy and another few hours in the car and restaurant... lots of new places and faces... the tiredness... it all caught up with him at once.

We made a break for the car... Arif kicking, screaming and wriggling, trying to get away from daddy's firm hold. Yep, to every onlooker, it seemed like we were torturing or kidnapping him (autism parents out there will be able to relate I'm sure *throwing Katniss Everdeen three-finger salute*).

When we got to the car, I insisted that my husband go and pick up the-thing-I-needed-to-get-picked-up on my behalf. I would handle Arif in the car. It was about 20 minutes of pure mayhem. My little one thrashed about so much, he ended up on the rear deck of the car. He then he thrashed onto the floor of the car, between the driver's seat and the back seat, and then he vaulted himself over to the driver's seat.

I had to use all my strength to get him back into the back seat, because the engine was running and I was worried that he might accidentally release the hand break, hit the gear stick or press on the gas pedal.

Finally, my husband appeared, and he slowly calmed down. This morning, I woke up with a sore neck and shoulders from struggling with my son.

Every time he gets upset, it breaks my heart. So you can imagine how I feel each time he has a meltdown. But these days, my feeling of sadness and being overwhelmed have been replaced by a sense of calm. It's like riding a storm. And I guess you could say, by now I've numbed myself to it.

I understand why the meltdown happens and that it's not my fault or my son's. It's important for me to stay calm and to help him through it. At that point in time, he is in a fight or flight state, from which he cannot simply deescalate. 

But of course, meltdowns are something we need to extinguish as soon as possible. We need to help Arif reach a better state of self regulation and develop his ability to calm down. We also need to remember not to ask too much of our son. Perhaps the hectic pace of yesterday's activities were beyond his comfort zone. Maybe we pushed too hard. Lesson learnt, hopefully we can improve and grow from this, as we move forward in our autism journey.

PS: For more reads on autism meltdowns, here are a few good links I've found:

Autism Meltdown or Temper Tantrum?

Why do sensory kids brain get overloaded? 

Sticky Situation: Developing Fine Motor With Stickers

Arif admiring his handiwork. He put some stickers on a monster during one of our home art classes.

When I was a kid, I loved stickers. I even used to collect them, though I didn't have much pocket money to spend on them. But guess what? I still love stickers to this day! And as an autism mum, I'm finding a new purpose for stickers - as an occupational therapy activity.

One of the ways to help children develop their fine motor skills is by using stickers. Kids love cute and eye-catching stickers and enjoy peeling them off and sticking them onto things. 

Besides helping them to develop fine motor skills, playing with stickers also encourages the ability to sit still and attend to a task. And believe me, for a mum of an autistic kid, getting your child to sit still is a challenge!

Today I'd like to share with you some stickers and a sticker book that I recently got for my son at Daiso. They retail for RM5.90 each.  

Cute puffy animal stickers!

Here's a look inside the sticker book.

And here's what you might find when you stroll along the sticker aisle in Daiso. So many to choose from!

We use stickers when we're out and about too. Check out Arif enjoying his sticker book in his stroller.

Reusable stickers and sticker books are cool too!

To end today's brief post, here's a word of advice - don't be too precious with those stickers. Your kid may not play with them properly (clumping them up or placing them upside down). They may even peel them off and throw them around. But don't let that hinder you. Just have fun! 

Lights for our sensory space

In my effort to turn our living/ family room into a sensory space/ room for my son Arif, one of the components that was missing was special lighting to provide visual sensory input. In today's post, I'd like to share with you some of the products that I've purchased and tried.

Arif's first visit to We Rock the Spectrum, Ara Damansara

Last week, I finally got the chance to take Arif to We Rock the Spectrum (WRTS), which is a special kids gym with an all-inclusive philosophy for kids with all levels of abilities. To me, what makes WRTS awesome are the uniquely-designed sensory equipment that are specifically-designed to aid children with sensory processing disorders, like my son Arif. 

At first glance, WRTS isn't a very big play area, but it packs a lot of sensory play into its space. We arrived early, so the place was empty and I got a chance to take these pictures.

Here's a look at some of the swinging equipment that they have, which is excellent for kids with vestibular issues (more on this later on).

WRTS' slogan, "Finally a Place Where You Never Have to Say I'm Sorry”®, really hits home with me as an autism parent. When I take Arif to play areas, I usually have to deal with disapproving or confused looks from other parents, as well as angry or upset kids, when Arif behaves inappropriately.

Did Arif enjoy his time at WRTS? Read on to find out!

Creating a sensory play area @ Home for Arif

We live in a small home, but I've always felt that it's the perfect size for us. And though we don't have an excess of space, we make it work. 

Each space in our home is multi-functional and flexible to suit our changing needs, and our living/ family room is by far the most multi-purpose space we have. We sleep, eat, watch movies, study and read here and it's constantly evolving. This year, it has developed yet another purpose - a sensory play area for Arif. 

I wanted to create a sensory play area for Arif because on top of his autism, he has Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD). Having a sensory area at home can help calm and stimulate his senses. In addition to helping him with his sensory needs, the space also caters to his home-based therapies and learning activities.


To turn our living room into an adaptable sensory room/ space for Arif, we use a foam play mat by Design Skin as a comfortable and safe surface.  The red Cake Sofa is also by DesignSkin. The swiveling egg chair and tunnel are from Ikea's Children Section, while the round and peanut-shaped exercise balls are from Lazada.

Besides displaying some of Arif's favourite books on a ledge on the wall, I also keep Arif's toys organised in a cabinet. For small items, I use shoe boxes from Daiso that I label according to the activity, like - Sensory, Fine Motor, Art, Duplo & Matching and so on. 

And while I try to keep things as organised as possible.. accidents do happen....

This alarming picture shows what happens when Arif doesn't get the sensory input he needs. Looks like a crime scene, doesn't it? I had just received and opened a package from Lazada and left the room for barely a few minutes. When I got returned, Arif was inside the box and everything else was all over the place!

When it comes to physical things, Arif is a sensory seeker, but when it comes to eating things and feeling textures, Arif is a sensory avoider. Trying to keep a sensory balance and adapting our home to suit his needs is one way for our family to support him. Our sensory space is a work in progress and I'm always looking for ways to improve or add to it.  

If you'd like to create a sensory space for your child, do check out my Pinterest page on Sensory Play and here are a few links to read up on:

Benefits of a Sensory Room

Sensory Room for Relaxation and Stimulation

Sensory Room on a Budget

I've also included below, a few videos of awesome sensory rooms that I found on YouTube for your inspiration. Have fun creating your sensory space!

First visit to Starling Mall, PJ

We decided to visit The Starling Mall in Damansara Uptown last weekend, because a friend told us it's a relatively quiet mall. When we go out, we need to consider if the place is suitable for Arif, who is autistic, because he finds crowded or noisy areas uncomfortable.

The Starling is "The Mall in the Park," which accounts for the nature-inspired theme throughout the mall. A "starling" is a type of bird that is best-known for their murmurations or flocking behaviour and the mall actually has an installation of a starling murmuration, as you can see below.

The starlings here have a steampunk feel, as they have gears and bolts, like they're robot birds.

What else did we see at the mall? Click below to find out.

Tracing & Scribbling

For autistic children like my son Arif, occupational therapy (OT) is important, as it helps them with sensory integration and to overcome certain deficits (read more here). So in addition to having him work with occupational and speech therapists, I also conduct therapeutic activities at home to supplement his therapy.

I also like to think of these sessions as an introduction to homeschooling, so that Arif gets used to the idea of learning at home. One of the activities we like to do is pre-writing skills and improving his pencil grasp. 

As you can see above, Arif has what's called the cylindrical or fisted grasp. To help him with his prewriting activities, I printed a few tracing pages and laminated them so that they could be used again and again. Arif uses a dry erase pen (whiteboard marker) to trace the lines. Most of the time, he just scribbles all over the place, so to help him trace, I need to guide his hand.

Sometimes, he does what's called the palmar or digital grasp, as you can see above. It's interesting to see him scribbling all over a particular character on the worksheet. I wonder what's going through his mind when he does this!

And sometimes, he does both the fisted and palmar grasps at the same time! At present, he likes using both hands to draw or write, but his right hand seems to be the more dominant.


He holds the eraser quite well, holding the paper beneath to stop it from moving. He likes cleaning up after he's made a mess :)


And after some time, when the paper isn't exciting enough... he'll indulge in some body art! Messes are okay and perfectly welcomed in this house, because it's another sensory activity for Arif.


In case you're wondering, I also give him pencils and colour markers with regular unlaminated paper, so that he can experience the different textures and pressures needed. 

Though he's doing a lot of scribbling, which seems meaningless, it's actually good practice for holding a writing instrument. Watch this short video on the importance of scribbling:

If you'd like to print out some free activity worksheets, like the ones I'm using here, feel free to visit my Pinterest board: Tracing, Colouring & Cutting Worksheets. Happy scribbling everybody!

FREE Online Courses on Autism

Your child has been diagnosed with autism, a term that you're barely familiar with, and now you have to quickly figure out what it is and how you can help your child. The more you look it up on the Internet, the more worried you get, because there's a whole lot to digest all at once.

Friend and family send you links and videos about autism, its causes and "cures" and it doesn't take long before you've had enough.

Whether you're a concerned parent, caregiver or teacher, there are indeed many good websites and resources on autism out there, like Autism Speaks and The National Autistic Society (UK) that can help you in your search for answers.

But rather than hopping from site to site, being unsure of where to begin and getting a patchwork of information, I'd like to suggest that you start by signing up for an online course. I'm sharing two online courses in autism that I've taken, and best of all - they're FREE!

If you're a Malaysian, like me, a good place to start would be the iKurnia Open Learning Course by Permata Kurnia.

They offer two free main courses in Bahasa Melayu - Asas Autisme (Autism Basics) and Asas Intervensi (Intervention Basics), which will help you gain a clearer understanding about autism, the characteristics and challenges children on the spectrum face, as well as the interventions they need.

Here's a short introduction to iKurnia:

Once you finish the courses, you'll get e-certificates, like these ones:

You'll even get these "badges" for completion. I got the one on the left for completing the course in one day, which you can certainly do if you have a few hours to spare.

But that's not all, Permata Kurnia also shares videos of talks by local experts via their YouTube channel: PERMATA KURNIA. If you can't make it to their lecture hall, you can watch the live streams or pre-recorded videos of past topics.

Another free online course on autism that I've come across, is offered by Autism Spectrum Australian (ASPECT), via Positive Partnerships. I found their An Introduction To Autism module to be more in-depth than the one by iKurnia, particularly in terms of the history of autism research, popular theories and tools for diagnosis. There's also a lot more to read, whereas the iKurnia course had more video content. If you're interested in this course, here's where to sign up - Autism Training Positive Partnerships.

At the end of the introductory module, there's a test that you have to pass. I took it and got 81% 👌Not too bad right? What happens if you get bad marks? Don't worry, you can retake it.

In case you're wondering, the passing mark is 50%.

And just like the iKurnia course, with completion, you'll get a certificate. Here's mine:

There are a few more modules on the Positive Partnerships website that I have yet to explore, and I cannot wait to do so!

These courses have helped me gain a more thorough understanding of autism and the interventions that are out there, which believe me, can be bewildering. They answered many of my burning questions, even those I didn't know I had! 

Learning from these courses can be your first step to empowering yourself with knowledge on your child's condition. They can also help you make a more informed decision about the therapies and interventions that will suit your child and family's needs. So if you want to learn more about autism, or know someone who does, be sure to pass them a link to this blog post.

Do you know of any other online courses on autism that parents, caregivers and educators can take? What kind of online courses on autism or other topics do you wish was offered for free? Leave a link in the comments below! 

Saving money with Shopback

Last year, My husband and I were interviewed by Focus Malaysia, where we discussed the financial decisions and money-saving efforts that we do as a couple. It was then that the interviewer told me about Shopback, which is a way to save money when you shop online. Basically, with Shopback, with each purchase you make at an affiliated store, you get some cash back (which is why they call it Cashback).  

Blast from the past - our interview with Focus Malaysia.

As a work at home mum, with two kids and my mum to look after, I rarely have the opportunity to go out and shop. I pretty much rely on online shopping, which is why it made sense for me to sign up with Shopback. 

In the beginning, when I started on Shopback, I didn't quite understand how it worked. But a few months down the line, it all made sense. 

While I haven't racked up thousands of savings like some Shopback users, a few hundred back in my pocket isn't a bad thing!

Since then, I've managed to save quite a bit in my account and I've done two withdrawals. I've earned Cashback for buying stuff I need, ordering food and booking hotel rooms... and you can too! If you like to shop online, you should definitely check out Shopback!

Giveaway Winners - Limited Edition Anmum Essential Kit

I'm pleased to announce the winners of the Limited-edition ANMUM Essential Kit! They are:

Law Tik 

Umm Ali

Nicki Kuok

Sherry & Juju

Congratulations winners! To claim your prize, kindly email the following details to me at adline76@yahoo.co.uk:

1. Full name
2. Mobile number
3. Address (With someone on hand to receive the prizes during working hours)
4. Product (Step 3 for age 1-3 or Step 4 for above age 3)

I would also like to thank everyone who participated, I really appreciate your support! Before you go, let's revisit the key essential nutrients that are crucial for a child's brain development.

 

To support your child’s growth with the new and improved Anmum™ Essential that contains Nuelipid™ for higher level of GA® *. GA® and DHA, which are key brain nutrients!

To learn more about Anmum Essential, visit the Anmum Essential website.